Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Canine Papilloma Virus | Don't Let Your Dog Drink After Strangers

If a stranger walked up to you and asked if they could take a drink from your water bottle or soda cup, would you oblige? Chances are you wouldn't share. I know I wouldn't.

Canine Papilloma Virus
Doggy drinking fountain.
Photo via Peter Sheik

What about your dog? When you go to the dog park, does your dog drink from the community dog bowl or water fountain? This is something a lot of dog parents probably never even think about. Canine Papilloma Virus is something your dog could potentially catch from other dogs simply by sharing a water bowl. 

What is Canine Papilloma Virus?

Canine Papilloma Virus is also known as dog warts. Easy enough to remember. These warts are small growths with a cauliflower-like appearance. Usually, viral doggy warts are seen in young dogs and puppies. A dog with a compromised immune system could also potentially get Canine Papilloma Virus.


Dog Mouth Warts
A wart inside the lips of a dog's mouth.
Photo via Joelmills

Technically, the warts could show up anywhere on a dog's body. However, the most common places for these dog warts to appear are on the lips, muzzle, and around the eyes. Which makes sense because the virus is spread from dog to dog by sharing things like water bowls or toys. Don't worry - humans can't catch this from their dog. It's strictly dog to dog transmission. 

Mostly young dogs and puppies are the ones catching Canine Papilloma Virus. If an adult dog or older dog is immune compromised, they may be more susceptible to coming down with a case of viral dog warts. 

I Don't Want My Dog to Get Warts! | Dog Wart Prevention

The easiest way to protect your dog from catching viral dog warts from other dogs is to not let them share. Don't let your dog drink from the community bowl or fountain at the dog park. There are many portable dog water bowls available for purchase. They are perfect for outdoor adventures.

Don't let your dog share his toys with strangers!
Photo via Emil

Don't let your dog share toys with other dogs. If you don't want to have to worry about another dog playing with your fur baby's toy at the park, just don't bring it along. This is one example of a fomite in action. If you missed our post about fomites, check it out here

Dog Wart Treatment

Most of the time, nothing needs to be done for viral dog warts. The warts will go away on their own after about one to six months. Sometimes, a veterinarian may prescribe antibiotics or even anti-viral medications. If the warts are extremely severe and causing pain and/or discomfort for the dog, surgical removal could be an option. 

As with almost anything these days, there are a few home remedy products for Canine Papilloma Virus. I wouldn't recommend using any of these treatments without first consulting a veterinarian. 

  • Native Remedies Naturasil for Warts - This is made from 100% pure plant extracts and causes the warts to dry up and flake away. I'm not sure that this product is meant for warts in the mouth, however. 
  • Thuja for Dogs - I've heard that Thuja is pretty effective against dog warts. 
  • Vitamin E - Vitamin E, both orally and topically is another home remedy. I wouldn't expect to see any results until at least 2 to 6 weeks. 
  • Castor Oil - When applied topically, castor oil is said to help get rid of doggy warts. 
  • Apple Cider Vinegar - Seems like this stuff can be used for everything! 

So now that you've learned about Canine Papilloma Virus, will you be letting your dog drink after strangers?

50 comments:

  1. Wow - who knew?! That wart looks pretty gnarly! Thanks for the info!

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    1. Yea, usually we would see them all over the mouth. They look weird.

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    2. This article does not point out the fact that in order for your dog to not contract any form of a virus or bacteria,,,you cannot allow your dog to interact with other dogs period,,,,dogs play with their mouths therefore transmitting the virus and bacterias,,,,,keep your dog in a bubble is the only way to prevent papilloma virus

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  2. I never let Mollie drink from shared water pots out's. I take our own bottle xx00xx

    Mollie and Alfie

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  3. Great post! We've always carried our own water and containers - for all our animals, even the horses.

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  4. Definitely didn't know this! Guess this makes it easy for us since Cocco isn't one to share :-)

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  5. I've oftened wondered about this in shelters, as I saw over the weekend, several dogs drinking from the same bowl :( I had a cat that got HIV and they said it was transmitted via sharing water bowls, sex, or fights with infected cats. I tell ya, our furbabies are almost human with the diseases they get. Great info Ann!

