Dog Warts
Clients complain often about dog warts, which are also considered sebaceous gland adenomas. They are usually no cause for alarm, but it is important to know about warts, what to look for, how to monitor them and support your dog in ridding them naturally. Some warts are viral and known as papillomas, but not all warts are papillomas.
Canine Papillomas are a type of viral warts. They are often round, benign growths with an irregular surface, looking like cauliflower stalks and usually growing in clusters. They’re commonly found on lips, tongue, throat or gums. Oral papillomas are usually only a problem when multiple warts develop and the dog has a hard time eating. They are commonly seen in younger dogs, less than two years old, with an immune system not fully developed. Usually there are no symptoms unless they become infected or there are so many the dog cannot eat.
Canine papillomas also do not spread to other species so you don’t have to worry about you or the cats contracting them. Oftentimes, they are harmless and resolve within five months or so without any remedies, but I would recommend assisting your dog in natural elimination of them. With papillomas, extra immune support is advised (more on this later). Though majority of papillomas are harmless, it’s still your dog’s body’s way of flagging you for internal immune support.
Not all warts are not papillomas and oftentimes appear in aging dogs. Warts can develop almost anywhere on a dog’s skin, including in or around a their mouth, around their eyes, and in between toes. Some dogs develop one or two, while others develop what seems like an endless amount of warts.
Generally, dog warts regress and resolve without requiring veterinarian treatment. There are many home herbal remedies you can use to help warts resolve. Surgical removal is not recommended for warts, unless they are getting in the way of your dog’s quality of life. The majority of dog warts are benign and don’t need removal.
Wart Causes
Warts can be a sign of an overtaxed immune system and/or a backed up liver.
Over vaccinating can also cause warts as vaccinations Post surgery or injury recovery could bring on warts, as these take a hit on the immune system.
In papilloma warts, dogs can contract warts when they come in contact with another infected dog. Canine papilloma viruses can survive for extended periods in the environment, spreading from beddings or toys.
Aging is a common cause of dog warts. It is common for dogs to get more warts as they get older. In older dogs, as the body begins to decline, the organs function slower and the immune system becomes weaker, making them more susceptible to warts. The warts form as their body’s way to fight the toxin overload they can no longer handle, pushing the toxins out to the skin in the body’s attempt to protect itself.
Preventing Warts in Your Dog
Keeping your dog’s immune system healthy is key in preventing, minimizing and reducing warts. Plenty of exercise and a healthy, high quality whole food diet is huge to preventing warts and many other ailments. Minimal vaccinations is a must as continued vaccination causes immunosuppression. Avoid overuse of steroids also interferes with the immune system and should be avoided to prevent warts.
Canine papillomas can be contagious to other canines. Try to keep them away from dogs who have them or dog parks, especially if your dog has a weakened immune system. Cleaning any bedding or toys shared by another dog who has them. Separating food and water bowls from dogs with warts is also important in preventing papillomas in your dog or avoiding spread to other dogs.
Some skin problems are purely local, however, it’s rare this is the case. Most skin ailments come from the inside of the body. Meaning, most likely warts are a result of an internal imbalance, a weakened immune system. The liver protects itself by pushing out to the skin and a healthy liver aids the immune system. Supporting the immune system and liver offers support in wart prevention.
In holistic herbalism, the treatment of skin concerns more than the skin and encompasses emotional, mental and physical. Mental or emotional stress to your dog greatly impacts her/his immune system. Our dogs pick up on our stress and emotions so making sure we are in a healthy state ensures a better environment for your dog. The better your emotional and mental health, the better your dog’s, and the stronger their immune system.
Monitoring Warts
It’s a good idea to keep an eye on your dog’s warts if he/she does have them. Make sure the wart isn’t changing in shape or size, and no bleeding is occurring.
Some warts may even disappear on their own especially after healthier diet and lifestyle changes. Warts not going away but not getting bigger or worse are usually harmless. Typically, warts grow to a fixed size and then stop growing.
If the lump seems to be growing or changing, see a holistic vet to get it checked out. Some skin tumors start out looking like warts, so you want to be cautious of this and always monitor it. Or, if the warts it’s in an inconvenient location causing discomfort to your dog, causing itching or scratching at it to the point or bleeding or irritation, this may also warrant a vet trip.
Take a proactive approach in using natural remedies (discussed below) to treat the wart. For warts seeming to be getting worse, it’s also important to keep tracking of what you have been giving your dog, or any changes in their environment which may be making it worse. Repeated infection, bleeding or inflammation is the body’s call for help.
Wart Remedies
With papilloma warts or any warts, offer your dog extra immune system support, such as maintaining healthy gut flora, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants from whole foods, or adaptogenic mushroom supplements, will be helpful for natural elimination of these warts. Feeding whole foods are a good idea in treating
Minimize your dog’s exposure to toxins, drugs and vaccines. Examine your house for any toxins you’re able to eliminate like air fresheners/plug ins, using tide laundry detergent. Always feed your dog filtered water and never tap water.
The remedies below all help in reducing the wart size. Reduction should be noticeable over time and if not, try another remedy.
Topical remedies:
The sticky, milky sap of the calendula stem is an ancient remedy for removing warts
Milky sap from dandelion
Rub stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) juice 3 to 4 times daily for 10 to 12 days (Wynn and Fougere 385)
Fresh juices from Hawkweed (Hieracium venosum) (Wynn and Fougere 385)
A poultice on the wart of Mossy stonecrop (Sedum app.) (Wynn and Fougere 385)
Apply vitamin E or castor oil, or a mixture of both, with a cotton swab directly onto the wart. Completely cover the wart. You can repeat this 2-3x daily.
As long as the wart is not along the eyes or genital areas, you can apply Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) with a cotton swab to the wart.
You can enhance the ACV application by adding just a few drops of oregano essential oil (EO), two drops of melaleuca EO and one drop of lemongrass EO into the ACV with fractionated coconut oil (1:1) ,mixed into a tincture dropper and dropped onto the wart. Only one drop is needed, morning and night, and usually results are seen within a couple weeks. This bottle should last forever to keep on stand for any future warts. If no results are seen try another remedy.
Internal Remedies:
Thuja homeopathic remedy, a tree remedy, is very helpful to take internally to remove warts. It is available it pellet or liquid form. For pellets, administer Thuja 30C, 3 pellets in your dog’s cheek twice daily at least 30 mins away from food. Improvements are usually seen within two to three weeks. If not, discontinue remedy and try another remedy. Thuja Occidentals can be also be used in ointment form topically.
L-lysine for immune support 500 mg 2x daily for a medium to large dog.
L-leucine for immune support 500 mg 2x daily for a medium to large dog.
Shiitake mushrooms offers immune support, essential amino acids, anti-viral and many other health benefits in assisting prevention or reduction of warts.
Resources
Wynn, Susan G and Fougere, Barbara J. Veterinary Herbal Medicine. St. Louis, Mosby, Inc., 2007.