Dear Dr. Forsythe: My14-year-old dog Gazer got a bunch of little tick-looking things on his coat over the last month. There are about five or six of them and they are all small, scattered about. I was pretty sure the biggest one (on his neck) was a large tick and I tried to pull it off. Gazer howled and tried to bite me – and I realized it was no tick. It was something like a bump or cyst and I wouldn’t have pulled it off if I had known. Gazer bled a lot from it and doesn’t want me to touch him at all now. First I was wondering what the small bumps that look like ticks could be since I know now that they aren’t ticks. Also what can I put on the area where his bump was that I tore off? Please offer what help you can. – J.K.M. Kenwood
Dear J.K.M: Sorry to hear about the “tick removal” you did and how much it hurt Gazer. It sounds like you are describing very small growths that are called papillomas – small growths that are similar to viral warts in people. The small masses are often white or beige and start out small – often resembling a tick that has attached to a pet and gorged. Believe me, you are not the first person who has attempted to remove this type of skin tag – only to find out that it was a very vascular small growth that should have been removed by your veterinarian. And I empathize with Gazer who might be acting like a geezer after going through that incident.
Although benign, viral papillomas are unsightly and irritating to pets, especially if they are scratched or mechanically bothered in some way. If the harmless little bumps aren’t fooled with, they normally aren’t a problem unless they get big. But once they are damaged and start to bleed, infection can set in and cause pain and inflammation. Fortunately they can be easily removed and respond very well to “ablation” with a CO2 laser. (The laser literally melts or liquefies the small mass away). I suggest you have the bumps looked at by your veterinarian and see if there are other papillomas that need to be removed. And it sounds like you might need to use reading glasses to get a better look before you attempt any further tick removals on your own! The veterinarian can also clean and medicate the area where you pulled the mass off – and place an antibiotic on the site to prevent severe infection. Good luck with your Gazer. – Dr. Forsythe
Dear Dr. Forsythe: My dog Julius eats all kinds of strange, non-food items on a regular basis. In just his first three years he has eaten pencils, crayons, and even had to have a surgery two times to remove things from his stomach: first a pair of panty hose and then just three months after that, he ate a large piece of sandpaper and nearly died. My husband says if Julius eats one more eraser, small rubber ball, or anything else that causes him to get sick, we will have to give him to another home. I just don’t know what to do about this. Julius grabs things up very quickly before I even notice what is happening and our toddler tends to drop things that Julius finds very interesting. I can’t seem to teach him to ignore this, so I’m afraid giving him away is becoming more likely. Do you have any suggestions? – Danielle P., Napa
Dear Danielle: Yes, I have a simple suggestion, based on the idea that pets who cannot get access to dangerous items generally don’t HAVE much trouble. Since all the things you mentioned Julius has eaten are items that tend to be left around in a “normal” home, I suggest you go on a tidying frenzy and get rid of or put out of reach all the things he seems so fond of. I know it isn’t realistic to expect anyone with a toddler to keep a “museum” house, but in your case, an ounce of prevention will lower the veterinary bills, keep Julius safer, and probably lower your husband’s blood pressure considerably. Even though you have a toddler, eliminating the offending items by keeping them out of the dog’s reach seems like a basic place to start. If after “clearing the decks”, Julius continues to eat things he shouldn’t, consider enlisting the help of a good animal trainer who may be able to redirect his behavior and keep him safer. Good luck with this challenge. – Dr. F
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