# Overnight wart growth on muzzle & nose? (pics)



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

This is freaking me out only because it has happened so fast! 
Last night, I noticed what seemed a scab on Keeta's nose. 
This morning, it had spread in breath and width. Also noticed this morning a small red swelling on her muzzle, about the size of a shirt button, still covered in face fuzz. 

This evening this is what it looked like:









Shows the size and shape better. It isn't bothering her, feels smooth and soft to the touch.
















Hard to show the scab on her nose, as it is dark like the surrounding area, but it is spreading. Like I said, last night, it looked like a scrach, now it looks like an abrasion. It is slightly elevated, and rough and hard to the touch, like dry, scaling skin:









I have already made a vet appointment for Thursday morning, but these things have appeared overnight and are growing like crazy, and wonder if I should insisit on getting a vet to see her tomorrow. Keeta is guestimated at around four years old, and is on BARF. 

Anyone have any idea what this is? I tried to google dog facial growths/warts, but didn't come up with anything that looked like what Keeta has. 

Thanks for your help!


----------



## WiscTiger (Sep 25, 2002)

I think it is either a bit or an allergic reaction to something. There was another post about bump on a dogs nose. Let me see if I can find it.

Val


----------



## WiscTiger (Sep 25, 2002)

Check out this post:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubb...true#Post794027


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I wonder if it's an abscess? Is it hot to the touch? 

Here's something you can do that won't hurt but should reveal whether or not it's an abscess. Make a hot compress with a washcloth and some hot water and hold it on there. If it starts oozing out puss and blood then it's an abscess.


----------



## Keegan62 (Aug 17, 2008)

could it be a staph infection?
I understand GS do have problems with that
Good luck at the Vet and so sorry you are having this problem
I will remember you and Keeta in my prayers

Take care


----------



## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

*Re: Overnight wart growth on muzzle & nose? (pics)*

I'm nearly positive it's a histiocytoma. They're small benign tumors that spring up nearly overnight and usually go away on their own. Usually they're on the dog's head or muzzle, and typically show up on young dogs but can be on older ones as well. 

By all means have it looked at to rule out more sinister possibilities like mast cell tumors, but it looks like an absolutely classic histocytoma, in which case - no biggie.


----------



## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

the one on her muzzle is more typical looking but this site has a pic of one that looks more like the one on her nose:

http://www.answers.com/topic/histiocytoma-dog


----------



## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

*Re: Overnight wart growth on muzzle & nose? (pics)*

Here I thought I was winning the Internet diagnosis prize! I just read the other thread. Looks like that one was a histiocytoma too. Oh well. I'm not the innovator I thought I was.









If that's what this turns out to be too (and I'm nearly sure it is), my vet said sometimes fiddling with them can actually help them go away faster. stimulates the immune response or something.


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Thanks everyone! I knew I could count on the collective knowledge and wisdom of the board! 

Funny that other thread you linked, Val, the pics are almost the same as the ones I posted! 

Don't think it is an abcess, there is no heat, and it isn't painful. It does seem to be a hystocytoma. Not sure if that is how it would present itself on the nose leather?

I will get it checked out, but it is nice to have an idea of what it can be. Another question, is this caused by a virus? Can it be transmitted to other dogs? 

One reason I would like to know is because of the bite-work Keeta does. The same sleeve will be used for different dogs - so is this something that could be transmited through saliva?


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Nope, definitely not contagious. 

Here's some good technical info for you: http://www.vet.uga.edu/VPP/clerk/woods/index.php


----------



## ebrannan (Aug 14, 2006)

Just a thought here ...
Last week, my EPI girl, Jetta had what looked to be a scratch on her side. I figured she got it while playing with my other two rough and tumble fur kids. By afternoon, it looked like an abscess was developing. During the next couple of days, I watched it and hot compressed it every night. 
On Saturday evening, while compress it in the bathroom (quiet spot), I noticed it was starting to drain a bit. I called my hubby in, thinking he could gently press on it while I continued to hot compress it. While he was doing that, he said, "Something is moving in there." Well, after my initial turning white at the thought, my hubby, son and myself began to work on her. I talked to her and gently held her, my husband gently pressed on the area and from the bottom and held the flashlight for better lighting, and my son slowly pulled the larvae out of a hole when it came out for air. The hole had developed over night. We preserved the larvae, used a syringe to flush the area inside in inflamed spot and I began during Internet research. 
I finally found what I was looking for (2:00 a.m.) and this is it. Of course, I hit many other sites to ensure the right info, but this Web site was the most comprehensive.
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/flies/squirrel_bot_fly.htm
My baby girl, at some point, had made contact with a Bot fly egg. It had traveled through her digestive system, and when it developed into the larvae stage, had created the inflamed pocket of fluid as its nest, so to speak, for the next stage of development. The little hole, which had appeared overnight was basically its blow hole, so it could breath. 
I took her to my vet first thing Monday morning, poop sample (just to ensure there were no other parasites), specimen bottle w/ preserved larvae, and print out of the info I had found. 
Dr. Dunn was totally impressed, said most of the clients aren't quite as adventurous, asked me how I felt the area was doing (it had gone down to half its size in just one day) and sent me on my way w/ antibiotics for my baby girl. 
Since then, we have noticed two squirrels with the larvae abscess in our neighbors yard. There are tons of squirrels out this year (its an acorn year for our trees), so I don't know if this has anything to do with the Bot fly population. 
Anyway, good food for thought. The scratch, which I had originally seen in the area was probably from Jetta itching the spot that the larvae was setting up house in. 
This was a huge learning lesson for me. I think I have probably read more about Bot flies then I will ever read again.


