You examined your dog's abdomen and found that… Black crust formed on the teats has? Then I can understand that you are very worried.
In some cases the concern is justified, but the cause often turns out to be harmless in retrospect.
So that you know what your dog could be missing, you can find the following article The 8 most common reasons for black crust formation in the chest area of female dogs.
The 8 most common reasons for black crust on dog teats
1. dirt & dirt
In most cases, the black crust on the teat has a very harmless origin: often it is simply dirt and grime, which settled in this sensitive spot and slowly hardened has.
There is then little reason to worry: Sometimes it's not that easy to find out the cause, because some dirt is very stubborn and can only be removed with great difficulty.
Dogs who like to travel a lot and/or rest in somewhat dirty places while lying on their stomachs are particularly affected.
2. Pronounced sebum production
Such dirt is often responsible for the black crusts, but can also be caused by other factors. One is one Hyperfunction of the sebaceous glands.
Dogs have these just like us humans. The function is then the same: the gland produces a oily secretion, which protects skin and fur against invaders such as bacteria and fungi. This is particularly important on the four-legged friend's sensitive abdomen, which hardly contains any hair.
However, for various reasons it can happen that the sebaceous glands significantly more secretion than necessary produce.
This includes
- hormonal changes, especially during “dog puberty”
- One sebaceous gland hyperplasia, in which (benign) growths cause the sebum cells to multiply.
When it comes to people, we also talk about it “Blackheads”. Small black dots around the teats are typical.
The black crust is also dirt. It mixes with the secretion, which then changes color. The dog usually doesn't feel any pain, but hyperplasia can lead to lumps forming and hardening of the skin around the teats.
3. pregnancy
Your bitch is pregnant and suddenly has black crusts on the teats? In this case too, I wouldn't worry too much. In the weeks before birth, the body changes: the hormonal balance shifts, the animal eats more in order to be able to optimally supply its young with milk.
More energy for birth preparation
Before giving birth, it is advisable to give the bitch specially formulated, energy-rich food. You can find out more about this in our “Dog food for pregnant bitches” Comparison.
Milk production usually begins days before birth. In these times the glands also open the teats slowly – every now and then milk drips out.
Dog milk has a fat content of over 10 percent. This makes it very easy for dirt to get caught on the teats and form a dry, dark layer. After the birth, this should disappear quickly as the hungry puppies will quickly suck it clean.
4. false pregnancy
But be careful: Not every dog that becomes pregnant is pregnant. false pregnancies are a very frequently observed phenomenon in female animals: They then behave as if they were different, engage in “nesting activities” and treat cuddly toys or other toys as if they were their own puppies.
This is not a quirk, but rather hormonally related. That's why these symptoms occur a few weeks after the heat on.
This often results in a small amount of milk production. Even then, it is possible that the milk secretion gets mixed with dirt and a black crust forms on the teats.
5. Parasites
But not every cause has something to do with dirt. It is very unpleasant for the four-legged friend if Parasites behind the black crust.
These are mostly Fleas. They live on the blood of four-legged friends and are hardly visible to the naked eye. Their droppings are much easier to locate – their droppings look like small black dots at first glance.
These in turn can be confused with a crust. If you have a flea infestation, you should intervene immediately After all, the uninvited guests are not only annoying, but can also transmit diseases and spread to other pets or sometimes even people.
Dr. med. vet. Christine Koch tells you how to recognize and combat fleas on dogs. Source: Dr. Woof / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeOmXza91wg .
6. Pigment phenomena
If the supposed black crust remains even after cleaning attempts and no major changes occur, it may simply be a problem whim of nature is: Dogs also have pigments that occasionally deviate from the norm.
These “disorders” include, for example: Birthmarks, liver and age spots. In most cases, however, they are completely harmless and nothing to worry about.
They can become crusty, especially when friction occurs. Hyperpigmented areas are then significantly more sensitive than the rest of the dog's skin. The areas usually heal quickly.
7. Tumors
Things are different when bitches have one malignant tumor have. Unfortunately, that is also possible.