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    1. It's not super common, but it's definitely out there. Fortunately, it's not life-threatening. Or at least I've never heard of a case that severe.

      As for the cats and water bowl thing, I've never heard of that before. That's an interesting thought. I have known a lot of people with multiple cat families where at least one cat would have FIV. I'm sure the cats shared water bowls? But the non-infected cats never had issues with it.

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  6. I had never thought about that, but it is evident that my human wouldn't share her bottle of water with strangers so why should the dog? Then again, there is no doggie at home ;-)

    Thank you for your wishes for Milou's birthday!

    Purrs

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    1. Exactly Texas! Hope Milou had a nice birthday :)

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  7. Uh, ick! There is no way Ma is letting me drink from the community fountain at the dog park any more. I will bring my collapsible bowl with me from now on! Thanks for a great and informative post.
    *high paw*
    Oz

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    1. Thanks for reading OZ. Glad y'all learned something new today :)

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  8. I didn't know about this one but the boys have been pretty well trained not to drink out of community bowls. I forget and have to give them permission to drink even when we visit my mom or dad's house! Thanks for the informative post.

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  9. OMD, warts are so gross! On humans, on dogs, on anyone! We don't go to the dog park, so my dogs rarely have a chance to drink out of communal bowls... but now I'm definitely never letting them!
    Thanks for posting this very useful information!

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    1. Glad you found it useful Pam. Warts are no fun that's for sure. I had a plantar wart on the bottom of my foot once and it hurt really bad!

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  10. Yuck! Beamer had that as a puppy. Thankfully, his herpes went away on its own :)

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    1. Aw poor Beamer! They will go away on their own, but there are some things people can do to speed it up I guess.

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  11. I didn't know that, thanks for sharing. Lee use to steal water from other dogs at the park . . . we are lucky she never caught anything!

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  12. Thanks for this informative article! I didn't know about CPV until I read this.

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  13. Yikes that sounds awful. We don't normally drink from any community bowls except for the ones at home which we all drink out of including the cats. On occasion I may sneak in a drink at the dog park but it is quite a rare occasion. Good to know about this.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Emma - glad you found it useful :)

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  14. hey drink from one bowl here in the house between themselves, but I've never found a way to make them drink from theirs alone. Train and train and train, but turn your back, and they're right back at each others bowls. However they're not strangers to each other. Everyone looks at me like I'm crazy when I start pulling out collapsible bowls & bottled water for the boys to drink from when we're in places that provide community watering areas. Maybe I should print out that warty photo and start carrying it with me.

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    1. Hehe maybe! I think they'll be OK if they drink from each other's bowls anyways. It's like me when I drink after my boyfriend or daughter or something I think.

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  15. That wart picture is pretty gross. I have heard of L-Lysine helping with warts, both in dogs and humans.

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    1. Usually you'll see a whole bunch of growths in the mouth and on the lips like that one. That makes sense about the L-Lysine. It's given to cats who have feline herpes.

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  16. Thank you for this information!!!! I will never let Joker drink after other unknown dogs ever again!

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  17. My dog was just diagnosed this week with CPV from sharing the community bowl at the dog park. We feel like irresponsible pet owners if we take him back to the dog park, but he lives for it! I wish I wold have known this sooner, especially since we're getting a puppy in a few weeks.

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    1. Don't feel irresponsible. You can probably take him back if you just bring your own water bowl with you. Of course, I might not do so until he recovers because it could spread to other dogs that he is playing with. Thanks for stopping by Jenny. :)

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  18. My dog has had CPV for 4 months, got it at the dog park, now he is so lonely for he cannot play with his friends ... we can't wait till he is better, no more dog park, only play dates. can this last longer than 6 months >

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    1. Aw poor guy! Glad you are being responsible so he doesn't pass it on to others. I think that 4-6 months is still normal for these. If it goes more than 6 months, I'd ask your vet about it.

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  19. Shadow had a CPV on her left hind leg several years ago. At the time it was bothering her some -- must have been itchy because she would constantly try to scratch it by rubbing her leg along the chain link fence -- so the vet removed it with a tool that reminded me somewhat of a hole puncher. She hasn't had any others since, but both she and Callie have a few benign lipomas in various places. I just keep an eye on those to be sure they don't mutate into something else.

