My puppy has a growth on her face. Is it a wart or something else?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Thanks for the picture! Sadly a lot of skin masses can look the same but the picture resembles a sebaceous adenima which are benign. The only way to know for sure is to either remove it and send it for biopsy or try to do a fine needle aspirate in it. I hope this helps and have a great night!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Cersei. The picture is a little fuzzy, but she may have a wart on her muzzle. In young dogs these are spread by a virus and are contagious to other dogs. It is more common if she frequents dog parks or doggy daycare where she plays with other dogs. The warts will usually develop on the lip margins as well. If it is not a wart, then it is likely a small growth. Most are benign in young dogs, but rarely skin cancer can develop. It is best for her to see her veterinarian to determine exactly what has developed and if treatment is required. I hope this information helps!

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Your pictures are a bit out of focus, but it looks like Roscoe has a wart. Please consult you veterinarian if it seems to be getting bigger, bleeds, or bother Roscoe in any way. Otherwise, just keep an eye on it. Take care.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Based on your picture and Rio's age it looks like a papilloma. It is virally induce and contagious. Most dogs get it from doggie day care or other close interactions with other dogs. Usually they spontaneously regress. Sometimes I'll crush them in the office and put the dog on a 10 day course of Azithrimycin.

Hello. This is a good question! I don't think this anything to be alarmed about just yet. This could be a papilloma virus wart that may go away with time. It may also be just a plugged hair follicle that may also resolve with time. Of course it could also be something more aggressive like a tumor which is possible but much more unlikely at her age. It is difficult to say without an exam. I would just be sure to watch it closely and point it out to your vet at her next exam for her booster vaccines. I hope this helps. Best wishes to you and Sophie. Dr. Amber

Hi Kari! Unfortunately, there is no way to share photos in the forum, but you can request a consult with me where you can share photos :-) As for the growth, in such a young puppy is it more likely to be a benign growth like a wart. Boxers are prone to mast cell tumors, so there is a potential it could be that, but it would be rare as there are mostly seen in Boxers around eight years of age. I would have Myra seen by a vet for it. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! From the pictures you provided and knowing that Klaus is young, what you are seeing appears to be what we call a papilloma. These benign masses are caused by contact with the papilloma virus, usually picked up from another infected dog. The good news is that these masses typically resolve on their own and require no specific treatment. Sometimes these do not go away and need to be removed or are getting too large and become an eye sore or catch on objects and bleed. In these cases, sometimes we will prescribe an antibiotic such as Azithromycin which has been shown to reduce the size and even resolve some papillomas. Most of the time, however, these masses will turn gray or purple in color, shrink and then fall off. If you are concerned about the mass then I would get this examined by your vet. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns. I am also available via phone or text consultation if needed.