Why is my dog getting fatty lumps

Lumps and Bumps on Dogs Skin: Signs, Symptoms, Causes

What is that strange bump on your dog? Discovering a skin lump or bump on your dog can set your mind reeling and heart racing, but theres no need to panic. A bump on your dog doesnt automatically mean cancer. While skin bumps and strange lumps on dogs should always be taken seriously, certain types of bumps are more common than you might think, and theyre often harmless.

Types of Skin Lumps and Bumps on Dogs

Skin bumps that youre likely to find on your dog fall into several categories. Some of these are more common in older dogs. As a new puppy owner, youll want to file these away and keep an eye out for them as your pup ages. While some of these are non-cancerous, some can be caused by infections or other underlying conditions. Its always best to have a veterinarian examine and diagnose anychanges to your dogs skinand determine a course of treatment, if needed.

Lipomas

These fatty tumors appear as soft, round lumps of flesh beneath the skin. Theyre made up entirely of fat cells and are always benign, or non-cancerous. Lipomas are usually found in older dogs and dogs who are overweight. Larger breeds are more prone to them, although they can be found in small breeds as well. Your vet may perform a fine needle aspirate, using a thin needle to collect cells and examine them under a microscope to verify that theyre fatty tissue.

Sebaceous Cysts

These are smaller bumps that can look like a pimple or a wart. They form from blocked oil glands and may burst and release a pasty, white goo. These most commonly occur in breeds with fine hair, like the Poodle and the Bichon Frise. They may disappear on their own, although some can remain for years and have the potential to become infected. Surgical removal is an option if they irritate your dog.

Warts

These small, cauliflower-like bumps are caused by the papillomavirus. They occur most often in puppies who dont yet have fully-developed immune systems and usually disappear on their own. Although the virus is contagious between dogs, it cant be transmitted from dogs to humans.

Skin Tags

These are fibrous bumps that look like small flaps or raised stalks of skin, although they may occasionally look like small bumps. They may or may not have hair growing on them. Skin tags are caused by overactive cells called fibroblasts and can occur in dogs of any breed or any age. Theyre often harmless, although your vet might want to do a biopsy to make sure, especially if the tag changes in shape, color or size.

Abscesses

Usually caused by an infection, abscesses are swollen tissue that can form around bug bites, animal bites, infected glands, and other types of sores. If not treated early they may burst, which is painful for your dog. Antibiotics may be required to treat the infection.

Button Tumors

Also known as a histiocytoma, these are benign tumors that affect puppies and young dogs between eight weeks and three years of age. Theyre caused by an overproduction of immune cells and typically disappear on their own.

Mast Cell Tumors

These are cancerous tumors that may occur either beneath or on top of the skin. Theyre often solid to the touch and irregular in shape. The appearance of such a tumor should receive immediate attention from a veterinarian. Theyll likely want to remove the tumor, if possible, before performing a biopsy to determine if cancer might have spread through your dogs body. If surgical removal isnt possible, you may be referred to a veterinary oncologist for chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Most Common Bumps and Lumps on Puppies

Thankfully, cancer in puppies is rare. The most common types of lumps or bumps found on puppies are warts, skin tags, button tumors, and abscesses. In these cases, your dogs veterinarian may recommend a wart ointment or other skin treatment. There are also some supplements that claim to help dissolve fatty lipoma skin lumps on dogs. Its also not unusual for puppies to develop swelling at the site of a vaccination injection, caused by a conglomeration of immune cells that gather there.

Typically, this vaccination site swelling subsides within a week. However, in rare cases, this gathering of cells can turn into a malignant tumor. Contact your vet if a vaccination lump lasts more than a week. They may advise you to keep a watchful eye on it and bring your pup in for a biopsy if the lump continues past three months, is more than an inch in diameter, or continues to grow or change shape.

Although its rare, it is possible for puppies to develop certain types of cancer, so its important to have any lumps, bumps, or other changes in your puppys skin examined by a veterinarian.

When Should You Worry About a Dogs Skin Bump?

