Help! What is this fatty lump on my dog, Teneriffe Vet?
Lipomas, or fat tumors, are benign tumors of fat cells. They are commonly seen in middle-aged to older fat dogs. However some breeds, such as Labradors, Doberman, Schnauzer, and Cocker Spaniels, seem to have a higher chance of developing these lumps.
How do they feel or look like, Teneriffe Vet?
Lipomas tend to be round and slow-growing. Common places to find them are at the chest, abdomen, limbs or armpits. These fat lumps usually do not cause problems until they start compressing adjacent organs when they grow too big.
Areas of concern are on the chest or near/on moving limbs.
How do we know if the lump is a lipoma, Teneriffe Vet?
To accurately diagnose this tumor, a sample of the lump is sent to a pathologist to be analysed. However, many vets may only do a fine needle aspirate (a needle is inserted into the lump and samples sucked out to be viewed under a microscope), and physical examination to diagnose this problem. Surgical removal is usually not necessary unless they are growing on the areas of concern as mentioned above or the lump is getting to a large size.
