WHAT TREATMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR CPV?
- Topical Creams – You can use immune-modifying creams like Imiquimod to treat CPV warts. Imiquimod helps control the progression of already formed warts by attracting immune cells to the site of infection.
- Oral Medications – Antibacterial drugs like Azithromycin can clear lesions caused by CPV in 10 to15 days.
- Cryotherapy – If a dog suffers from multiple papillomas that interfere with eating and swallowing, vets can remove warts by flash-freezing the growth with liquid nitrogen and destroying the tissue.
- Surgery – Surgical removal of warts is also an option. However, discuss this method with your vet first to make sure it is necessary. Surgery is invasive and can lead to scarring and secondary health complications.
- CPV vaccines – Vaccines against CPV are available, and researchers have shown them effective against certain virus strains. Consult your vet about the vaccine as a means of CPV prevention.
In healthy dogs, cancers from CPV infections are not fatal. However, we recommend practicing proper preventive measures to reduce your dog’s risk of contracting the virus. Moreover, taking precautionary measures will prevent the spread of the disease to other dogs.
If your dog contracts CPV, likely, it will successfully fight off the virus and develop immunity against it. If the papillomas develop into tumors, know that many treatments are available for your pet.
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: July 20, 2022
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The following sources were referenced to write the content on this page:
Richman, AW, Kirby, AL, Rosenkrantz, W & Muse, R 2017, ‘Persistent papilloma treated with cryotherapy in three dogs’, Vet Dermatol, vol. 28, no. 6, pp. 625-e154.
Wilson, S, Illambas, J, Siedek, E, Stirling, C, Thomas, A, Plevová, E, Sture, G & Salt J 2014, ‘Vaccination of dogs with canine parvovirus type 2b (CPV-2b) induces neutralising antibody responses to CPV-2a and CPV-2c’, Vaccine, vol. 32, no. 42, pp. 5420-5424.
Yağci, BB, Ural, K, Ocal, N & Haydardedeoğlu, AE 2008, ‘Azithromycin therapy of papillomatosis in dogs: a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial’, Vet Dermatol, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 194-198.
The Pet Cancer Foundation’s medical resource for pet owners is protected by copyright.
For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.