Dog Fatty Tumors - What Is The Prognosis For Fatty Tumors In Dogs?

Dog fatty tumors, or lipomas, can be found anywhere on a dog's body, but are most common on the torso of an elderly dog. Most of these lumps are benign, but up to 2% of lipomas can be invasive and extend deep into the tissues. It's also possible that a "lipoma" could in fact be a more malignant tumor, such as a mast cell tumor, encased in fat.

Diagnosis

The first step in ascertaining that a lump is in fact just a lipoma is to do a fine needle aspirate biopsy. In this test, a needle is passed into the lump, and suction is applied with a syringe. Cells from the lump are sucked up into the needle, and can be spread onto a glass slide and examined under a microscope.

This test can be done at your veterinary clinic, but should be considered only a screening procedure. The cells that are obtained may not be the same as the cells deep inside the mass. Also, the staff at your clinic may not be as experienced at reading slides as a specialist pathologist. If there is any doubt, the cell sample on the slide should be sent to the laboratory to be checked by an expert.

Needle aspirates of dog fatty tumors sometimes don't yield any cells at all, which means a biopsy may be necessary to obtain an accurate diagnosis.

Prognosis

Most dog fatty tumors are not harmful, and don't cause any health problems for your canine companion. However your veterinarian will probably still advise you to have them removed. There are several reasons for this.

1. There is a very small chance they could be malignant.

2. They can grow very large, and interfere with your dog's lifestyle.

3. They can be a cosmetic issue, and affect your dog's appearance. This won't bother your dog, but if they are a show animal, it would bother you.

You may not think your dog should undergo a general anesthetic to remove a benign mass, and that is a valid point of view. However, it's a good idea to remove the lump while it is small. Surgery time is shorter and your dog will recover quickly. Alternatively, if they have to have anesthesia for any other purpose, for example to have their teeth cleaned, this is the ideal time to have these dog fatty tumors removed.

After the lump has been removed, there is the possibility that a seroma will develop. This occurs because your dog's body fills the empty space with watery fluid. Pressure bandages can help prevent them occurring, but it's not always possible to bandage the area where the tumor was.

Dog fatty tumors have the best outcome of all tumor types. They are benign, slow growing and don't affect your dog's well-being.

Has your dog been diagnosed with fatty tumors? Perhaps you suspect he might have this dreaded disease...