Viral Papilloma

[Tammy & Gracie]

I am interested in mouth warts. My 1 year old mini GD probably has them (awaiting vet confirmation). Anyone know of herbal or nutritional treatments that may speed the healing process? I've read of L-Lysine being helpful but I don't know how to dose my 30 pounder. I am not at all looking forward to our (temporary) exile from daycare and the dogpark! How long does it take to pass?

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

HOW IS THIS VIRUS TRANSMITTED?

The infection is transmitted via direct contact with the papillomas on an infected dog or with the virus in the pet’s environment. The incubation period is 1-2 months. This virus can only be spread among dogs. It is not contagious to other pets or to humans. To become infected, the dog generally needs an immature immune system, thus this infection is primarily one of young dogs and puppies. Beyond this, transmission details are sketchy. It is not known whether the infected dog must actually show visible lesions to be contagious, nor how long after regression of lesions contagion is still of concern.

The canine papillomavirus has been shown to be able to survive
at least 2 months at temperatures of 40º F but only 6 hours at 98º F.



ARE VIRAL PAPILLOMAS DANGEROUS?

Not really. They should go away on their own as the dog’s immune system matures and generates a response against the papillomavirus. There have been two cases published where viral papillomas progressed to malignancy but this is extremely rare and by no means the usual course of the infection. Typically, it takes 1-5 months for papillomas to regress with oral growths tending to regress sooner than those around the eyes. Occasionally some papillomas will stay permanently.

Sometimes oral papillomas can become infected with bacteria of the mouth. Antibiotics will be needed in such cases to control the pain, swelling, and bad breath.



TREATMENT

In most cases, treatment is unnecessary; one simply allows the papillomas to go away on their own. Occasionally an unfortunate dog will have a huge number of tumors, so many that consuming food becomes a problem. Tumors can be surgically removed or frozen off cryogenically. Sometimes crushing several growths seems to stimulate the host’s immune system to assist in the tumor regression process. In humans, anti-viral doses of interferon have been used to treat severe cases of warts and this treatment is also available for severely infected dogs. Sometimes some of the warts can be removed and made into a “vaccine” which is felt to stimulate the immune system in removing the tumors, though such vaccines do not seem to be as effective as one might want and there is presently no manufacturer making them.

Effective therapy for viral papillomas has been elusive though recently (May 2008) a study was published by a veterinary research group in Turkey found that a 10 day course of the antibiotic azithromycin was able to remove all lesions within 15 days with no recurrences during an 8 month follow up period. This therapy is readily available in the U.S. and is likely to become treatment of choice.

Page last updated: 11/5/08

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_canine_viral_papillomas.html

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Oral papillomas

On physical exam we found several verrucous (wart-like) growths near the mucocutaneous junctions of the right lips (shown at right). These nodules are characteristic of papillomas.

Stella may have resolved the nodules on her own, but we wanted a more active approach to help her immune response. A natural anti-viral nutritional supplement was prescribed.

Anti-viral therapies may contain lysine, an amino acid; copper, zinc, calcium citrate, vitamins A, C, B1, B2, niacin, and periwinkle, mustard, and broccoli. The latter 3 ingredients contain natural anti-neoplastic (tumor inhibiting) compounds.



Anti-viral nutrition

Three weeks later, Stella's papillomas had disappeared. Three months later, she was still smiling! Anti-viral nutritional therapy is indicated for cases of parainfluenza or "kennel cough", herpes ulcer, and other viral infections of the dog.


William Konrad Kruesi, D.V.M. /2001, 2007

http://www.crvetcenter.com/papilloma.htm

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

My best friends dog was recently diagnosed with papillomas. He plays (includes biting) with my dog almost on a daily basis. What are the chances of my doodle getting this virus? I guess Ill have to keep checking his mouth every day.

[Tammy & Gracie]

If your dog is young, he will probably get them. In Gracie's case it was no big deal. I gave her L-Lysine supplements and the smaller ones decreased in a few days. My vet cauterized the largest one, end of story. If they don't affect your dog, they will clear up with no action. I just had one removed because it was very large and protruding out of her mouth. I was afraid it would somehow be torn off.

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

Yankee is almost a year and a half. I heard they will clear up but it can take a month or more. I just hate to isolate him, he is used to going to the dog park daily to play.

[Tammy & Gracie]

Also, my best friend got a shepherd puppy about Gracie's age and they played nearly daily together. He never contracted the warts, and heaven knows those two chewed on each other all day!! So, hope for the best.

[Becky, Savannah, & Raleigh]

My dog, Savannah, had these lesions just three weeks ago. She was scheduled to have them surgically removed and then studied pathologically. However, the morning of her surgery, i took her in and the vet said that they were no longer going to remove them because they had shrunken down to 50% of their initial size when he saw her just 4 days prior. They have since disappeared, leaving only a tiny little white mark where they were...i did not give her anything supplement or nutrition wise that was different, but i have been keeping her out of doggie day care and the dog park (where she prob got them). we plan to return to daycare probably in the next couple of weeks, which is what the vet said would be safe.