# incredible pigmentation... or something else?



## carolicious

So I read a few posts here about how it is normal for some maltese to have a great deal of pigmentation so that their skin around their nose turns black and how they may get cow spots underneath and that some have black anus? However has someone ever heard of an* ALL BLACK*-skinned maltese?? 

The skin around the top of Coby's head around his ears turned black first around 3.5 months of age, he had lemon-y ears to start with and I heard that usually the lemon spots signify that there is a lot of pigmentation in that area... so that was to be expected.. but then it started spreading, now his nose area is black, he is developing little cow spots on his belly near his privates, he had like a black mole looking patch of skin on his anus that suddenly came into existance.. he also has developed 2 spots on the middle of his back and its becoming darker and darker. My mom also told me that she has just found another black spot on his neck area now.. at this rate, I think I'm going to have an all black skinned maltese! :blink: I thought it was just pigmentation before but I never heard of it spreading this much and this fast, so I'm kind of worried now.. do you think he just has a very rich amount of pigmentation or.. could this be some sort of disease? The skin is not like bumpy or anything.. it's just black. 

any feedback would be appreciated! Thank you!


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## Moxie'smom

I never saw this before I got Moxie. My other baby never had any cow like spots that you speak about. As Moxie gets older, I also notice cow like spots on his muzzle. I was concerned too, but no one said it was anything to worry about. He also doesn't have a tremendous amount of hair on top of those spots. Thanks for reminding me. I'm going to ask the vet about it tomorrow when I pick him up from his neuter. I will let you know what I was told about those spots.


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## The A Team

My Abbey's skin gets darker spots in the summer when she's in the sun alot. It looks like she has big freckles. It's always been like that.


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## carolicious

the spots I'm talking about on Coby aren't small spots like freckles, he has fairy big sized ones (but the ones on his belly are smaller and more scattered and more distributed throughout his underside).. the ones on his back are about 1.5 - 2 inches in diameter.. and they have developed even though he hasn't been out in the sun much lately.. im hoping it's really nothing.. and that his spots won't keep spreading and getting bigger, I kind of like the pink skin


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## Furbaby's Mommie

My first Malt, Frosty, had lots of dark skin spots. He looked like a dalmation when he was wet. :HistericalSmiley:


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## k/c mom

I have seen Malts with large spots. The typical spots aren't freckle sized... they are much larger than that... maybe the size of a quarter and sometimes they are so close together that the area is quite dark.


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## Luna'sMom

Luna has lots of dark spots on her skin - around her ears, muzzle, butt, tail, tummy, legs etc the skin along her back is a darker color (i.e. not as white as her tummy) but its not black. It would probably be darker if she was in the sun alot (we go for walks but not during the middle of the day) - but its pretty normal for Maltese to have dark pigment all over  I bet if I shaved Luna and put her in a paddock with a bunch of cows you wouldn't be able to pick her out :HistericalSmiley: 

I can't see the spots when her hair is nice and longish (not that it is as long as it used to be) - but I can when she gets wet :HistericalSmiley: 

I used to think the spots detracted from Luna's appearance - but now i love them - they are all hers and quirky :thumbsup:


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## momtoboo

Boo had lots of dark spots when he was a puppy, he did look like a dalmation puppy when he was wet. As he's gotten older though, those spots have all faded. He's mostly pink now with darker pinkish or tanish spots. His little butt has always been pink though, while Hannahs is very dark, nearly black.


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## jmm

Soda has cow spots all over...in the summer they get darker.


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## Maxsmom

I believe that it is due to breeding. Somewhere in their lines the pigment was like that. Ollie is 19 weeks old and still has yet to develop eyeliner on his left lower eye. Both eyes were like that, but slowly filled in. He is totally pink, no spots, but he does have One Lemon Ear, as to his name "OLE".  

Genetics are a strange thing, but it's just like people, we don't all look alike. I know that you love him just the same. I do my sweet Ollie!

Love and Peace - Chris


*The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.* - _Allan K. Chalmers: _


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## carolicious

whew! :smheat: 

Thanks everyone for letting me know! I was just reading about a black skin disease the other day and it had me worried. 
I'll be looking forward to Coby's next bath to see if i can pass him off as a cow or a dalmation :HistericalSmiley: 

I wish the little mole on his butt would go away though, I always think he has a piece of poo that got stuck to his fur! :w00t:


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## Deborah

Rylee has no spots but she likes moonlight not sunlight. Marshmallow Fluff looked like a spotted cow whenever I gave her a bath. She loved being out in the sun. She would go out at noon and lay on the hot rocks I literally had to go and bring her inside to prevent her from getting sunburned.


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## luvmyfurbaby

I bathed Cody for the first time in the tub and since he wasn't standing up I noticed he was basically almost all brown/black with only a few albino spots on his back. So I guess that is normal he just has more pigmentation then most. Mia had cow spots on her belly but they are almost all gone.


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## camfan

Ollie was pink as a puppy but then turned like a purple-y color--no kidding--no spots or freckles at all, just an overall darkish color. But I do think it has faded a bit as he's gotten older (he's 18 mos).

My dad's malt is very freckled.


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## bellaratamaltese

It sounds like he just has good pigment. My puppy Chowder is getting ridiculous pigment, his muzzle is almost completely dark (like in my sig pic) Your baby is adorable!


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## theboyz

Ozzy has the spots on his tongue!!!!


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## gibbert

Tchelsi has always had lots of dark cow spots - these are very prominent when she's wet, but otherwise I can't see them (except for a small area on her widdle belly). When we first noticed the spots when she was a puppy, we thought she was part Chinese Crested! We were thinking that would explain those long legs of hers too. Of course that was before either of us learned that the spots are fairly common in Malts. I'm thinking one day we'll have Tchelsi tested to see if there are any other breeds in her lineage (she is from a puppymill). I'm kinda curious to find that out.


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## honeybun

Dark pigment like that I have been told is good.


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