My dog has a sore on his lip. Is it serious or should I wait?

The photo is a little fuzzy so its hard to say. It may be an oral papilloma, which is due to canine papillomavirus. Typically these resolve on their own, but many more may pop up over the next few weeks on his lips and in his mouth. It could also be an inflamed hair follicle or a skin infection. If its not resolving over the next few days to weeks, or if it seems to be getting worse or causing him discomfort, please take him to your vet to be evaluated. Here is an article on canine papilloma virus. http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-diseases-conditions-a-z/oral-papilloma-virus-dogs Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Poor guy! Your can try this: It won’t hurt him if he licks it off. However, if it’s not improving in 5 days or so, I would recommend that you schedule a recheck with your vet. I’m worried he may need antibiotics, as he may have a deep skin infection. If it continues to be a problem , a skin biopsy may be recommended. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Hello, thank you for your question about Bear. Based on Bear's relatively young age and the photo that you have provided I would be suspicious that Bear is experiencing a mild bacterial or viral infection in this area. Puppies are often more susceptible to viruses such as the papilloma virus more than adult dogs, this virus typically forms cauliflower like growths in/around the mouth, but certain forms can be more mild and not lead to these signs. It is possible that Bear has a bacterial infection, these are usually fairly benign and self limiting. Another possibility is that Bear is experiencing sensitivity or an allergy to something in his environment leading to this lesion. Some dogs are very sensitive to certain types of food bowls or toys, and can develop these lesion secondary to this. I would recommend having Bear evaluated by your veterinarian so that they can examine the lesion and Bear's mouth. They can discuss the need for additional diagnostics such as an impression smear or gentle sampling of the area. Depending on these findings they can then make recommendations for necessary treatments such as antibiotics. Hope this helps, good luck!

It's not really common for dogs to get cold sores the way that people do, but there are lots of things that could cause a bump like this - it could be an insect bite or local inflammatory reaction, a papilloma or wart, a localized bacterial infection, or even a skin tumor of some kind. If the bump appeared recently and your dog is acting normal otherwise, you could monitor it for the next week or two to see if it goes away on its own. If it doesn't, or if it becomes painful or itchy it seems to be growing, then I would recommend having it checked by a vet - he/she can do a simple test called a fine needle aspirate to find out what it is.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Without seeing a picture of what you are describing it is difficult to say for sure what this could be. I suspect, due to Blue's age, that this could be a viral papilloma, histiocytoma or pimple-like growth. In all 3 cases, it should resolve on its own. It could be something other than these 3 possibilities. If the spot does not resolve or it worsens, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Blue to that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Based on the appearance of this lesion and Baldrick's young age, I would guess that it's most likely either an epulis (https://www.petcoach.co/article/epulis-a-common-oral-tumor/) or an oral papilloma. The challenge with any lump or bump is that the only surefire way to diagnose the issue is with a biopsy. Both of these lesions are benign, but oral papillomas are contagious to other dog due to their viral origin and epulides can grow significantly if left in place. While this issue certainly isn't an emergency by any stretch of the imagination, I still think it's worth taking Baldrick to his vet in the coming weeks to have it checked out. I hope that everything goes well!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Kona does have what appears to be a small, round, red and slightly bloody bump on her lip margin. This can be caused by an infection, which may have resulted from a small cut. While Kona is pretty young, it is possible that the bump is a small tumor, and it can be removed to determine if it is benign (not harmful) or malignant (likely to spread). It is concerning that the bump has gotten bigger over time, so I recommend having her seen by a vet. You can get her an E-collar or "cone" to prevent her from scratching or rubbing the area. I hope this helps!