Breast cancer is a comparatively common disease in four-legged friends: In a study carried out in 1975 with 875 bitches that had tumors, almost 14 percent of the test subjects were diagnosed with a “mammary tumor”. Young animals can also be affected.
Occasionally – but much less often – this can also happen Black skin cancer appear. In both forms of the disease, dark discoloration of the teats can often be observed. These usually grow quickly and become bloody.
8. Crusted wounds
In rare cases, the stains may also be on the teats crusted wounds acts. The dog then injured her chest area, but is already on the mend.
This can happen, for example, if the animal itches and tries to grab an object scratch. Also accidents in the form of thorns or other things pointed material or excessive friction are possible causes. Bite wounds in the teat area are much rarer.
If this were the reason, I would no big worries do: The crust should fall off on its own within a few days.
Female dog has black crust on her teat: You can do that
So you can see that the reasons for a black crust on the teat not always dangerous are. On the contrary, most of the time they are very harmless. But since serious health problems can also be the cause, you still have to watch out.
This means: You should definitely have your dog lady observe well and pay attention to any other symptoms. This way you can narrow down the possible culprits and you can start with one Solution to search.
One of the following strategies is particularly helpful.
1. From the vet
If you are not really sure what is causing the discoloration, you should definitely go to Vet. In most cases, he is quickly able to competently assess the true cause and will often then give the all-clear.
If he suspects a serious illness, he will probably have one first Blood analysis carry out and then take a tissue sample and send it to the laboratory (biopsy). The removal is usually carried out under local anesthesia. He can also have the dog if you wish get castrated, to rule out (phantom) pregnancies as a cause.
You should definitely go to the practice if you notice symptoms that suggest more than just dirt.
This includes
- Wounds
- swelling
- expansion of the crust
- Pain in the dog (e.g. when examining the chest area).
The therapy depends entirely on the cause: with malignant tumors, only operations and radiation actually help – the earlier it is detected, the better the prognosis.
2. Antiparasitics
If you find fleas or other parasites when trying to get to the bottom of the cause, you definitely have to take the dog with you Antiparasitics be treated. In the case of severe infestations, medication is particularly helpful.
As prophylaxis But you can also do something about the uninvited guests in advance. Examples of this are
3. Dog bathe more often
In the event that the dog is dirty in the chest area, this is especially helpful more hygiene: The animal should then be bathed more often.
But it's important not to overdo it: In general, a bath should be carried out as often as necessary, but not more frequently. Otherwise, the four-legged friend's skin could be damaged.
Therefore it is also necessary special care products such as dog shampoos to use.
Do not use force
Female dogs are very sensitive in the chest area. That's why you can definitely not try to remove the encrusted areas by force. Strenuous scrubbing is therefore just as taboo as cosmetics or even cleaning products that are not approved for pets. Squeezing out blackheads is also forbidden – it would not be successful and would only result in severe pain.
4. Healing ointments
In the case of “real” encrustation, one can suitable and dog-friendly ointment accelerate the healing process.
Here's first and foremost Dexpanthenol (mainly sold as “Bepanthen”), the active ingredient creates a protective film that keeps germs free from the wound. In the case of bleeding that is still crusting over, this can also be done Disinfectant or Povion iodine (often offered as Betaisodona) to prevent complications.
5. More cleanliness in the house & Attention
And finally, sometimes it can help if you clean the house a little more. If you e.g Clean your four-legged friend's floors and sleeping areas more often, Less dirt will settle in the chest area.
When you're on the move, it's advisable for a while to to take a little more care of the dog: Then you can walk him on a leash and intervene as soon as he wants to roll in the dirt or lie down on a dirty floor.
Possibly conclusion
Black crust on a female dog's teat is often a big shock when first discovered. Most cases are harmless; they are caused by dirt, birthmarks or the consequences of a hormonal change. You should only really be on guard if you have sore spots or if you suspect cancer.
FAQs
Does a male dog have teats?
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