Growth between my dog's toes - Need advice! THX!

[leteruel]

Hi, my name is Luis and I am writing to you to ask for advice regarding Milo, my 8yr old beagle. My wife and I today noticed a strange growth between his pads on his right rear leg. I am attaching a picture to show what it looks like (growth 1). At the same time we found he had another growth similar to this one on his front leg, in between his pads (growth 2).

Before I take him to the vet I would like to hear your thoughts about it since I don't want to go uninformed. He doesn't seem to be in pain but he would now and then lick it (he licks everything under the sun so we didn't pay too much attention to it).

I appreciate your help and thanks you in advance for any comment you could make on this regard.

Best Regards
Luis

[Shaykeija]

Is it hard like a toe nail? Some one else had something like this on their dog. Perhaps she will see this and comment. Most definitely go see a vet.

[leteruel]

Hi, thanks for your reply! It is hard like a nail and it doesn't seem to hurt him when we touch it.

I hope the other member with similar problem reads my post and gives me his/her advice.

Thanks once again
Luis

[hazelrunpack]

If that's a keratoacanthoma, it's way more extensive than what we saw in Brier. He had extra "nails" growing on his face Very freaky. They did fall off eventually by themselves and haven't recurred. There's a thread here, if you're interested...

When is your vet visit? It will be interesting to see if it's the same sort of thing. Please keep us posted.

[leteruel]

Thanks for all your comments!!

I think, as one of you mentioned, it could well be keratoacanthoma. I did some research on the internet and found some pretty similar pics, not as advanced or big as milo's but pretty similar. I will be going to the vet on friday so I will make sure to keep you posted about the diagnostic.

Thanks once again!
Luis

[surich]

Luis,
My dog had twice gotten a grass seed embedded into the paw between her toes. Fortunately I noticed the little entrance hole and took her to the vet as she was licking it so much...a BIG grass seed popped out..and he said it could grown in there...so that may be another option. Do you take your dog to a field that has dry grass. The second time it happened I squeezed it like he had done and it popped out ...freaked me out as the seeds have those long "arms" (and I thought it was a bug at first) on them and I can only imagine how it must have felt. I now always check her toes when we go to that park..especially when it is dry.
Good luck..pls update so we know.

[hazelrunpack]

Good luck at the vet tomorrow, Luis!

Surich, that's kind of scary! I've heard stories of grass awns festering and causing infection! Do you know what kind of grass it was?

[Dracko]

Update??? How'd the vet visit go?

[hazelrunpack]

Yes, we definitely need an update, leteruel! How did Milo's vet visit go?

[leteruel]

Hello everyone, sorry for the delay but I have been having some nasty personal problems that kept me away from the computer... We are still battling with Milo's issue. The vet said he suffers from Hyperkeratosis. He removed the growth on the rear paw (first picture from first post) but only shaved/filed the one in-between his front pads (second picture from first post).
The problem in the front paw is getting worse to the point that we have to keep milo with a bite collar so he can not chew on it and make it bleed (happened twice). The growth on the front paw is getting bigger and nastier and he started to limp due to the growth (don't know if it hurts him or it is just uncomfortable).

We will be going to the vet once again next week to see if he can do something else other than "shaving" it.. we believe he should remove it like he did with the rear one.

After doing some research on the internet I have the idea that the diagnose is not correct since Hyperkeratosis looks more like psoriasis from the pics we could find. Milo's problem is getting worse and we need to find a solution or at least a correct diagnose so we can treat it properly instead of immobilizing our dog.

I also attached new pictures of the front paw so you all can see the difference with the original picture (even after the vet shaved it down a lot). The red spots are from when he started chewing on it and made it bleed.

Any comment would be appreciated.

Thanks a lot and sorry once again for the delayed response.

[hazelrunpack]

I'd be leaning toward having it removed, too, leteruel. Any time something like that bleeds, it's time to have it looked at again--even if it's from the dog chewing on it.

No suggestions, though, as to what it might be I just hope you and Milo can get it taken care of soon.

[bendyfoot]

are keratoacanthomas caused by a papillomavirus? Just wondering...I've seen weird papillomas before...

[hazelrunpack]

I don't think they are, bendy. They seem to be a misfunction of the cell, causing it to differentiate as inappropriate tissue, but I'm not sure they know why it happens

But you're right--that does resemble some papillomas I've seen pics of.

[bendyfoot]

It made me think of that "Tree Man" they had a special about on TLC...that was a way-out-of-control case of papillomavirus...just wondering if maybe that was a possibility?

[leteruel]

Thanks to everyone for your inputs! Funny that one of you mentioned the tree-man since we call him the tree-dog at home... he he. I look forward to going to the vet so he can take another look at it and reconsider the "let's shave it down" approach since it seems to grow back even stronger. The main problem is that Milo is not putting that leg down to walk and limps all the time, I hate to see him like this and I need to find a solution.

I will keep you posted.

Thanks once again for all your help and comments.
Regards!

[BenMax]

Best of luck to you and your pup. Just looking at those pictures absolutely appears to be uncomfortable. Poor babe.

[emberwarm]

Hi There,

I was wondering if you were ever able to help your dog or get a conclusive diagnosis? I've been to the vet twice and they say it's a wart (papilloma) and I just have to let it run it's course. My dogs isn't quite as big as yours but I want to get it resolved before it gets bigger. My dog is a rat terrier named Matia and she was also limping when I first found it. At the first vet visit, we got some antibiotics and pain relivers (anti-inflamatory)and now she's not limping, but she's still finishing up the pain relievers, so I don't know. This other vet said to let it run it's course for the next two months and if it spreads over her whole toe, then she'll take the toe off, but to do nothing now. I'm praying...

Please let me know.

Thanks and God Bless you and your baby too.

[Kmhatach04]

Did anyone get any type of definitive answer on what was on their dog's paw? My puggle has a growth very similar to the one in the first picture. I brought him to the vet about two weeks ago and she said it was a papilloma. She told us we could wait it out and it may go away in a few months, or we could have it surgically removed if it was bothering him. At first he was fine, but lately, the growth has gotten larger, and he's licking his paws a lot. He also has another growth that looks a little like cauliflower.

I can't afford surgery for my dog, so I was wondering if anyone else had experience with this and how long it took for their dog's papilloma to go away....

Thanks!

[kandy]

Originally Posted by emberwarm

Hi There,

I was wondering if you were ever able to help your dog or get a conclusive diagnosis? I've been to the vet twice and they say it's a wart (papilloma) and I just have to let it run it's course. My dogs isn't quite as big as yours but I want to get it resolved before it gets bigger. My dog is a rat terrier named Matia and she was also limping when I first found it. At the first vet visit, we got some antibiotics and pain relivers (anti-inflamatory)and now she's not limping, but she's still finishing up the pain relievers, so I don't know. This other vet said to let it run it's course for the next two months and if it spreads over her whole toe, then she'll take the toe off, but to do nothing now. I'm praying...

Please let me know.

Thanks and God Bless you and your baby too.

Your vet would rather let it grow, and then amputate the whole toe rather than removing it while it's small???? I think I'd be getting a second vet to look at it.

[Schlow]

Have you considered taking your dog to a specialist rather than the local veterinarian? I don't know where you live, but it wouldn't be difficult to find out. First contact your veterinarian's office and see if they can recommend a specialist. If not, check with several other vet office and just say your dog has been diagnosed with _____ can you recommend a specialist that I can take him to. If you have an emergency pet clinic nearby, they will probably also be able to help. Good luck, and keep us posted.