Puppy warts!!!

[Sharae & Winston]

Hello all- I haven't had to post anything here lately but I've enjoyed reading others' discussions. I hate that the first time I'm posting in so long is about this! I was brushing and cleaning up the hair around Winston's face this weekend when I noticed a growth on the outside of the corner of his mouth around his lips. It about scared the bejesus out of me!! It's about a little bigger circumference than a pencil erased and very raised. He went to the vet today and she said it was canine papilloma virus aka puppy warts! I am shocked! I had no idea dogs could get this. The vet did not seemed concerned whatsoever and said it's fairly common in puppies under the age of 2 and they can pick it up from other dogs anywhere; the dog park, sharing toys, water bowls, playing, etc. She said it would go away on its own and we don't need to do anything unless it gets larger.

Does anyone else out there have experience with these? It seems like there has to be something we can do to make this heal and go away faster. I've read about a couple remedies online but I'm always hesitant to do anything until I run it by here first!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Unless the online source is very reputable i,d go with what the vet said.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I would follow the vet's advice and leave it alone. If there was some "remedy" that was safe and effective to make it go away faster, I am sure your vet would have recommended it. If it's not bothering Winston, try not to let it bother you. 

[Diana Erhart]

Charlie had one of these when he was younger.  It was on his lip. The vet gave me the option of letting it run its course or removing it.   I ended up having it removed because he kept biting it and it would bleed.  

[sf1]

Milo had a wart about the size of a pencil eraser on his bottom lip when he was young….which promptly got him kicked out of doggy day care.  We took him to the vet and the vet suggested letting it run its course, but did offer removal by freezing it off if we wanted it - but it was not the vets choice because they could just grow back.

We let it run its course for a month - absolutely no change what so ever, except Milo was rubbing it and making it bleed slightly.  We wanted to get him back into doggy day care verses being crated during the day when we were working.  Doggy day care did tell us that the previous week before Milo had the wart, they had another puppy show up with one and it was a day before they notice - this is where Milo likely picked it up.  They also told us about Thuja and how the other dog cleared up using it.  We brought him back to the vet and asked about Thuja.  She had not used it before and offered no recommendations.  We gave Milo one pill - about day 2 the wart was half the original size and gone by day 5.  Milo was happy to be back in doggy day care.

[Sharae & Winston]

Thuja was one of the things that came up in my search for remedies. What is it exactly? Can you get it at The pet store? The vet said it could take up to 4 months to go away on its own. We are the same in that Winston cannot miss out on doggy daycare for that long! It seems ridiculous because that's most likely where he got it in the first place :-/

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thuja is an extract from a certain genus of evergreen, and it can have some serious side effects if used improperly. http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1117-THUJA...

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think it is available only as a homeopathic remedy and in my medical opinion all homeopathic remedies are quackery, or as I often say on DK hokum. Warts often heal themselves so anything might seem to work in some cases. I would advise you to listen to your vet.

[Diane and Alma]

Glad to hear it is gone now. Alma had one near her eye when she was a pup that the vet removed. He was afraid it would scratch her eye. She got the virus at the dog park.