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  20. Great article,
    My Siberian Huskey just came down with these warts a couple of weeks ago. I gave her a tablespoon of yogurt, a vitamin c and an L-Lysine with every meal since about a week after they appeared and they are now almost gone. I'm glad because she has been so bored without going to dog day care and the dog park the last few weeks. No more sharing the water bowl at the dog park for us! She prefers drinking from a water bottle anyway.

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  21. Useful info, thanks! I just discovered one on my dog's lip yesterday and seems it's bothering her. I'm going to try some of the suggested remedies and report later on..
    Marti

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  22. My cavalier king Chas just came home w/one above lip below nose. He goes to day care for play days. I so upset in that we give him the best of everything sojos food,dukes treats,purified spring water, top vet care,three walks a day..who knew he'd pick up a virus playing w/his buddies but the share toys,lick each other..we'd requested no shared water however..who knows how closely this is supervised. It's distressing when we work so hard & invest so much in top vet care.

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    1. Don't beat yourself up Lini. Things happen to even the best dog parents. Even if the day care people try to stop him from drinking shared water, I'm sure it's not easy to prevent unless he's in his own kennel all day. And there are the toys and licking like you mentioned. Don't stress too much, it will go away with time.

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  23. the facial warts can also be causes in over vaccination in older dogs...

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    1. I don't think I've ever heard that before, but thanks for sharing. Those are a little different since they aren't passed from dog to dog.

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  24. Great article. My 11 month old Vizsla has one oral wart:-( It's not just the water bowls, it's the playing and wrestling with other dogs that is so much fun. Vet told me once they've had and it goes away, they won't get again.

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  25. if you dog has already had the warts can they get it again?

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  26. Thank you for this advice! Very good information! My dog had COPV and my vet said to leave it alone and it would go away in a few months! I was heart broken. She wasn't allowed at doggy daycare until it was gone and she was missing her friends. I did some research online trying to find a natural way to at least address the issue. There isn't alot of information about this out there but I found these http://nzymespetproducts.com/papilloma/ drops that you use both internally and topically. It only took a week until I started seeing them shrink. It's been 3 weeks and she was back at doggy daycare yesterday! So thankful I found this!

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  27. Murphy,s M - CA, United States 26 Sep 2014
    I am the queen of skeptics. I purchased the Nzymes twin package of Ox-E-Drops and Blackleaf for my 7 month old Lab that contracted Canine Papilloma Virus. He was getting new lesions at an alarming rate including one in the sclera of his eye. MY vet wanted him to see an eye specialist for possible removal. This sounded alarming to me as I wondered what if he develops more? Are they going to cut them all out? So out of fear for my puppy I ordered the Nzymes twin package which also comes with a bottle of the antioxidant treats. I was sure that it was another scam that I was wasting my money on, but my heart was breaking for my puppy.
    Ten days after treating him with the recommended treatment plan I am completely shocked and amazed to say that the eye lesion is almost completely gone as well as the other multiple lesions that had developed on his muzzle and other eyelid. No new lesions have developed since the treatment started as well. Thank you s o much for this homeopathic simple treatment! I can now can the appointment with the eye specialist, and more importantly my sweet Lab is healthy again
    http://nzymespetproducts.com/papilloma/

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  28. our 9 month old puppy developed oral papillomas 3 weeks ago. After doing some research we applied apple cider vinegar 2x daily and gave her thuja oocidentalis pellets from vitamin shoppe. it cleared up almost completely within a week

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  29. My Shih Tzu is around 8 1/2 and has two papilloma just above his mouth. He shares no toys or water bowls. We only have one dog, no dogs visit so how he got it I don't know. Anything topical he will lick off so I don't see anything working but would love to try apple cider vinegar. Awfully close to the eyes. Any suggestions?

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    1. It sounds like he has a different kind of papilloma than the ones I am talking about in this article. While very similar, the one you mention may be more of the skin variety. They don't really go away that I know of, and older dogs tend to get them as they age. Most of the time, they are cosmetic and don't pose a risk to a dog's health but you should certainly have a vet look at any skin lump.

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