Black Spot on Dog's Tongue

If_My_Pennies_Were_Pounds

Hi everyone,

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of their dog suddenly developing a black spot on it's tongue?

We have a black German Shepherd, she's 20 months now and we've just noticed that she's suddenly got a black spot in the middle of her tongue. At first my OH thought it was something stuck on her tongue but it's almost like a stain...

I've tried looking online for an idea of whether this is something that we need to see the vet about or is relatively common but as you can imagine I've come across everything from it being pigmentation to a serious illness

Our girl is on the left (obviously!)



Any help is much appreciated!

pulliptears

My Mum's Shih Tzu has one of those! We'd always considered it a birth mark or something such like. He's ten now, but when he was a pup I had been over with my DD who was 4 at the time, Mum called me that night and asked me to quiz DD if she'd taken her felt tips over there because she thought the dog may have eaten one

Of course, he hadn't and it was the black spot thats still very much there now.

mumof3kids

i have a staffie with this also, he's had it since he was a pup and is nearly 8 now.
we mentioned it to the vet when he visited for his booster and the vet said it was nothing to worry about, just like a birthmark.

If_My_Pennies_Were_Pounds

Should I call the vet to double check?

She hasn't had it since we got her at 8 weeks, she's only developed it a few days ago...

chatbug

From your picture its just the same mark as our 11yr old black lab. I noticed it on our dog when he was about 3yrs had not seen it before then. Took him to the vets was told he had it since birth and its like a birth mark. If you are worried about it take her to the vets to have it checked out will put your mind at rest.

tankgirl1

I reckon its nothing to worry about, but would make a FOC vet nurse appt just to check - if the vet nurse has any doubts they will refer to their vet meaning a consult fee.
Lots of dogs have pigmented areas on their tongues - totally normal - could it be you have just never noticed it before?
As always, Vets if worried

If_My_Pennies_Were_Pounds

Thanks everyone, I phoned the vet this morning to see if I should bring her in and they said it did sound like pigmentation.

They said they usually recommend to keep an eye on it for a couple of weeks to make sure it doesn't change size/shape/colour and if we're still unsure to take her in just to be checked.

It's definitely only come up in the last few days as photos I took last week have no black spots on her tongue!

hethmar

From a google search it seems VERY common for black GSD to have black/purple spots on their tongue. may be yours just developed slowly without you noticing?

Have a google.

pulliptears

hethmar wrote: »

From a google search it seems VERY common for black GSD to have black/purple spots on their tongue. may be yours just developed slowly without you noticing?

Have a google.

Interesting, especially as the Shih Tzu with the same thing is black. Wonder if its common with black dogs in general?