Health
Tiny cauliflowers on a puppy's lip, a new bead on an old dog's back. Most warts are harmless, but not everything that looks like a wart actually is one.
Caution. A wart that bleeds or oozes, mouth warts that stop him eating, a lump that grows from one week to the next, or a dark one in the mouth or between the toes: ring your own vet today.
Do not look for the answer in a Facebook group, on TikTok or on a forum. Look for someone trained for this: your dog's own veterinarian, the only person who can examine, investigate and treat them.
Use this page to know what to observe, what to note and what to ask at the appointment, not to treat at home. If you still have doubts after a consultation, ask another vet or a specialist (dermatologist, internist) for a second opinion, not a group. And if you do not have a regular vet yet, find one now, while your dog is healthy: how to choose a veterinary clinic.
Your puppy is ten months old, plays with other dogs at the park every day, and one evening when you lift his lip you find a few small pinkish-white bumps, like tiny cauliflowers. Or you have an eleven-year-old dog with a new little bead on his back, right next to last year's one. Most of the time, warts on dogs are harmless. The trouble is that "wart" covers several different things, and some of them aren't warts at all. It's worth knowing what you can keep track of yourself and at what point it becomes a job for the vet.
Most warts aren't emergencies. Ring the same day, or first thing next morning, if:
In a dog over seven or eight, any new lump means a booked appointment in the next few days. No need to panic, but don't put it off. In older dogs, something that looks like a wart can be something else, and only the vet can tell you what.
A vet gets much further with a written history than with "he's had a wart for a while".
The map. Draw an outline of a dog on a sheet of paper and mark every lump, with where it is and the date you spotted it. In a thick coat, search with your fingers, because your eyes will miss them.
Photos with a ruler. Every two weeks, photograph each wart with a ruler or a pen cap next to it, in the same light. Judging size by eye fools everyone, us included.
What it looks like. Cauliflower-like, with a rough surface? A smooth bead? A flat, smooth, dark patch stuck to the skin? Is there a hair growing from it? Is it hard or soft, does it move under the skin or is it fixed?
His mouth. Once a week, lift his lips and check his gums and tongue, then the inside of his cheeks. In puppies, mouth warts usually come in clusters, mostly on the lips and gums.
Contact with other dogs. For a puppy or young dog, note whether he's been playing with other dogs lately, been to day care or kennels, or shared toys. Warts caused by the virus spread from dog to dog.
| What it looks like | In which dog | What it might be |
|---|---|---|
| Several pinkish-white, cauliflower-like warts on the lips, gums, tongue | Puppies and young dogs under two | Oral papillomatosis, caused by a dog virus; usually clears on its own within a few months |
| One or a few warts on the skin of the head, legs, eyelids | Adult and older dogs | Skin papilloma, sebaceous adenoma (a benign lump of the skin's oil glands), other benign growths |
| Flat, smooth, dark patches on the belly or inner thighs | Some breeds (for example Pugs, Miniature Schnauzers) | Pigmented plaques, sometimes also caused by papillomavirus |
| A dark lump in the mouth, on the lip or between the toes | Any age, more often in older dogs | Needs seeing quickly: it may be a tumour with nothing to do with warts |
The table helps you describe what you see. Whether it's a wart or something else is settled under the microscope.
Past eight, most small cauliflower-like bumps that turn up on the head, eyelids, back or legs are benign growths of the skin's glands. Some breeds get them more often, for example Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, Schnauzers and Bichons. He still needs to be seen, but knowing this saves you panicking over every new bump.
Mostly they're a nuisance when you're grooming him. They catch on the brush, the clippers, the collar or the harness, then bleed and get infected. Tell his groomer where they are, and pick a harness that doesn't rub right over them. If a wart on an eyelid touches the eye and he blinks a lot or the eye waters, the vet will take that one off before the others.
Whether it's "we'll watch it" or "we'll take it off" comes down to the microscope. When your vet suggests cytology on a bump that looks like nothing to you, they have good reason to.
If you have a puppy with papillomatosis, ask how long to keep him away from other young dogs and what to do with his toys. The virus passes through direct contact and shared objects.
In puppies with oral papillomatosis, the body learns to recognise the virus within a few weeks. The warts shrink and darken, then fall off, and the dog is then protected against that virus. That's why the vet may suggest waiting, with photos every two weeks. It's a decision the vet makes after seeing him. Without that check, waiting is just putting it off.
What dog owners search for most often on the internet about this problem, with the short answer. The answers are a guide only: the decision belongs to your dog's own vet, after an examination.
In puppies and young dogs, warts usually come from canine papillomavirus, which passes from dog to dog through play and shared toys. In adult and older dogs, many "warts" are benign skin growths that come with age, such as sebaceous adenomas. Some lumps look like warts but are something else, and only the microscope settles it.
In puppies with oral papillomatosis, usually yes: the warts shrink and drop off within one to five months as the body learns to fight the virus. The vet may suggest waiting, with photos every two weeks. If there are a great many, they get in the way of eating or they don't go, talk to your vet about removing them.
In a young dog, a pinkish-white wart on the muzzle or lip is usually a papilloma and nothing serious. In an older dog, any new lump on the muzzle or in the mouth should be seen by the vet, especially if it's dark, growing or bleeding. Take a photo with a ruler beside it and show it to your vet.
No. Papillomaviruses stick to their own species: the dog virus doesn't infect people, or cats. It does pass between dogs, through direct contact and shared toys or bowls, so a puppy with mouth warts should stay away from other young dogs until they clear.
No. Tied off, cut or burnt, a wart bleeds heavily, gets infected and hurts, and wart treatments made for people are acids that burn a dog's skin. If it wasn't a wart, you've also destroyed what the vet needed to find out what it was. When it has to come off, your vet does it.
The information on this page is educational and does not replace an examination. For full details and a diagnosis, consult your dog's own veterinarian.
They often come together: the same causes, plans that complement each other.
Something soft under the skin, a pink button on the eyelid, a swelling that has grown since Easter. You cannot identify any of them by touch. The needle can.
A brown crust on the back teeth, a red line along the gum, breath you smell from across the sofa. Lift the lip to see the mouth; under the gum, only the vet sees.
A grey muzzle, longer sleeps, stiff getting up in the morning. An older dog needs closer watching, more frequent check-ups and a home that suits the body he has now.
Claws on the belly at midnight, paws licked red, an ear infection every summer. Behind the word "allergy" sit at least three diseases, each with its own plan.
We work with your dog's behaviour, not its health. For any sign described here, book an appointment with your own vet; the related services page explains how to choose a clinic.