Blue skin with black dots

Jobie has always had this (well, since I've known him so for at least 20 months-ish), and I've never known what it is it doesn't cause him any trouble but it'd be interesting to know what it is, or if he's just a strange dog
It's a patch on his chest about 3 1/2 inches by 1/2. Sorry, only the close ups came out decent since he's laying down atm The picture is a bit gross looking, sorry.



It looks awful but he doesn't scratch at it or anything and it's never changed shape or spread. It's weird.

Wow it looks like a plucked turkey.
Ingrowing hairs maybe I don't know but am sure there will be someone who does.

That looks to me like impacted hair follicles. Basically gunge has clogged around the hair root. No idea why it happens in just one localised area... possible some injury to the skin that has deformed the follicles in some way. I've seen this on belly and around anal area in some dogs.

I'd be tempted to gently sqeeze out the gunge and then apply an antispectic wash but then I do like messing about with things like this. If it's not getting any worse or causing any bother, you're probably best leaving it.

I agree....and the black dots are probably pigment ie just blackheads
If I were going to squeeze, I'd give a warm bath first to loosen it.
Does he lie prone (on his stomach while sitting up) alot? It seems he may have worn away the fur a little as well.

Mary

Gunge eh? come to think of it when i was taking the pictures one of the black bits came out when i was pulling him about. Yeah, he lies like that quite a lot, when he was in kennels the bitches always used to bully him into sleeping on the (concrete, poor thing) floor which could get quite damp and disinfectanty sometimes so maybe it started then? He's got bald thigh syndrome and he's bald about 1/4 of the way up the sides of his chest a patch on his tail and on his neck and elbows too. it'd be funny if i degunged it and he got a little patch of hair back in the middle, hee
thanks for the repiles

I've heard of this before in greys - think it's quite a common thing, and some are worse than others. I really can't remember how people have treated it, but I know I'd be tempted to squeeze them and bathe the area. If he's from a greyhound rescue, I'd contact them for advice as I'm sure they will have treated it before.

OOOOOO me too, I wouldnt be able to resist.

heh, i didn't realise it was common pretty weird all the same, not that i checked their chests on a regular basis but when I volunteered at the rescue I didn't see it on any of the others. Trust me to get the skanky dog
I had a go at it earlier, they stick up above the surface of the skin enough to pull quite a few out. I didn't realise they went so far under the skin though i should have taken more pictures huh

I remember on a greyhound site, someone squeezing them and taking macro pictures at opportune moments - it looked like an alien emerging from the poor dog's chest! I'll try and find it and PM you with it - but it is really, really gross!

I know - I'm terrible with thigs lke this! It's yucky but sooo satisfying!