My dogs skin is turning black, starting on her belly, She is a 3 yr old, basset/chow mix and this has never happened before. I have scrubbed and it wont come off. It is the skin and not dirt. It is getting darker and covering more area over time. I don't know if this is significant but she was sprayed by a skunk about 1 1/2 months ago, i used a concoction off the internet to bath her in when it happened: peroxide, baking soda, and dawn dish soap. She also has a musty smell that wont go away maybe a little still lingering from the skunk but i wonder if it has to do w/ the skin problem.
Optional Information: Age: 3; Female; Breed: basset/chow mix
Often the darkening of abdominal skin is due to a problem with the thyroid hormone being too low. Along with that can come a yeast infection of the skin leading to the odor you are smelling. You can read about thyroid issues in dogs here
http://marvistavet.com/html/body_hypothyroidism.html
I'd suggest having your vet check her over to see if the problem is her thyroid. A blood test will show if that is it and there are meds that can help with that.
Another possibility is an adrenal gland problem causing Cushings disease but a thyroid issue is fairly common and your vet will likely check for that first.
Hope this helps you!
Experience: 30+ yrs dog home vet care & nursing, rescue, behavior&training, responsible show breeding, genetics