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My older dog has a soft lump. Is it a fatty tumor and should I worry?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | American Bulldog | Female | spayed | 9 years and 11 months old | 45 lbs

Fatty tumors on dogs

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on May 24th, 2017

We would be happy to answer any specific questions you have about fatty tumors on dogs :) In general, I can tell you that they are quite common in older dogs, and most often occur on the sides, chest, and abdomen. They should feel soft and squishy, and are usually freely moveable under the skin - not attached to the underlying tissue. They are benign, and typically do not cause any clinical problems. If Freddie has some lumps that you think may be fatty tumors, it would be best to have them checked by your vet to make sure. If they are fatty tumors, they would not be expected to cause any problems in most cases.

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    Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

    Veterinarian

    Published on November 28th, 2017

    Hi and thanks for your post on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the masses have been diagnosed as fatty tumors by your veterinarian, then there is no need to worry too much. These fatty tumors do grow but typically do not cause a lot of problems. Sometimes they can grow quite large and impede mobility but unless that starts to occur, there is no need to worry. I hope this helps and I wish you and Odie the best!

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I just felt a lump on my dog's side on his ribcage area when he bent his body to lean into me and I was petting him. It appears to be soft and squishy but under the skin/not felt super easily. He is a 9 year-old, about 60 lb husky mix (we think). I'm
I certainly understand being worried about Beckett! If the lump feels soft and squishy, it could be a lipoma. This is a benign fatty tumor. It could also be a cyst, another type of benign tumor, or a malignant tumor. Unfortunately in older dogs, there is always a chance a lump would be malignant. Having him seen by a vet is the best idea. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. Best of luck, I hope this helps!
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Hey, while Sissy was eating I noticed she had a big thing, not like a lump, coming out from her side. She’s almost 7 and an English Mastiff. It’s not on the other side and it’s not hard.
Hello, sorry to hear about Sissy. Most soft masses could be consistent with fatty tumors. However, the only way to differentiate aggressive tumors from fatty tumors is by obtaining a sample either through a fine needle aspirate or through a biopsy. This can be done by your veterinarian. Most fatty tumors (lipomas) can be removed if needed due to size or cosmetic reasons. Otherwise, they are benign and could be monitored if decided to not remove. I would recommend scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian to sample this tumor and decide wether its benign or malignant. Hope this helps and best of luck.
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Recently felt pea-sizes lumps of what seemed to be fat just under his skin in the chest and stomach area. No history of growths, tumors, or cancer...
You are correct these lumps could be lipomas (benign fatty tumors), but they could also be cysts, benign tumors, or malignant tumors. In senior dogs, cancer is always a possibility, and I would recommend having Mickey seen by a vet to have the lumps diagnosed. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I would take him into the vet in the next couple of days to have the lumps diagnosed and treated if needed (lipomas typically need no treatment).
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was playing with dog and felt these two (one on each side) squishy moveable fat balls. they don’t seem to hurt him. i was wondering if this was normal? they feel like fat. the one of the left side is bigger than the other side but they’re both in the
These lumps needs to be checked and analysed as there are many conditions and types of tumors that could look like that. take him to the vet, they will perform a fine needle aspiration on the growths and send it to the lab for analysis. when the result comes, the vet will advise what needs to be done according to the diagnosis.
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My dog has a fatty lump on her back, does not irritate her what could this be ? She had had the lump for about 6 month, no sign of any change in her
Hi there and thanks for your question! Fatty tumors in dogs often feel like a hard boiled egg and generally do not cause any issues except when they become very large. I would have the lump aspirated by your veterinarian to be sure it is in fact a fatty tumor and not another type of tumor.
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MY 10 YEAR OLD SHIH TZU HAS A LARGE LUMP THE SIZE OF A GOLF BALL HANGING UNDER HIS NECK. IT HAS WENT AWAY AND NOW HAS COME BACK. EVERY ONE KEEPS SAYING THAT IT IS JUST A FATTY TUMOR BUT I AM NOT CONVINCED. HE ACTS LIKE NOTHING IS WRONG AND EATS LIKE
Yes, I would be concerned. Without seeing a vet, you can't know for sure if this lump is a lipoma. In a 10 year old dog, there is always a concern that any lump could be malignant. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of its cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. Once the cause of the lump is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment options if needed. I would call the vet today to make an appointment for him to be seen. I hope this helps!
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Well I was relaxing at home with my dog ,I noticed a buldge on his right side of his lower side. At first I thought it was just fast but it was very squishy and he doesn't like me touching it . While squishing it, it feels as if there's something in
This lump on Oliver could be a cyst, an abscess, a lipoma (benign fatty tumor), or another type of benign tumor. In a dog his age, it would be rare for it to be malignant. Regardless, this is something that should be checked out by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I'd make an appointment with the vet for him on Monday to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed. Best of luck, I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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Overweight dog has a soft painless lump on chest (noticed ~1 week ago). He does not react when the lump is firmly pressed. For the past few months he's been voiding urine and feces (sometimes runny) inside every few days. Owners recently moved and ha
Hello, thank you for your question about Leo. The lump on Leo's side could be a variety of things, benign or malignant. Based on the symptoms you are describing one of the most likely types is a lipoma, a benign fatty tumor. These tend to be nonpainful and grow slowly in size. However, other types of masses are possible. The best way to identify the specific type of mass would be to have Leo seen by a veterinarian so that they can examine the mass and collect a small sample of cells from the mass for analysis. Once the type of mass is known further treatment options can be discussed. Although I can't say for sure it is uncommon for most types of skin cancer to lead to urinary/fecal accidents. Hope this helps, good luck!
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My dog is 11 or 12 and has at least 3 fatty cists on his chest and abdomen. He doesnt seem to be experiencing any pain or discomfort. I live in a rural area and am on a fixed income. Is there anything I can do besides just treat him well while he
Typically these fatty lumps (lipomas) require no treatment unless they are very big, affect the way a dog moves, and/or bothers the dog. If these scenarios do not apply to Oso, you don't need to do anything.
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My Labradane is 11 now and has alot of what I was told are fatty lumps. Some are quite large and ine has gotten bigger due to alot of smallnones connecting together behind his front leg. Like in the arm pit area. Should I be concerned? (He seems to b
Hi and thanks for your post on Boop by Petco! If the masses have been diagnosed as fatty tumors by your veterinarian, then there is no need to worry too much. These fatty tumors do grow but typically do not cause a lot of problems. Sometimes they can grow quite large and impede mobility but unless that starts to occur, there is no need to worry. I hope this helps and I wish you and Odie the best!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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