Molly has a big black wart

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

Well my DS found a small black lump on Molly's right front "elbow" about three months ago. We've been keeping an eye it, and over last weekend, I checked it and it's definitely gotten larger. So off to the vet we went on Tuesday. Vet said it's a wart and not malignant. But come to think of it, he didn't run any kind of tests to confirm this. Anyway, he put her on antibiotics for five days, and we will re-evaluate this at that time.

Here's a somewhat blurry picture of what it looks like:

You can tell from DH finger the size of the thing. This is my problem. I've done some research, and if it is indeed a wart, we likely don't need to do anything. However, the vet is saying that if we want to have it surgically removed we need to do it soon so that he has enough skin around it to suture the incision closed. 

Anyone have any thoughts on this.

[Wendy Taylor]

I was wondering about the antibiotics for the 'wart' too. Did the vet give you azithromycin (z-pak)? I did a quick search, and there was a study published in 2008, where they treated 17 dogs with oral and skin papillomas with either placebo or azithromycin. Azithromycin improved the papillomas compared to the placebo. In the paper, they explain the mechanism of action as such: "Perhaps azithromycin eradicates an unknown organism involved in predisposition to papillomatosis or an alternative explanation may be that it could help to suppress an autoimmune phenomenon leading to formation of
papillomatosis." In the study, they gave 10 days' worth of azithromycin, and it took 10-15 days for the papillomas to clear.

Another thing that a pigmented, wart-like spot could be is a seborrheic keratosis, which is a benign overgrowth of the top layer of the skin, which from my understanding, dogs can get (pictures can be seen here https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jjvd/14/1/14_1_17/_pdf). But I agree, if there is any doubt to the diagnosis, or if you're overall feeling uneasy about it, I'd ask for a biopsy.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I'm not medical, and I too wondered right away why antibiotics.  Then I read others wondered too.

I'd want it removed.  Besides others expert advice here, I've had experiences with a doggie full of warts.   As the dog aged the warts and ugly little bumps ( she had so many ) would get caught on all kinds of things, she scratched them, etc and they just bled all over.  Once opened, then they risked the chance of infection.  Warts are viral and I think hers just spread from one wart to many warts,  but I just assumed this. 

Clearly, she was uncomfortable.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

my old land lords has an old mini poodle who was covered in little warts like this. every so often he would have them removed

i think removing them is a good idea - then it cant be nicked in grooming and you can have it tested and have your minds put at ease