Lipoma in Dogs – Fatty Tissue Tumors

Lipoma in dogs is the medical term for a benign, fatty tumor. The lump sits in the subcutaneous tissue, and if you feel it the texture is soft, smooth and slightly squishy under the skin. Your dog’s lipoma might look worrying, but it is likely harmless, painless and only an issue on a cosmetic level. Your old dog might end up with multiple lipoma tumors but continue to live and happy, health life. The only dangerous lipoma in dogs is one which is in an area like the throat or on a joint, where it might cause problems. An infiltrative lipoma can also spread rapidly and enter muscular tissue, restricting movement. Canine lipoma symptoms are more likely in overweight, senior female dogs over the age of six. However, they can occur any time from puppyhood onwards.

Contents

• What are the signs of lipoma in dogs?
• Why do some dogs get lipomas?
• Canine lipoma diagnosis.
• Can you remove a dog’s lipoma?

One morning you’re petting your pup and you discover a lump just underneath his skin. Your mind immediately jumps to the worse. You rush off to the vet and discover that your dog has lipoma. Your vet doesn’t seem worried, but what exactly does this diagnosis mean? Is it something you should be worried about, or can you be as carefree as your vet?

Lipoma Symptoms in Dogs?

Usually, the only symptom of lipoma in dogs is noticing the actual lump beneath the skin. Most lipomas are soft and slightly moveable under the skin. They feel like fatty masses beneath the dog’s skin. Usually, your dog will not exhibit any signs of pain or immobility unless the tumor is located in a joint. Furthermore, this discomfort usually does not happen until the lipoma has reached a moderate size.

Most commonly, these lumps are located on the fattiest areas of the dog, such as the belly and trunk. However, they can appear everywhere and usually appear in increasing numbers. A dog with one lipoma will probably develop another one eventually. This is not because lipomas are caused by a disease or are spreading around the body. It is simply that if the dog is genetically dispositioned to get one lipoma, they are likely to get another.

Causes of Lipoma in Dogs

The exact cause for these fatty growths is unknown. It is assumed that some dogs are simply genetically dispositioned to develop them. Often times, it is noticed that if your dog’s parents had lipoma, they are also likely to get it. However, like previously mentioned, overweight dogs are also more likely to get lipoma. Because of this, keeping your dog at a healthy weight can sometimes prevent a lipoma from forming.

Still, any dog can get lipoma, no matter their weight, breed, or gender. So ensuring that your pet is at a healthy weight will not always prevent these fatty tumors from forming.

Diagnosing Lipoma in Dogs

Diagnosis of lipoma is extremely important. Just because your dog has something that appears to be lipoma, doesn’t mean he or she actually does. There are various dangerous tumors that are similar to lipoma. It is important that these tumors get treatment right away. This is why it is always extremely important to get your dog diagnosed by a vet.

Often times, simply feeling the tumor is not enough to decide if it is simple lipoma or something more serious. On top of a complete physical exam, the vet will also need to extract some of the tumor with a fine needle. This small extraction can then be used to determine the type of tumor.

Usually, when a vet is physically examining a canine that is suspected to have lipoma, they find multiple masses. This is very common. However, each mass will need to be tested individually to ensure that they are all, in fact, lipoma.

If the fatty mass is in a joint or dangerous location, the vet might follow up the initial testing with a CT or MRI. These tests will allow for a better view of the tumor. This allows the vet to decide the best course of action in your pup’s care.

Infiltrative Lipoma in Dogs

Infiltrative lipoma in dogs is simply a special subclass of lipoma. Instead of sitting harmlessly just under the skin, these tumors invade the muscle tissue and face of the dog. In other words, they literally grow into the muscles and surrounding tissue. These lipoma are not always dangerous and sometimes do not cause any problems at all. However, due to their tendency to invade and restrict a canine’s movement, they might need to be removed.

Dog Lipoma Treatment

Most lipomas are completely harmless and only cause cosmetic issues. However, some lipomas might need to be removed based on location. These locations include places like the joints, neck, and spinal column. In these cases, dogs often show other symptoms depending on the specific location. For example, one study found that lipomas in the spine can cause paralysis. Another noted that a tumor near the trachea caused coughing and difficulty breathing.

In nearly all cases, a vet might recommend surgery to remove the mass. Luckily, these surgeries are often times very successful, with 67% of dogs remaining disease-free for at least a year after the surgery. The success of the surgery depends partially on how defined the tumor is. Tumors that are more defined and separated from the surrounding tissue are easier to remove. Tumors that are in fatty areas of the dog, such as the stomach, are usually less defined than those located in joints and leaner areas.