Ok thanks…will follow up with the vet I think and keep you posted if I find out anything - Naomi

Thanks for the reply - what exactly is fly strike? Is it something that should or can be treated? I have to say, Woody isn't outside all that much - one long walk and one short one and 23 hours of sleeping if he had his way :D The blackening effect is in the form of a gradual increase over several months and I wondered if it was something to do with the ageing process? Thanks - Naomi

Hi - our 14 year old red and white dog Woody is pretty healthy really for his age (apart from the occasional jaw clicking and chronic bronchitis, cough, cough)! He seems happy enough and eats, sleeps and runs around more than many of the six year old dogs (of other breeds) who stagger up and down our hill! Anyway…my only real concern is that over the last six months his ears have steadily got blacker and blacker all over with a loss of hair along the edges...I know we all look a bit scraggier as we get older :) but does anyone know if this is anything to be worried about or anything that requires treatment of some sort??? Thanks for any advice - Naomi