Although we have discussed regions of black fur that are not uncommon with the Maltese breed, there are quite a few health conditions that owners need to be aware of.
As you will see, with most of these conditions, there are other signs like raised pores and skin. Therefore, if a Maltese puppy or dog has a black epidermis that has NOT grown or changed in any way, it is often due to the normal changes in skin pigmentation, as noted above.
Here is a list of the most common health problems that cause dark skin
- Apocrine cyst of the sweat gland – It presents in the form of small round and dark lumps. With many canines, the bumps are actually a dark blue that can be mistaken for black. These are frequently found on the legs, neck and/or head of the dog. It is diagnosed with a biopsy and the lumps are surgically removed.
- Basal cell tumors – A raised darkened bump on the skin; located most frequently on the chest, head and/or neck. This is a gradually growing cancer that is identified on biopsy and is surgically removed.
- Bowen’s disease (squamous cell carcinoma) – A rare disease in which black, heavy, raised lesions transform into ulcers that crust and bleed. These can be present in almost any area of the body: mind, neck, chest, shoulders, around the mouth, belly, and/or genital areas. This is diagnosed with a biopsy and treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation.
- Cushing’s disease – Unfortunately this is not unusual in the Maltese breed. It is a condition in which there are hormonal disorders that cause high levels of cortisol to appear in the bloodstream.
Not all Maltese dogs with Cushing’s have dark areas of pores and skin. For many, there are areas of discoloration of the epidermis, however it can be dark pink or dark brown.
Other Cushing’s signs include
- Excessive thirst
- increased urination
- Changes in appetite (decrease or increase)
- Hair loss
- weakness in the extremities
- skin bumps
- Formation of scabs on the skin
- This is identified as having blood and urine tests done and is treated with steroid-based medications such as prednisone.
Summary of HEALTH ISSUES
As you can see, with these conditions having black skin as one of the signs, there are other symptoms as well; most noticeably raised spots. So, if you notice that any dark spots on your Maltese are raised, this is your indication to bring your puppy or dog in for a thorough checkup.
Steps to prevent and/or reduce areas of dark skin on a Maltese
The following applies to black spots that are purely cosmetic, and not due to any skin or ailment.
The best method to fade or remove blackheads is to prevent direct sun exposure. BUT, there are a few points to keep in mind as there are several wrong ways to do this.
1) The first thing to keep in mind is that black spots and halos are a desired characteristic of the Maltese breed and it is sunlight that can play a big part in keeping those areas dark.
Since a lack of sunlight can cause the nose to fade on top of all other black factors, many homeowners deliberately encourage sun exposure, even if this simply includes some lounging time in a solarium during the drying season. winter.
Therefore, if you try to limit direct sun exposure in an effort to diminish the black skin on your body, you will often have undesirable results, including fading of the nose.
2) Limiting the sun shouldn’t mean limiting outdoor activities either, as daily outdoor exercise is important to keeping a Maltese healthy and strong.
How to keep the bones and cardiovascular system healthy and
It helps the dog maintain a proper metabolism, keeps the bones and cardiovascular system healthy and, in many cases, gives the pup the opportunity to release stored energy, allowing him to behave better around the house.
Just as important, it provides a great bonding experience for owner and dog, allows a Maltese to practice socialization skills, and is time to train and hone heeling techniques.
Therefore, staying indoors is simply unhealthy and the benefit of black pores and skin discoloration does not outweigh any and all benefits of a dog exercising outside.
Keeping all of this in mind, you’ll want to block sunlight from reaching a Maltese’s pores and skin (but not his nose), while taking him outside at the normal frequency (typically two walks per day, plus any weather additional supervised outdoor play). This is best accomplished by using a good leave-in coating product with SPF sun protection.
Recommendation About The hair
In any case, it is recommended to leave the hair loose for proper grooming; however, if you use one with SPF and do it regularly, it will help those black areas to fade.
You will find two types of sunscreen that are best for black spotted Maltese:
a spray. You’ll want one that sprays on with a continuous mist, which will protect the epidermis and coat. We recommend Epi-Pet Sunlight Protectant Spray for Pets, which can replace your Maltese’s normal coating spray.
This is the only sunscreen for pets that meets FDA requirements. Since only individual products have formal SPF ratings, this has the equivalent of 30 to 40 SPF, which is great for canines. Epi-Pet also smells fantastic and is a nice, non-greasy formulation that leaves skin dry.
