# Wart!!!



## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Elza picked up a wart somehow. It's on the left side of her face (not inside but outside) and I think it started about 3 weeks ago if not more. It took me some time to realise it was a wart and not a little injury... First that's what it just looked like, a tiny bare spot which eventually became a wart. About a week ago she scratched it and it bled a bit during the night while we slept. After that it has got scratched a few more times that resulted the wart to bleed. Although it never bled for long, only a few seconds.... I searched up at it here and online and found very little about it. They say it happens to dogs with weak immune system and mostly to puppies or dogs under 2 years of age. Well Elza will be 18 months old tomorrow and I didn't think she had a weak immune system. She's been quite well for a long time and the only issue we had with her was not eating which has been resolved by changing to Acana. 
I think it was datacan who mentioned to apply vitamin E to the wart which I have been doing in the last 5-6 days twice a day. It hasn't bled for 3-4 days but I'm not sure if the vitamin E has made any difference at all. Obviously I will carry on applying it.
We haven't taken her to the vet about it and I'm not sure if we should. It is only one wart and I have read there's two forms of it: one that's contagious and one that isn't. I have no idea which one she has and keeping her away from other dogs is not easy. Although we don't meet with many there's a few we do and she also has to go to our dog walkers house once or twice a week. I cannot avoid that due to work commitments. 

Is there any more I can do or it's just a waiting game?


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## redrover (Mar 17, 2011)

Are you sure it's a wart and not a histiocytoma? They are relatively common in younger dogs, especially on the face, legs, and ears. It looks like a small, hairless bump. They do occasionally ulcerate, and when Jasper had them, he occasionally scratched at them and caused them to bleed. I thought his was a wart at first too. They are considered benign tumors, but it can be worth having a vet look at to be sure. They typically recede on their own in 2-3 months, but can be removed by the vet if the dog will not leave it alone, risking infection. Given his age, my vet suggested a wait-and-see approach--as long as it didn't start rapidly growing or changing, we waited to see if it went away on it's own before ordering tests. Other vets might want a needle aspiration or other biopsy.

If it is a wart, I'm sorry--I have no advice!  Never dealt with one on a dog before.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

The immune system takes care of warts.

I know of no "usual" fixes like freezing or creams or surgical intervention that will eradicate the wart virus from the body. 
They don't just disappear magically on their own. They are suppressed by the immune system. 

Long walks (hours/day)... On leash/off leash are beneficial for born owner an dog and strengthen the immune system.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Thanks for replies!

I guess we just have to wait and see then. I'll be applying the vitamin E to the spot for a couple of weeks to see if it makes any difference. 

Redrover I'll check up on your suggestion in a minute to see if it could be histiocytoma. 

Datacan Elza has 2x1 hour walk a day (it can be longer) and on our days off 1 big walk a day plus plenty mental stimulation along with some fun in the house. Lets hope the best!


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## marathonman (Jan 15, 2013)

If you want to help strengthen her immune system, have you tried supplementing with some probiotics? (Rudy is a big proponent of them) We add some greek yogurt to our boys meals or freeze it into little snacks for a treat.


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