Treatment Options For Dog Warts
Depending on which type of wart your dog is affected with, several treatment options may be available. Some of these treatments can be done at home, while some of them will require the skills of a veterinarian.
1. Vitamin E
This vitamin has been proven to be fairly effective in treating some dog warts, while being safe for you and your household. It can be found in most health food stores, usually as a filled soft-gel capsule. The best way to apply Vitamin E is to pop the capsule with a safety pin, and apply the oil directly to the area being affected by warts.
2. Castor Oil
Applying Castor oil to some benign warts may help to soften the wart tissue, and reduce irritation. This can be especially helpful if the wart is in an uncomfortable place for your dog, such as on the ear, or inside the armpit.
3. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an important vitamin that helps strengthen the body's immune system. It can be used as a topical treatment, or you may give it as an ingested supplement. Since it is also a powerful antioxidant, Vitamin C is very useful at eliminating free radicals in your dog's system. When used as a topical treatment, be sure to cover the entire affected area, as this will help ensure that a high percentage of the Vitamin C is absorbed by your dog's skin.
4. Vitamin A
Along with Vitamin C, Vitamin A is a very useful antioxidant. It can be very helpful in eliminating warts that are caused by the papilloma virus. Generally, it is more common to give Vitamin A as an oral supplement than as a topical treatment, though both options are available.
5. Surgical Removal
Surgical removal of warts should only be done by a skilled veterinary surgeon. This procedure is usually recommended for warts that are not caused by viruses, and warts that could be damaging to your dog's health. This is also the only treatment option that will remove warts that are caused by glandular tumors. If your dog is being anesthetized for another surgical procedure, it may be recommended by your veterinarian to also remove any obtrusive warts during the surgery.
6. Electrocautery
This is another veterinary procedure for wart removal. This treatment uses an electric cauterizing tool to literally burn away the tissue of the wart. This is a fairly common procedure, and can be done with only a local anesthetic.
7. Cryosurgery
This is a procedure similar to electrocautery, though it uses a freezing agent to freeze off the wart tissue. This is a very common procedure as well, and can also be performed with a local anesthetic.