Warts
Benign viral warts, also known as papillomas, are another common type of skin growth that appears on dogs. Dog warts often appear around the mouth, but they can occur anywhere on a dogs body. Theyre usually harmless and may disappear and then reappear over time.
How can you tell the difference between warts and skin tags on dogs? Warts appear as small, round lumps or bumps, whereas skin tags are often more tear-shaped and may protrude more from the body. And dog warts are usually darker than your dogs skin, while a skin tag is the same color as the rest of the skin.
Removal of Skin Tags and Other Growths
Skin tags are usually harmless and may not require any medical intervention at all. But its easy for a skin tag to become irritated, whether its because your dog licks or chews at it or the skin tag rubs against a collar or another part of the body.
If you spot a skin tag on your dog, look for these signs of a potential problem:
Let your vet know if you spot any of these signs. Youll want to set up an appointment to have your dogs skin growth examined as soon as possible.
Scabs
Just like you, your dog can develop scabs on almost any part of the body. This can happen because the cat scratched your pet or because they ran through a thicket of thorn bushes outside, for example.
Sometimes, scabs can be mistaken for skin tags. But while a skin tag will be flesh-colored, scabs are usually dark brown, black, or reddish in color and typically make less of a raised bump than a skin tag.
Dont try to remove a scab, and try to prevent your dog from chewing or biting it. If your dogs scab is particularly large or you think its causing your pet discomfort, let your vet know.
Skin Tags on Dogs How to Prevent and Remove Them
Youre rubbing and scratching your good boy when your fingers catch on something … different—a bump youre pretty sure wasnt there before. Youve probably heard of people getting skin tags, but did you know that dogs can get these generally harmless growths, too? While skin tags are one possibility, they unfortunately arent the only cause of lumps and bumps on dogs and youll need a veterinarians help to get a definitive diagnosis. Learn more about what skin tags are, what they look like, and how to determine whether your dogs skin growth needs professional attention.
Skin tags, which are also called fibrovascular polyps, fibrovascular papillomas, acrochordons and soft fibromas, are a type of benign (i.e. noncancerous) skin growth, says Theresa Entriken, DVM, a veterinary consultant based in Leawood, Kan. “Theyre small (usually 1 centimeter or less in length), soft, flesh-colored growths on the skin or that extend from a small stalk,” she continues. “One or more of these growths usually occur on the lower chest and upper legs in dogs, especially in middle-age and senior dogs, and sometimes on the face.”
According to Entriken, any breed (or mixed breed, for that matter) can develop skin tags, but large and giant breed dogs tend to be the ones most often affected.