# Large skin tag on lip or cutaneous something or another?



## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

Found this on my Ziggy a little while ago. Wish I could get a clearer picture, but...










It doesn't look like a hemangio lesion in my opinion because it's not red at all and doesn't seem painful when I palpate it. It looks more like a bunch of skin all shriveled up like a raison...you know when skin gets wet for a long time? Maybe because it's at his upper, inner lip that's what happening....I mean the shrivel look. His lymph nodes in his neck don't seem to be inflammed, but it's hard to judge.

It also doesn't feel fluid filled and it's like a little ball hanging from his lip - not a growth erupting from his lip, more like something "attached" to his lip. It honestly just feels like a big skin tag. I'm definitely calling the vet to have it checked out, but anyone ever seen anything like this?

Gotta go for now, but will check back later...thanks.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

sorry, don't know what it is. A call to the vet for sure! Let us know what the vet says please.


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## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

That thing is huge, relatively speaking. It's about 8-10 mm in diameter. It just popped up. Crazy. Now I'm worried. Seems things like this always happen at the most inopportune times! LOL!

Definitely will let you know...


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Looks like a papilloma. Viral, and common in dogs.


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## Susan6953 (Jun 9, 2008)

I agree, it looks like a papilloma.


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## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

Viral papilloma, for sure. Harmless but inconvenient and not attractive depending on how the virus runs its course. There will probably be more before it's over. It is contagious by direct contact with the papilloma to other dogs, mostly younger dogs or dogs with weakened immune systems.

Relax, Ziggy is going to be fine. Daisy had this when she was much younger and it didn't phase her at all ... except for the fact that I had to take her out of dog daycare -- that definitely phased both of us  But the virus itself is harmless. It will be gone in 4-6 weeks. No treatment that I'm aware of, just takes time to pass.


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## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

Interesting, when Daisy got it and I took her to the vet, he said he hadn't seen a case in some 20+ years. This was about 8 years ago. Now it seems like we're hearing about this virus a lot. I think our dogs are so much more social these days, I bet the vets are seeing more and more of it now.

How old is Ziggy? Is he under a year or around that age?


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## Augie's Mom (Sep 28, 2007)

Yup, it's a puppy wart. Augie had one as a puppy and they are harmless. I think the vet said once they get one they don't get it again.


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## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

Daisy had several that popped up at different times. But I understand they only get the virus once and then they have immunity.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

If Ziggy's young, that's a papilloma for sure.

Edited to add: OK, so everybody else beat me to that one.


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## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

Viola! That's it! It looks like a wart!

I knew there was a better way to describe this thing. I appreciate the replies immensely. When he smiled up at me today and I saw that thing I thought, oh sheesh what now! 

Ziggy's 16 months old exactly in two days. Glad to hear about the immunity thing.

I guess I should I expect more of these things in other areas. I'll keep an eye out. Definitely no socializing for a few weeks.

Okay, gotta go back to preparing for tomorrow. I've got 10 people coming!! ACK!

Thanks again and Happy Turkey Day!


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## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

You'll only find them along the inside of his mouth, around his gum line. It's an oral virus.

Any idea where he could have got this? He had to have come in direct contact with another dog that had it. Has he been in dog daycare?


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## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

Thanks for the info Jo Ellen! 

I'm not quite sure where he may have been exposed. We haven't been to the dog park for a while mostly because he not neutered yet and I don't have the need for boarding of any kind. We do run into neighborhood dogs on walks...

I wonder if the virus can live outside it's host for while? Could he have picked it up from somewhere a dog with the virus has recently been like a park or something like that?

Just happy it's not serious. Still going to vet. I have to finally shcedule his neuter anyway.


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## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

I've read that the virus is only transmitted through direct contact with a papilloma. Maybe we don't know for sure though. I never did find out how Daisy caught it. She was in dog daycare at the time but the staff told me there was no other dog there that had it.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

They can get it from toys that affected dogs have played with.


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## esSJay (Apr 13, 2009)

I wouldn't take him to the vet for it, as others said, it's extremely likely that it is canine papilloma virus and as long as he isn't bothered by it,it is not harmful to him, just ugly with its cauleyflower-like texture and appearance. It will go away on its own in a couple of weeks to a month, and you may see a few more pop up in the meantime.


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## Daisybones (Aug 25, 2008)

Gosh. I've never heard of this. I'm so glad I found this forum. I learn the best stuff. I am also extremely relieved that Ziggy will be just fine and it does look worse than it is. Whew!


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## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

Pointgold said:


> They can get it from toys that affected dogs have played with.


