Ear Infection and Black Spot on Tongue

Question
Hello.  My 3.5 yr old female Golden Retriever has a black spot on her tongue, approximately the size of a dime.  I believe it has gotten larger over the past few months.  Any idea what it could be?  Additionally, there is a distinct odor coming from her ears -- we have given her a bath and she loves swimming in the local pond, but the odor persists -- could this be indicative of an ear infection?  Thank you very much for any light you can shed on these two issues.

Answer
Without seeing the lesion on the tongue, I cannot diagnose on the internet.  You should have this checked by the vet.  As far as the ears, goldens are commonly infected with bacteria and yeasts.  They are either allergic dogs or they have hypothyroidism.  Obviously, swimming in the pond is not good for the ears, since moisture in the ears keeps the ear infection going.  Ask your vet to check the dog for infection, allergies, and low thyroid hormones.