Warts on Dogs

Warts appear as small skin eruptions that may occur anywhere on the body, including the face, paws and feet of the dog. These round skin growths are also seen inside the mouth and even near the eyebrows. They are sometimes described as 'harmless tumors', that can cause slight irritation in the affected part of the skin. However, dogs affected with warts neither appear lethargic nor do they show any signs of weakness.

Dogs exposed to papillomaviruses are likely to get affected with warts. Older dogs are susceptible to this viral infection as they have a weakened immune system. The affected dog may either have one relatively big wart or multiple warts on the skin. These benign skin tumors generally occur in small number and do not interfere with day-to-day activities of the dog.

Honestly speaking, dog owners have nothing to worry about as in most affected dogs, these bumpy skin growths, diminish on their own. A healthy dog diagnosed with this viral infection will not require any topical treatment as the skin growths disappear without any medical assistance. However, in order to remove warts fast, following are the treatment options.

Medications: Dogs that have large number of warts on their skin are given anti-viral medications such as Interferon to eliminate the infection.

Vitamin E Oil: Vitamin E supplements (pills) are readily available at various drug stores. The pills contain natural vitamin E oil which needs to massaged on the affected part of the dog's skin daily. Within a few days, one will see substantial improvement in the appearance of the skin. Regular application of vitamin E oil will shrink the warts and eventually this viral infection vanishes.

Castor Oil: Rubbing small amount of castor oil twice daily on the infected part of the skin can cure warts. One can use a cotton swab to apply castor oil and one will see amazing results within a week. Castor oil also helps to reduce the irritation of the skin.

Thuja: Warts on dog's paw can be treated with Thuja. It is basically an evergreen coniferous tree and its extracts are very useful to treat this viral infection. Thuja extracts having a potency of 30C are generally recommended and are given twice daily. This homeopathic remedy makes warts smaller that eventually go away. Application of Thuja oil daily often works to clear these unwanted skin growths.

Cryosurgery: In case the infection is becoming a cause of great discomfort for the dog, the veterinarian may perform a cryosurgery in which a method is employed to freeze the wart. Generally liquid nitrogen is applied in order to freeze the affected part of the skin. The extreme temperature kills the harmful virus, responsible for causing this infection. After 3-4 cryotherapy sessions, the wart eventually falls off.

There have been instances wherein the affected skin turned malignant (cancerous) over time. However, this is very rare, and studies reveal that in most cases, the infection stays for a short duration of time.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this story is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.