How to Remove Warts on Dogs

Most warts on dogs are typically benign and don't need to be removed. Unnecessary removal may lead to excessive stress for your dog and could even promote the spread of warts later on. However, before consulting a veterinarian and paying for medical procedures, you can try some common methods to remove warts from your dog.

Assess if the growth is actually a wart. Warts on dogs, or sebaceous cysts, are typically benign skin tumors that older dogs often develop, much like moles on humans. You might find other growths on your dog’s body, such as skin tags, mast cell tumors, epithelial tumors, hair follicle cysts, pigmented nevi, and fibromas.

• Consult a veterinarian if you're unsure whether the growth on your dog is just a simple wart or another condition. The vet may take a sample from the growth and examine it under a microscope for an accurate diagnosis.

Check the Appearance of the Wart. Warts are caused by the papillomavirus and are commonly found in puppies or older dogs with weakened immune systems. These warts have a cauliflower-like shape and typically appear along the nose, lips, or gums. They often disappear after a few months as the immune system improves, but they can spread and cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing for the dog.

• Typically, benign warts are light pink and small, resembling tiny mushrooms.
• If a benign wart grows larger or becomes infected, you should remove it. You can't simply look at it to determine if it's cancerous. Most cancerous warts are black, grow rapidly, and become inflamed. They often form around the eyelids or lips, so they should be removed as soon as possible.

Track the Wart's Growth. If the wart doesn't grow in size or change shape, removal may not be necessary. However, you should still note the wart's presence so that the veterinarian can monitor it.

• Many warts will eventually disappear, and even the warts that persist are often harmless.

Consider Whether the Wart Causes Any Disturbance. You may remove a wart for cosmetic reasons, but in general, surgery for this purpose is not recommended. However, if a benign wart breaks open, becomes itchy, scratched, or causes discomfort to the dog, removal may be necessary.

• A veterinarian will advise you whether or not to remove the wart. Warts can become irritated if the dog scratches or rubs them against its collar, so it's best to remove them to avoid infection or dermatitis. Sometimes, persistent itching may also be a sign of a cancerous wart that requires removal.

Monitor the Effectiveness of Your Chosen Treatment. Record the wart's condition before starting treatment. Take a photo of the current wart (or mole) as a baseline. Use a ruler to measure the wart in millimeters. Note the date of the photo, circle the treatment day on your calendar, and log the measurements.

• As long as you're sure the wart is benign (not cancerous), you can try some common treatments. Keep in mind, there's no scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of these treatments. If the wart turns black, grows rapidly, or becomes infected, take your pet to a licensed veterinarian for medical treatment.

Try Using Thuja Occidentalis. Thuja Occidentalis is a homeopathic remedy derived from a plant and is considered safe for dogs. It is available in both tablet and liquid forms and is administered orally.

• Simply give your dog a single dose. However, if no progress is seen after the first two weeks, a second dose can be administered.
• Thuja Occidentalis can cause miscarriages, so it should not be used in pregnant animals.

Supplement with Vitamins to Boost Your Dog's Immune System. Warts may indicate an underlying immune deficiency, so addressing the dog's immune system may help eliminate the warts. Immune-supporting supplements contain ingredients such as arabinogalactans, lutein, and shiitake mushrooms.

Administer L-Lysine to Your Dog. This supplement is available in tablet form. Give your dog 500 mg twice a day until the warts are gone.

Use Vitamin E for Warts. Sterilize a needle or knife to puncture a standard vitamin E capsule. Apply the vitamin directly to the wart using your finger or a clean cotton swab. Repeat 3-4 times a day for two to three weeks until you see signs of improvement.

Apply Castor Oil to the Wart. Standard castor oil can be found in most pharmacies. Castor oil helps soften the wart and significantly reduces irritation, preventing your dog from scratching off the affected area. Use a clean finger or cotton swab to apply the oil directly to the wart. Repeat this process once or twice a day, or as needed, to reduce irritation until the wart disappears.

Try Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). This method does not cause pain in the initial stages, but by the middle of the treatment, the acid in the apple cider vinegar will start breaking down the wart, causing a slight stinging sensation followed by throbbing. Avoid using this method on warts around the eyes or genital areas.

• Pour a small amount of apple cider vinegar into a cup.
• Apply petroleum jelly around the wart to protect the surrounding skin.
• Position your dog so the wart faces upwards. Use a dropper to apply 2-3 drops of apple cider vinegar directly onto the wart and let the solution soak into the skin. Use a clean tissue to wipe off any excess solution around the wart.
• Distract your dog with toys or petting to keep them still while the vinegar soaks in for about 10 minutes, then let the dog move freely.
• Repeat apple cider vinegar treatment 3-4 times a day. During the treatment, a sharp pain may occur when the top of the wart falls off, but continue the treatment 3-4 times daily until the wart is completely eradicated. Eventually, the wart will dry up and fall off.
• The root of the wart, once dried, will form a red spot or raised bump. Gently clean the spot or bump with a clean cloth soaked in warm water, then apply coconut oil once a day until the spot heals. Coconut oil has antifungal properties and will promote healing and the regeneration of healthy skin cells.

Administer Azithromycin to Your Dog. This antibiotic, commonly used to treat warts in humans, has also proven effective in treating warts in dogs. A veterinarian must prescribe this medication. Administer the medication once daily based on your dog's weight for a duration of 10 days.

Consider Subcutaneous Interferon Injections for Virus-Related Warts. This antiviral medication, prescribed by a veterinarian, is effective for warts that do not respond to other treatments or for more severe warts. The veterinarian will administer injections to your dog several times a week, or they may guide you on how to inject your dog at home.

• This treatment can be used for up to eight weeks.
• While this method may help avoid surgery and associated risks, it can cause side effects such as fever and loss of appetite.

Request the veterinarian to perform electro-surgical treatment. In this procedure, also known as electrosurgery, the veterinarian uses a small instrument to deliver electrical current to the wart site, effectively burning away the infected tissue and removing the wart.

• The surgery is typically performed under local anesthesia, which is a safer option for those concerned about the risks of general anesthesia.

Consult with the veterinarian about cryotherapy. In cryotherapy, the veterinarian employs a specialized tool to freeze the wart. This freezing process destroys the affected tissue, causing the wart to shrink significantly and, in many cases, disappear entirely.

• Similar to electrosurgery, cryotherapy is performed with local anesthesia, meaning your dog will not undergo general anesthesia.

Consider wart removal through surgical excision. Excision is one of the most traditional methods for treating warts, though the veterinarian may need to use general anesthesia to perform the procedure. In this approach, the veterinarian uses a surgical scalpel to remove the wart and surrounding infected tissue.

• The veterinarian may choose to wait until general anesthesia is necessary for another procedure before removing the wart, as using anesthesia solely for wart removal can be seen as extreme.

Try laser excision. This method is recommended if your dog has stubborn warts that do not respond to other treatments. Your dog will require general anesthesia, but laser excision is an effective way to completely remove warts and is the most successful treatment for persistent or recurring warts.

• A veterinarian may use warts caused by the papilloma virus in dogs to assess the dog's immune system. This method is particularly valuable for older dogs with weakened immune systems. Therefore, you should seriously consider leaving benign tumors intact, as long as they do not affect the dog.

• If your dog has warts caused by the virus, you should isolate them from other dogs. This is especially important if the warts develop in the mouth. Make sure your dog has a separate water bowl and does not drink from the same bowl as other dogs. Keep your dog away from dog parks or areas with a high concentration of dogs until the warts are completely removed.