Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My dog has a lump in her mouth. Is it a wart or something serious?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Poodle | Female | spayed | 1 year and 2 months old | 30 lbs

Noticed this on my dogs mouth for the first time today and am very concerned of what it could be?

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

View more to consider that the photos may include sensitive content.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 13th, 2018

This looks like an oral papilloma, which is essentially just a wart. I would not be too worried about it being anything other than that, but the only way to tell for sure is to remove it and send it to the lab for testing. I recommend having your vet evaluate her to make the diagnosis. Oral papillomas tend to come in bunches, so I would expect for more to be seen. However, they will go away on their own in a couple of months. Below is a link to more information about oral papillomas. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/oral-tumors-papillomas-and-sarcoids I hope that helps and all is well with Gemma.

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Image profile

    Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 9th, 2018

    This could be just a wart, but could also be a malignant growth. It is still small enough to easily remove it without too much damage in the surrounding tissue and therefore I suggest you make an appointment with your veterinarian to have this examined. The vet may decide it is better to take it out in its entirety, or he may suggest taking a bit of tissue from the growth with a very fine needle in order to determine whether it is malignant or benign.

    Vote icon

    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

See More Answers

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
white bumps inside dogs mothb
Although I cannot say with 100% certainty without a hands-on exam, these bumps look like mouth warts or papillomas. A common cause in young and otherwise healthy dogs is a virus. This would be more likely if your pet has contact with other dogs such as at a dog park, doggy daycare, etc. If they are caused by a virus, there has likely been mouth to mouth contact with another dog, or the saliva of another dog on a toy, stick, food bowl, etc. Most cases of viral papillomas are self limiting, eventually resolve on their own - but are highly contagious. I would recommend that you have your vet examine her to make sure this is actually what ha going on.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hello, I recently noticed my dog has bumps around her mouth and I’m curious on to what they are, why they are there, and what I need to do for her.. I’ll attach photos below
These look like juvenile warts (oral papilloma). Such warts are caused by a virus, they are self-limiting and and will go away by themselves eventually within a few months. They will need veterinary attention if they increase significantly in size or amount or start bleeding, get infected, or cause other problems.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Klaus has a strange bump/sore on his mouth. Is it serious?
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.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 2 y/o dog (mix) has a gray-colored growth on her left lower lip. It looks a bit like a barnacle--it's round, but the top part (furthest away from her lip) is open, like a barnacle. It could look like it was enclosed and burst; the edges look jagge
This is quite a strange looking growth. I feel it is likely a papilloma which has become devitilised and died off hence the pale colour. However it is impossible to know the origin of a mass just by visual inspection alone. To be safe I would have this lump removed and submitted for testing at the lab to know exactly what it is.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hello, my dog has had bumps on her lips since Thursday. They look like warts or a virus. Do you know what this is? Thank you.
Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Jojo. These could be canine oral papillomas, which are small benign tumors of the mouth causing by the papilloma virus. Without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain, so I would have them checked out by a vet. If they are canine oral papillomas, treatment is usually not needed unless they become infected or she develops a lot of growths. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hello, found this in the back of my doggies mouth! 1yo silver lab 89lbs, no chronic conditions
I wonder if these might be papillomas. Papillomas are similar to warts in people and are spread through a virus, and lesions in the mouth are common. They could be another type of growth or inflammation as well. I would definitely recommend having your vet take a look in person. They may recommend sedating scout to take a good look and get a sample of these spots to determine what they are for certain.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Nashville has these 2 whitebumps on her tongue. We first noticed them because they’re rough, so we looked and saw them. Should we be concerned? She doesn’t seem uncomfortable. Photo attached.
These are likely oral warts, canine oral papillomas. These are small, benign tumors of the mouth caused by the papilloma virus which typically develop on the lips, tongue, throat or gums. These are caused by a virus. Typically, it takes 1-5 months for papillomas to regress without treatment. Should they grow very big or start to bleed, they can be surgically removed or frozen off. You will need to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam to rule out other tumors or infections.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has white growths in his mouth. The big one has been getting bigger over time. The small one is new and there’s a second small one very close to it. What is it? Should I be worried?
This appears to be a papilloma virus wart. They are common in puppies. I suggest you leave it alone. It will probably go away by itself in a few weeks. If it doesn't you can take him to a vet for an exam. DO NOT apply anything to it.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hello, as highlighted in the attached photo, I noticed a tiny papule on Olivia's top lip. It appears to be the same pink color as the rest of the surrounding skin. I checked her mouth carefully and there are no others, that's the only one. Any idea w
I think your suspicion is correct and this is very likely to be an oral papilloma. As few tumors that look clinically similar may be malignant cancers (squamous cell carcinoma) with invasion and destruction of the underlying bone, I would recommend to have it sampled (and removed) just to be on the safe side. Operation can be safely done under local anesthesia or quick sedation.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I discovered this on the inside of my dogs cheeks and one on his lips. He is a English cream golden Retriever 11 months old. It’s a white hard smooth looking bumps. It doesn’t seem to be hurting or bothering him. I don’t know if this is normal or not
These look like benign papillomas (warts). They are very common in young dogs and generally don't cause pain but can be severe in some cases. They are also very common in young dogs and are caused by a virus. They are self-limiting which means they generally go away on their own within 1-2 months without any specific treatment. Sometimes they do require cryotherapy for removal in those severe cases, which in this case it doesn't appear to be the case. Here is more information on viral papilloma's in dogs --> https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951355 Thanks for visiting Boop by Petco and best wishes with your pup moving forward. Take care.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored