iLD Ask A Vet: Why Is My Frenchie’s Skin Turning Pink?

Has your dog ever shown any pigment changes to the skin?  Was enough concern generated that you addressed the changes with your veterinarian?   See my perspective on the i Love Dogs (iLD) Ask A Vet page on the appearance of a French Bulldog's pink skin.

The article originally appeared as: Why Is My Frenchie’s Skin Turning Pink?

I have a white and brindle French Bulldog. In the summertime when we go outside in the grass, his skin turns bright pink, especially his belly, pawsand mouth. It doesn’t seem to bother him, but he doesn’t always show it if he’s uncomfortable. I know French Bulldogs can have a lot of problems with allergies. Is this something I should be concerned about? –Katie  Hello Katie, Thank you for your question. The French Bulldog is one of my favorite breeds. I’ve treated many in my years of veterinary practice, and was even involved in providing pro-bono care forBuddha, a Frenchie who was severely burned by an unknown heat source. He eventually healed after a series of electrostimulation acupuncture treatments and regular consumption of immune system-enhancing i Love Dogs Glucosamine & Chondroitin with Green Tea and Reishi supplements. In regard to your question, many dogs with white fur tend to have pink skin that is more apparent to the outside observer than dogs with dark fur. Any exposure to environmental allergens, textured surfaces (carpets, plant material or rough ground, for example) or other irritants can cause inflammation to the skin and make it look pink or red. This effect could be short or long term, depending on the nature of the irritation and on the ability of the dog’s immune system to quiet down the inflammation. Here are the circumstances in which I would be concerned about your dog’s pink skin:

• If the skin stays pink on a continual basis or changes in color to red, purple, black, white, yellow or other variant from the norm.
• If your dog starts licking, chewing, rubbing or scratching at the affected area.
• If the skin begins to ooze clear to pink liquid, or thicker yellow to green discharge (“pus”).
• If there’s a bad smell or greasy feel to your dog’s skin.
• If your dog displays discomfort when the affected skin is touched.

With any ongoing concerns for your pooch’s dermatologic health, make sure to schedule an examination with your veterinarian.  Diagnostic testing, including skin scraping or impression smear (for cytology); blood, urine and fecal evaluation; and other tests (Wood’s lamp evaluation, skin biopsy, X-rays or ultrasound, for example) may be needed to get a sense of your dog’s whole body health status. If the issues cannot be appropriately addressed by your veterinarian, then pursue an evaluation with a veterinary dermatologist. One can be found in your area through the referral of your veterinarian or via the American College of Veterinary Dermatology website. Good luck, Patrick Mahaney, VMD, CVA Ask a Vet is intended for informational purposes only. If your dog requires veterinary attention, you should take him to your vet or animal emergency clinic for an examination. Click here to find a veterinarian near you. Have a question concerning your dog’s health? Send it to Ask a Vet. PHOTO: Mustang_79 Thank you for reading this article.  Your questions and comments are completely welcome (I’ll respond). Please feel free to communicate with me through Twitter (@PatrickMahaney) and follow my adventures in veterinary medicine by liking Patrick Mahaney: Veterinarian Acupuncture Pain Management for Your Pets on Facebook. Copyright of this article (2013) is owned by Dr Patrick Mahaney, Veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. Republishing any portion of this article must first be authorized by Dr Patrick Mahaney. Requests for republishing must be approved by Dr Patrick Mahaney and received in written format.