So it does live outside it's host. We found a cool ball at the park a couple of weeks ago...:uhoh:

Yikes, I'll never let him do that again. Do I need to get rid of his antler or other toys?


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## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

esSJay said:


> I wouldn't take him to the vet for it, as others said, it's extremely likely that it is canine papilloma virus and as long as he isn't bothered by it,it is not harmful to him, just ugly with its cauleyflower-like texture and appearance. It will go away on its own in a couple of weeks to a month, and you may see a few more pop up in the meantime.


Thanks. This is a real relief. (except for the more will pop up part  )


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## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

Jo Ellen said:


> I've read that the virus is only transmitted through direct contact with a papilloma. Maybe we don't know for sure though. I never did find out how Daisy caught it. She was in dog daycare at the time but the staff told me there was no other dog there that had it.


I will probably never know either. It's good to be aware of what this is though. So many nasties our little friends can catch!


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Ziggy*

Hoping Ziggy is feeling better soon!


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## rosemary (Jul 7, 2007)

arnie had the same sort of thing on his chest and once the vet agreed to remove it he set to and removed it for her he wasnt going to go under no sedtive they wouldnt remove under a general dur to his age he was about 12 at the time he now hs one on hos bottom eye lid which they have sid is basically an elderly dog wart which again they wont remove due to his age his is now 2 weeks off hos 14th birthday doesnt bother arnie just needs a clean every other day due to his eye doesnt clear properly


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## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

Aww, poor arnie with one of these things on his eye! Hope it resolves quickly.


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## GRZ (Dec 4, 2008)

*!*



Karen519 said:


> Hoping Ziggy is feeling better soon!


Funny thing is that I feel worse about it than he does! He has been rubbing his snout to the carpet more lately though.

He says, woof woo! (thank you in doggy speak)


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## NapaValleyGolden (Mar 24, 2008)

Cody had two of these a while ago, I did take him to the vet and as everyone here has said, they were papiloma virus. Very contagious but direct contact only (and toys, I guess). They took about 4 weeks to go away. He had just finished puppy kindergarten so probably got it there.


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## Practically_Human (Jan 21, 2015)

I'm adding to this old thread because skin tags were new to me (even though I'm on my 4th golden) and I thought I'd share my observations and experience with others who also are concerned about finding a skin tag on their dog. 
About a year ago I noticed a small growth on my 5 year old male's upper lip and another on his lower lip. They seemingly appeared overnight. They were very small black blips. (My boy's lips are darkly pigmented). I wondered if they were caused by a virus, because we had recently started visiting a dog park near where we were visiting from out of town. I showed the growths to our vet. He said they were skin tags, nothing to worry about. The vet said he could remove the tags, but they might even just fall off on their own. Sure enough, the one on his upper lip dropped off about 6 weeks later. 
The tag on my boy's bottom lip is still there. He's had it for about a year now. On a routine visit to the vet about 6 months ago, the vet confirmed it was a skin tag. 
A month or so ago I noticed that the tag had gotten a little longer, and then recently it started looking almost like it was beginning to branch or bud, like a tiny plant. Then a few days ago it seemed longer still, now with a pink tip. That panicked me a bit, so we went to the vet yesterday. The vet still said it was a skin tag. I opted to have it removed, since I was worried about the way it was suddenly growing (not to mention it's unsightly on my handsome boy's face). So we are scheduled to have it removed in a few weeks. They will remove it under general anesthesia, and will send it to a pathology lab. I opted to have my boy's teeth cleaned at the same time, while he was under anesthesia. (These 2 "minor" procedures are going to be $$!) I am unhappy and a bit nervous about putting my boy through this, but I feel like I did try the conservative approach by waiting it out. If anyone's interested, I'll update this post after the procedure.


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## JDandBigAm (Aug 25, 2008)

You did the right thing. Hoping all goes well and the pathology report comes back with good news.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

*Pratically_Human*, I think you made the right choice to remove it and send it off for the Pathology report. Owners know their dogs better than anyone else, sometimes you have to go with your instincts.

I am interested in the results, hope everything goes well and it's nothing serious.


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## Practically_Human (Jan 21, 2015)

Well, 2 weeks since my previous post (#26 above) about scheduling surgery to remove the skin tag on my boy's lower lip, sometime in the last 12 hours his skin tag must have fallen off. There is nothing left but the tiniest slightly pinkish bump. You'd never notice it if you weren't looking for it. I will call the vet today and probably take him in for the vet to look at the spot. I'm wondering if the vet will want to do something to the remaining tiny bump. It doesn't seem like it's worth full anesthesia and surgery now. The surgery is scheduled for about a month from now.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

That's good news the skin tag fell off.
Hope the Vet check goes well.


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