----------



## Tula (May 21, 2004)

ummm.... ewwwww!!! I can't taking have more things to worry about... and that bot fly story is just gross!!


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I have to hand it to you Liz, not many people would have had the guts to do what you did! I know about Bot fly eggs on horses, but didn't know that is what Bot fly larvae did! Ugh!!!


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Don't know if I should be worried . . . Keeta's muzzle growth was oozing blood when she was running around outside earlier. Is this normal?


----------



## ebrannan (Aug 14, 2006)

I would take her to a quiet spot, put a flashlight to it so you can really look at it, have someone else hold her if you can, and study, study, study the spot. 
BTW, excuse my several typos in my initial Bot fly story, I was working on my first cup of java and not awake yet.


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

If you think any of us noticed typos in that first story.... yetch (and I am not particularly squeemish)


----------



## Rika_Tula (Nov 9, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: middleofnowhereIf you think any of us noticed typos in that first story.... yetch (and I am not particularly squeemish)


No doubt! ...and I am going to be itching all night long.


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: ebrannanI would take her to a quiet spot, put a flashlight to it so you can really look at it, have someone else hold her if you can, and study, study, study the spot.



Hmmmmmm . . . . do I really want to find out???

We'll be seeing the vet tomorrow morning. I can wait . . . 

Though I did just now take a really, really, really good look at it . . . nothing moving so far, and no "blow hole" that I can tell. (Thank goodness!!)


----------



## Sean Rescue Mom (Jan 24, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: pupresqI'm nearly positive it's a histiocytoma.


I tend to agree, and if it is in fact a histiocytoma a definitive diagnosis is established by a biopsy.


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

We had our vet appointment this morning.

And the winner of the on-line dog forum diagnosis award IS . . . (Drumroll please


*BowWowMeow!!!* So Congratulations Ruth!!!

We are the proud parents of weird looking abcesses! 
Got some fluid on a slide and the vet looked at it, and it was 30% red blood cells, and 70% white blood cells (vet used a different term - but basically, they are white blood cells.)

So antibiotics for 10 days, and if that doesn't clear it up, we will be getting it biopsied. It still could be something else, the stuff on top of the nose does look really weird (and is still spreading).

Thanks again for the well wishes, the suggestions, the info links, and the "interesting" Bot Fly Larvae story! (gosh that was something else!)


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Hey, I won something! I never win anything!









Did the vet think it was from an ingrown hair? Did they drain it? Did they tell you to use a hot compress? I've had a lot of experience with abscesses. Basu got them a lot. I apply a hot compress 3-4 times a day, until no more bloody pus is coming out. I keep it clean (I used tea tree oil on Rafi's but that was on his back and I definitely wouldn't use it on the nose) and apply hypericum/calendula cream to it twice a day. Rafi had a nasty abscess at the site of his most recent mange outbreak and I did the above and it cleared up completely in 4 days. 

I am confused about the part where you say it's spreading on her nose though. That does not sound like an abscess. Can you post a picture of that?


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

No, the vet didn't drain the areas. I don't know why. He thought it was weird that she had TWO abcesses like that in different areas, but he said that as a vet, he sees a lot of weird stuff, and one never knows. I'm thinking that she may have been bitten by a field mouse, or mice? We have been walking and playing in big open fields a lot, and she has been mousing a lot, as the field mice are coming up to build their winter nests above ground.

I would say that the abcesses are getting better already. The one on her nose was really crusty, but as of this morning the crusty stuff fell off, and smooth, pink skin is underneath, and the swelling going down. 

I think the worry about opening these abcesses and draining them is the difficulty of keeping them clean since they are on her nose and muzzle. Eating, grooming herself, sniffing, normal stuff, could all introduce more dirt and contaminants into the area. We discussed a topical antibiotic instead of the pills, but we both felt that she would just lick the cream off, and thus it wouldn't be of any effect. 

Poor Rafi, I wasn't aware that he had mange. How come Basu had a lot of abcesses? Are some dogs more predisposed to them, or was Basu just a clutz who got himself injured a lot?


----------



## EJQ (May 13, 2003)

Wow ARA has one exactly like that on her nose. I first thought it was a bee sting but the day after the initial swelling it looks just like your dog. We have an appointment at 3:30 today to check it out - I'll let you know how ours turns out.


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Rafi has a crappy immune system b/c he was on his own and living on trash as a pup.









Basu had terrible allergies and a lot of skin problems. He also had some vaccine reactions. He was prone to abscesses on his back. 

And, of course, Cleo had a few in her younger fighting days too!









Glad to hear that Keeta's nose is healing. Rafi likes to catch mice too but so far he hasn't been bitten.


----------

