This week’s Great Question is from Carol:
Question:
As my dog ages I am seeing more growths on her skin – do dogs get warts and do I need to do anything about them?
Answer:
Dogs can develop several different kinds of skin growths. The most common types are benign growths of grease glands or the surrounding cells, referred to as Sebaceous Adenomas and Follicular Adenomas. There are other types of benign growths as well, and less commonly dogs will develop cancerous skin growths. None of these growths are true warts, which are skin growths caused by a virus called a papilloma virus. Dogs, like humans, do have their own papilloma virus, but true skin warts in dogs are uncommon compared to other benign and cancerous growths. My advice is to have your dog examined by a veterinarian to determine what type of growths your dog has. Often these can be removed by freezing, or by simple surgery using a local anesthetic.
Frank Utchen, DVM
Dogs can develop several different kinds of skin growths. The most common types are benign growths of grease glands or the surrounding cells, referred to as Sebaceous Adenomas and Follicular Adenomas. There are other types of benign growths as well, and less commonly dogs will develop cancerous skin growths. None of these growths are true warts, which are skin growths caused by a virus called a papilloma virus. Dogs, like humans, do have their own papilloma virus, but true skin warts in dogs are uncommon compared to other benign and cancerous growths. My advice is to have your dog examined by a veterinarian to determine what type of growths your dog has. Often these can be removed by freezing, or by simple surgery using a local anesthetic.
Frank Utchen, DVM
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