Todayโs path rounds are on ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ are more scientifically known as ๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ, and can be found all over the dog! We most commonly see them in the mouth, but they can even be found in places like the eye and skin.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Typically we see these warts in young dogs.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Papillomas are typically caused by ๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ, and when we are thinking about dogs, these warts are caused by ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ-๐. This virus is spread by close contact with other dogs with the virus, which allows the virus to enter into damaged oral tissue. From there, the virus infects the ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ (cells lining the tissue) and causes them to proliferate. This proliferation produces cauliflower-like growths wherever the virus has set up shop. Some more ๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ (aggressive) strains of papillomavirus are also able to make a home for themselves in the skin or other locations.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
Generally, young dogs will have only a few papillomas, which will ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ (disappear) in 1-2 months after the immune system kicks in. However, in ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ animals, these papillomas can spread and produce tons and tons of warts! These animals may have difficulty chewing and swallowing due to the large amount of warts in their mouth. Additionally, these warts may progress to ๐ฌ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐, a malignant tumour, in some cases.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
These are pretty easy to diagnose, due to their characteristic cauliflower-like appearance. However, if the veterinarian wants to confirm the diagnosis, a biopsy or ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ (sample of cells) can be submitted to a pathologist.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
Most warts are left alone, waiting for the immune system to kick in. If the warts are compromising the animalโs quality of life, they can be surgically removed.
In some cases, the veterinarian may be able to make an ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ for that animal. In this process, a wart is removed from the animal, processed and turned into an injectable substance, and injected back into the animal. This stimulates the immune system to the injected material, which will result in it recognizing the other warts as well. Neat!
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-5) Examples of warts in the mouths of dogs!
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 2. Sixth Edition.
Reiter AM. Papillomas in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual 2016.
Photos 1-5 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributors Panciera, Grandi, Synder, Vtscharner licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
