Fatty lumps

[D'Elle]

This is about my terrier, Digger. He has two lumps just under his skin, one on his ribs and one in his groin. The vet said, about 8 months ago, that they were extremely unlikely to be anything but fatty deposits, and not to worry about them but keep an eye on them to see if they get bigger. They have gotten larger, although not super rapidly.

I have a friend whose standard poodle has such a lump and she put off having it removed because it was not life threatening. Finally it got so large she felt she had to have it removed, but when they did the bloodwork prior to surgery they discovered issues making the surgery impossible. Now he is carrying around this huge still growing lump that can't be removed.

 

My concern is if I wait, perhaps the same thing could happen with Digger. But on the other hand, if they are not life threatening, perhaps I should not do surgery because of course a general anesthetic is always dangerous in and of itself. I am pretty attached to this little dog and want to make the best decision for him.

 

Comments or advice? Have you had any experience with this kind of thing?

Thanks

[GentleLake]

Many vets these days don't recommend removing lipomas unless they're interfering with mobility or other issues. One reason, I think, is because they're likely to come back.

 

Hopefully one of the vets here will weigh in, but it might be something to discuss with your vet the next time you take Digger in.

 

FWIW, some holistic folks believe that lipomas are the result of toxins in the environment, in the dog's food, or from vaccines. They believe it's the body's way of trying to encapsulate the toxins and so mitigate their effect in the body. I have no idea whether it's true or not, but it's an interesting concept to me.

[teresaserrano]

I have several lipomas in my arms, torso and scalp that have grown with time. My doctor has always said they needen't removing. In dogs I have no experience.

[CSW]

My dog had a couple of these. Vet said best to leave them alone unless interfering with mobility. The one on his chest got rather big, but when he was very old and not eating much, it shrank up.

[Love my BCs]

My senior dog has a few of these, my vet drew fluid out of one and said it's nothing to worry about. We'd only take action if they interfered with his mobility.

[Liz P]

I've never heard the toxin theory before. In my professional experience, some dogs get them, most don't. Dogs of certain breeds get them much more often than others. In fact, I pretty much assume Labs and Goldens will develop some as they age while they seem quite uncommon in Border Collies.

[aschlemm]

I'd want the vet to do a needle aspirate (the dog is awake, the vet just sticks the lump with a needle and looks at the cells) to be sure that it is a fatty tumor. If it is, then the choice is yours. Where I work we don't recommend removing them unless; they interfere with walking, they are someplace where if it grows too much if would be hard to get skin closure (legs), the dog is bothered by it, or the owner is really bothered by it. You should have bloodwork done prior to surgery and as you mentioned there is always an anesthetic risk. Some dogs are simply prone to getting fatty tumors and no sooner then you have some removed new ones appear.

[jvw]

One of my dogs is now mostly fatty tumor lumps. They drive me crazy. But I've always left them on vets advice. A few years ago the one on her chest split open and oozed for several days. Probably from some falls she took on it. Antibiotics and warm compresses and it healed fine.

 

I have one on my rib cage. I am getting it removed! I hate it.

[D'Elle]

Thanks for all the replies. It seems it might be worth it to aspirate just to be sure, but mostly I guess I will not worry too much about them. Like jvw, I hate them, but similarly won't put my dog at risk just because of that.

[Ttiffany20191]

I had this happen to me. Went in one year at our annual visit and told the vet about the lump. He said it was most likely a lipoma and to just leave it alone. It got bigger and bigger and finally got so big it needed surgery. I wish I had trusted my gut and had them take it out when it was smaller. She had to go through a bigger surgery at an older age.

[Sue R]

I have two elder dogs with lipomas, most of which have been present for several years. I monitor them and my vet checks them during annual (and any other) exams. If one was to begin growing at any noticeable rate, we would do something about it before it got much larger.

 

I'm sorry that your old girl is facing surgery for this at her age.

[Ttiffany20191]

GentleLake, my vet said the same thing. That once a dog gets one they are prone to getting them again..

[D'Elle]

Thanks for all the info in your replies, everyone.

I guess I will just keep an eye on them and if they grow much larger ...or seem to be growing faster...I may have them removed. I know that sometimes leaving something alone is the best course, but I am so picky about my animals. I want my care of them to be absolutely meticulous....I never want anything to be out of order on them at all, so it is hard just to leave it.