Have your dog examined immediately if you discover a lump thats hard or firm to the touch, irregularly shaped, or if you notice a change in any existing lumps or bumps regarding size, texture, or color. Your vet should also immediately take a look at any bumps that ooze fluid. But again, while some lumps and bumps are harmless, its best to let your vet take a look at any new bumps or lumps on your dog and let your veterinarian make that determination.

Dealing with the possibility of tumors or infections in your dog or puppy can be costly as well as emotionally stressful for both you and your pet. Pet health insurance can help cover some of the cost, giving you one less thing to worry about and letting you focus on the best treatment options for your companion.

Lipomas (Fatty Lumps And Tumors) In Dogs: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatments

Lipomas are mostly benign, fatty skin tumors that appear on dogs and are fairly common, especially as dogs age. They are usually a cosmetic issue unless they appear in vital areas such as the throat, thigh, or armpits.

Lipomas are also called fatty lumps or fatty tumors. While they generally arent dangerous, you must see your veterinarian if you notice unusual growths on your dog. Your vet can make sure that any growths are benign and wont harm your dog.

Heres what you should know about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of lipomas in dogs.

Symptoms Of Lipomas In Dogs

Lipomas are composed of fat surrounded by a membrane. They can be found almost anywhere on your dogs body.

The lumps are moveable if you press them gently, non-painful, and will generally produce no changes in the skin above them. Some may be firmer to the touch.

Dogs may develop one fatty tumor or multiple lumps. These benign tumors are generally not dangerous, but some may grow large enough to cause your dog discomfort or interfere with your dogs movement.

You should always see your vet if you notice growths on your dog, just to be safe. They can tell you for sure if your dogs growths are harmless or a cause for concern.

Causes Of Lipomas In Dogs

Vets dont fully know what causes lipomas to grow in dogs. However, some dogs have a higher likelihood of fatty tumors growing on their bodies.

Benign lumps are quite commonly found in middle aged and older dogs.

It appears that overweight dogs are more prone to developing these lumps. In fact, weight loss can sometimes reduce the size of lumps or cause them to disappear entirely. Of course, you should ask your vet before attempting any weight loss regimen with your dog.

Certain breeds, such as Weimaraners, also have a predisposition to fatty tumors.

Veterinary Treatments

Although a veterinarian may have a lot of experience seeing lumps and bumps, only a biopsy of the lump tissue can provide a definitive diagnosis. If your vet made a diagnosis on the basis of your dogs physical exam only, then the diagnosis is actually only an educated guess.

Some vets prefer to perform a fine needle aspirate of the lump in which they insert a tiny needle into the lump to take a sample for evaluation. Vets can perform a relatively painless aspirate without anesthesia.

The problem with fine needle aspirate results is that they can give false readings that do not reflect a true representation of the lumps characteristics. The only way to make a definitive diagnosis of the lump is to perform a biopsy and evaluate.

Most lipomas do not need to be removed from dogs, as theyre simply cosmetic lumps on the skin. When they appear in certain areas, however, they can cause problems.

Fatty tumors around the thighs or armpits can restrict movement, and vets may need to remove them. If the biopsy shows that a mass is an aggressive tumor, it may also need to be removed.

In some rare cases, an infiltrative lipoma will invade muscle tissue, making surgery difficult. Sometimes vets treat these with radiation therapy.

In general, removal is unnecessary. Fatty tumors tend to be slow-growing and local, meaning they dont spread. They do often return after removal, so you may want to consider that if youre planning to have them surgically removed for cosmetic reasons.

Otherwise, they tend to be nothing to worry about, and your dog will go on living a happy, normal life. Chances are good that the lumps wont bother them, so they shouldnt bother you.

Has your dog ever had a fatty tumor? Did your vet remove it, or just let it be? Let us know in the comments below!

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 dogs 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.

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One morning youre 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 doesnt 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 dogs 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 dogs 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, doesnt 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 pups 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 canines 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.

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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.

The Labrador Site Founder

Pippa Mattinson is the best selling author of The Happy Puppy Handbook, the Labrador Handbook, Choosing The Perfect Puppy, and Total Recall.

She is also the founder of the Gundog Trust and the Dogsnet Online Training Program

Pippa's online training courses were launched in 2019 and you can find the latest course dates on the Dogsnet website