You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Warts are common in most species of animal....but what are they ?

Warts come in all shapes and sizes. Here are some facts  :

• Warts are also called papillomas
• They are mainly composed of keratin and other cells from the skin
• They can be quite smooth, or more often they are extremely irregular in outline..like a cauliflower in appearance
• They can be quite small, but they can also grow to be very large indeed
• They can occur singly, or they can occur in very large numbers - especially in the mouth, and in some species such as cattle
• They can be attached to the body by a thin stalk, or they can have a broad attachment at their base
• They can occur at any age - but they most often occur in young animals(eg puppies) and in old animals
• Most, but not all, warts are caused by direct contact with an infectious agent (a virus) which is the underlying cause
• Most warts are benign forms of cancer - that is they stay local and do not spread to other parts of the body. Some (notably warts in the skin of rabbits and goats) however may change in character and become malignant...which is more serious.
• Small benign warts may be left alone, but if they are causing problems because of their location (eg on eyelids), or if they grow rapidly they are often removed.
• In young puppies multiple warts in the mouth - called papillomatosis (caused by a virus) will resolve themselves given sufficient time, but they sometimes make eating difficult.
• Other forms of cancer (eg malignant squamous cell carcinoma) can sometimes mimic warts in the early stages so accurate diagnosis by your veterinarian is needed

Updated October 2013