- Canine Papilloma Virus (CPV)
- Canine Papilloma Virus Overview
- What are viruses?
- CPV and cancer
- How does CPV spread, and prevention
- What treatments are available for CPV?
CPV AND CANCER
How does a papilloma turn into a tumor?
In humans, there is a well-established link between human papilloma virus (HPV) and malignancies such as cervical cancer. In dogs, the role of CPV in the development of cancerous lesions is not entirely understood. Reports suggest that papillomas may turn cancerous if a dog has a poor immune response to the CPV infection. A more severe illness may result, with the potential to cause serious dysregulation in cell growth and division. CPV infection may “turn on” genes associated with cancer progression (known as oncogenes) and “turn off” genes that protect against cancer development (known as tumor suppressors).
It is unlikely that a healthy dog will develop a tumor following a CPV infection but understanding the associated risks will help you make the best decisions for your pet’s health.
How does CPV increase cancer risk in dogs?
Numerous studies have reported that papillomaviruses can cause benign tumors in dogs. While many cases of CPV result in benign skin lesions, CPV infections can also be associated with cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). SCC is a type of skin cancer that can occur anywhere on your dog’s skin, including the paws and nail beds, and inside their mouth and nose. In healthy dogs, papillomas generally do not spread around the body. However, severe CPV infections in dogs with a compromised immune system may result in metastatic SCC that can spread beyond the primary tumor to the lungs, liver, and bone.
If the SCC growth is on your dog’s skin, the best and most common treatment is surgery to remove the tumor. Sometimes complete tumor removal isn’t possible. In these cases, radiation therapy is used in addition to surgery because SCC may not respond well to chemotherapy.
If your vet diagnoses your dog with CPV, discuss the extent of the infection and learn about the treatment options. Your vet can help you find a course of treatment that best suits you and your dog
The Pet Cancer Foundation’s Website Editorial team is comprised of veterinarians, veterinary oncologists, and veterinary technicians, as well as scientific writers and editors who have attained their PhD’s in the life sciences, along with general editors and research assistants. All content found in this section goes through an extensive process with multiple review stages, to ensure this extended resource provides pet families with the most up-to-date information publicly available.
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Keep Your Pets Healthy Editorial Team
Last Updated: September 16, 2021
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The following sources were referenced to write the content on this page:
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Ghim, S, Newsome, J, Bell, J, Sundberg, JP, Schlegel, R & Jenson, AB 2000, ‘Spontaneously regressing oral papillomas induce systemic antibodies that neutralize canine oral papillomavirus’, Exp Mol Pathol, vol. 68, no. 3, pp. 147-151.
Meuten, DJ 2002, Tumors in Domestic Animals, 4 edn, Blackwell Publishing, Ames, Iowa.
Munday, JS, Thomson, NA & Luff JA 2017, ‘Papillomaviruses in dogs and cats., Vet J, vol. 225, pp. 23-31.
Munday, JS, Tucker, RS, Kiupel, M & Harvey, CJ 2015, ‘Multiple oral carcinomas associated with a novel papillomavirus in a dog’, J Vet Diagn Invest, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 221-225.
Nicholls, PK & Stanley, MA 2000, ‘The immunology of animal papillomaviruses’, Vet Immunol Immunopathol, vol. 73, no. 2, pp. 101-127.
The Pet Cancer Foundation’s medical resource for pet owners is protected by copyright.
For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.