Vizslas are beautiful dogs with black or liver-colored coat. But why does my Vizsla have a black belly? Also, is it okay if my Vizsla has a dark patch on the underside of their neck?
The most common reasons why Vizsla might have a black belly are due to diabetes, liver diseases, aging, mixed breeding, kidney failure, and GIT disorders.
Further, why do some Vizslas have different colors in their hair and skin? Why is one side of my dog darker than the other side? These are all questions you may be wondering about your furry friend. In this article, we will answer these questions and many more.
Why Does My Vizsla Have Black Belly?
Vizsla dogs have a dark black or brown coat color. They are typically white except their tail, ears, and muzzle, which is usually darker in the shade than the rest of their body. In addition, Vizslas have a distinctive rich gold, copper, or rust color on the bottom of their tail.
Vizsla dogs with black bellies aren’t common in purebred. The black color can also be due to an age-related condition in which your dog loses its hair. And dark hairs replace the lighter colored hairs, or in some cases. It may indicate a more serious underlying medical condition such as endocrine disease or hyperpigmentation (skin pigmentation disorder).
Vizsla With Black Belly: Is It Serious?
The black color on the belly of a Vizsla is not severe. Black pigment may be present in other areas of the body, such as paws and eyes. The darker pigmentation can occur when dogs are under stress or have an injury to this area that has caused bleeding beneath the skin layer (subcutaneous). However, it is a normal variation in this breed.
But if your Vizsla shows the following signs along with the black belly, then it might be severe:
- loss of appetite
- diarrhea or vomiting
- lethargy and restlessness
- change in bowel habits
- swollen abdomen
- loss of weight
- Bloody urine or stool with a tinge of blood in it
- Therefore, it is best to see a vet for an examination to prevent it from getting worse and more life-threatening.
Causes Of Black Belly In Vizsla
Like most diseases, the exact causes of black belly in vizslas are still unknown. However, there are some possibilities.
So, the possible causes of black belly in Vizslas are:
Hypoglycemia or Diabetes
The most common cause of black belly in Vizsla is a condition of hypoglycemia or diabetes. In both cases, the dog’s body cannot produce enough insulin to break down glucose released into the bloodstream after eating.
Glucose builds up, and it reacts with a protein called hemoglobin in red blood cells to form a compound called methemoglobin. Methemoglobinemia is the condition of red blood cells that have turned black as they cannot carry oxygen, leading to tissue damage and dysfunction in vital organs such as the brain, heart, or liver.
Liver Disease
Some liver diseases like cirrhosis, hepatitis, and liver cancer can cause a Vizsla to have a black belly. Vizslas are one of the most common breeds that suffer from liver disease.
Usually, in liver diseases, the liver turns black and dies. In addition, the dog may have a swollen abdomen or trouble breathing, which are two signs of liver disease. So, due to the change in coloration of liver cells, your dog has a black belly.
Gastrointestinal Problems
Gastrointestinal problems are the most common cause of black belly in Vizslas. The dog’s stomach acid usually turns food into a brown liquid. Still, when it isn’t healthy enough to do that, it digests the food partially (usually because of too much gas). So, due to the gases, you might see a dark green-black substance on their skin or hair near their belly.
Intestinal Parasites
Parasitic infection in the intestine of your Vizsla can cause a dark brown, almost black, or grayish discoloration in the skin around the anus. Generally, intestinal worms and parasites can also be responsible for this problem. Several types can live inside your dog’s intestines: roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, and heartworm.
Kidney Failure
The kidneys are responsible for eliminating waste from the body. When they fail, wastes accumulate, and toxins build up in the blood. The dog’s skin color becomes a darker gray or black because of all this extra pigment.
And since the belly areas of the body are more sensitive to these changes, they turn black.
Aging
When your dog gets old, bile production slows down and becomes more concentrated in the liver. It means that the intestine hasn’t completely removed the bile, so it starts accumulating on its surface. The black color of this substance comes from bilirubin, a pigment created when red blood cells break down inside your dog’s body tissues.
Bile can cause inflammation around your Vizsla’s belly and lower back, leading to blackness in these areas.
Mixbreeding
Due to the immense popularity of Vizsla, breeders are now producing more of this breed than ever before. Furthermore, to reduce the cost of Vizsla puppies, many breeders are now crossing these dogs with other species.
As a result, you can find Vizslas in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Some may be smaller or larger than the standard Vizsla height, while others are black but still retain their natural dog traits and behaviors.
Treatment Of Vizsla’s Black Belly
If you notice your Vizsla is black on his belly, it can be a sign of a severe infection. Your veterinarian will need to run diagnostics and see the underlying cause before making any treatment decisions. As mentioned above, if this problem goes untreated for too long, there can be severe consequences.
So, some treatment options for your Vizla’s black belly are:
- Analgesics is necessary to alleviate pain and help with mobility.
- You can use antibiotics for infections or other diseases.
- Pain medication if an infection has spread through the abdomen and caused severe discomfort.
- Vizsla may need surgery to remove the infected tissue or organ (depending on location and how intense things are).
Can A Vizsla Be Black?
In general, the purebred Vizsla dog is a golden-yellow color. Thus, they are also famous as “the Golden Retriever of Hungary.” Some Vizslas can be black, but the American Kennel Club has not recognized this trait as an official coat color for breeding dogs, and therefore there are no more than a handful in America.
Usually, puppies produced by crossbreeding a Vizsla with a Black Labrador Retriever will be black. However, in some cases, a Vizslas’ coat can turn from gold to dark brown or even black when they are older. It is not an illness but the natural aging process that will eventually cause their fur color to be much darker than at birth.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a black spot on your Vizsla’s abdomen is typically harmless, but the darker it gets and the more persistent it remains, then there may be a problem.
A black belly in a dog can also sometimes mean that they’re either pregnant or carrying an extra load of fat because their metabolism has slowed down to conserve energy due to them being inactive.
So, it is better to visit the Vet as soon as possible if you notice your Vizsla’s belly darker and darker because it might be a symptom of something more serious.
