Warts in dogs? How to manage it? What are the signs and symptoms? What are the causes? How can homeopathy help? All of this answered, in this post and of course our doctors always there to help you. Just fill in your details in the form down below and we will answer all your questions for FREE!

What are canine warts or warts in dogs?

Warts also called papillomas or fibropapillomas, they are benign, painless skin growths caused by papillomaviruses. Warts in dogs are commonly called as Canine Warts.

Dog warts are developed very commonly. Commonly they are seen on the face, back, around the eyes, eyelids, gums, feet, footpads and external genitalia. Papillomaviruses are extremely contagious between dogs. Fortunately, they aren’t contagious between other pets and humans. Warts that grow in a dog’s mouth can cause an ugly look, discomfort, drooling, bad breath and interfere with a dog’s ability to grab, chew and swallow normally. Warts on the skin often show up on the lower legs and feet, especially on the footpads and between the toes. These can be annoying to the dog and cause it to lick and chew at the affected area, which can lead to bleeding, pain, and lameness. This may cause or leads to various skin infections.

Why my dog gets warts?

Dog warts are caused due to papillomavirus. Warts also called papillomas or fibropapillomas are species-specific, usually benign external growths that are caused by a number of different double-stranded DNA viruses in the family Papillomaviridae.

-Dog warts are contagious and can spread in between the dogs.
-In domestic dogs, warts commonly show up on the skin called cutaneous papillomas and in the mouth called oral cavity papillomas.
-Warts on dogs face and warts on dogs back are most commonly seen and highlighted. Along with this dog, warts can also be noticed on eyelids, face, feet, and footpads and on the external genitalia.
-Certain breeds seem to have a genetic predisposition to developing warts.
-Dogs that are on long-term corticosteroid therapy often have weakened immune systems, which cause them to become immune-compromised and more susceptible to contracting contagious diseases.
-Young puppies also are immune-compromised and are more likely to develop warts than are mature animals because of their naïve immune systems.
-Papillomavirus typically requires inoculation through a break in the skin or mucosa, which normally happens when one dog comes into direct contact with wart lesions on an infected dog.
-These viruses are relatively stable in the environment and can also be transmitted indirectly, such as through contact with contaminated grooming tools, veterinary instruments or other non-living items that carry the viral organisms; these are called “fomites.” Fortunately, the wart viruses that affect dogs are not contagious to cats or to people.

The incubation period for canine papillomaviruses is usually 1 to 8 weeks from contact with an infected dog. Warts may spontaneously regress several months, but sometimes they will persist for years.

Symptoms of Warts?

Warts can develop anywhere on a dog’s body and frequently show up in the mouth, on the face, around the eyes and on the feet and lower limbs. The sign and symptoms are the following:

-Raised lumps or bumps on the skin, especially on the feet and face, in the mouth and around the eyes.
-Warts may be rough and pedunculated, with multiple frond-like attachments to the skin or mucosa, resembling tiny cauliflowers.
-Smooth
-May be isolated/solitary
-May occur in clusters
-May start and stay small
-May increase in size and number
-May or may not bleed or be irritated by self-trauma from scratching or chewing
-Older dogs tend to develop isolated warts, commonly on the feet, around the toes and footpads and on the under-belly
-Younger dogs typically develop warts in clusters, often inside the mouth, around the eyes and elsewhere on the face or genitalia. Puppies are especially prone to developing warts because they have naïve immune systems and enjoy licking and romping rambunctiously with other canine playmates.
-Warts are usually painless and generally do not require treatment for medical reasons.
-Occasionally, warts can transition to malignant squamous cell carcinoma, although this is rare. Most warts in dogs regress spontaneously within one year.

Diagnosis of warts?

-Biopsy samples of suspicious masses can easily be taken and submitted to a pathology laboratory for detailed immune histochemical examination, to identify the particular papillomavirus that caused the condition.
-Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing can also be used to diagnose cutaneous papillomas.
-Electron microscopy is considered to be the gold standard for diagnosing canine warts. However, it is used primarily for research and publication purposes rather than for the clinical diagnosis of warts in companion dogs.

How Can I Prevent My Dog from Warts?

There is no foolproof way to prevent dogs from developing warts. Dogs with warts on their skin or in their mouth should be kept away from susceptible dogs because the viruses that cause warts are quite contagious. Chronic use of corticosteroids should only be done when absolutely necessary because long-term steroid use weakens the immune system and reduces the body’s ability to fight infection. A canine papillomavirus vaccine is under development and shows promise.

Dog warts treatment?

Generally, if the dog warts are not troubling the dog, they just need management with oral medication and prevention. But if the dog warts are annoying the owner, there may be an option for surgical excision, cryosurgery, laser ablation, and electrocautery. These procedures may take place in localized anesthesia or maybe in general anesthesia if required. Dog warts treatment is also required immediately if they are painful and troubling the dog.

Homeopathic Treatment

-Thuja
-Antium-Crud
-Calc-Flour
-Dulcamara
-Causticum