My dog has a large fatty lump. Is it cancer or can it be treated?

Question

Golden retriever has a fatty lipoma on left rib the size of 1/2 a basketball for last 2 years...stayed close to same size...aspiration a couple no ths ago said fat cells...no cancer detected...can cancer still be in it? Can it be drained? What can I do? Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Male | neutered | 85 lbs

Dr. B. DVM, DACVIM (Oncology) · Accepted Answer

Lipomas can unfortunately get this big; and if they don't grow, become more firm or attached, or hinder the mobility of the pet removal may not be recommended. Typically most lipomas can be diagnosed with the test your family performed, a needle aspiration. But, sometimes I do see patients that develop a secondary tumor type within the lipoma. So it is important to periodically palpate the mass to make sure it's not changing in texture, firmness, or causing any discomfort to the pet. An xray of the area is also helpful to assess whether the mass is purely a fat density or if it may contain different tissue density that is more concerning. There are also some tumors that can masquerade as lipomas and may not be readily diagnosed with the needle cytology. If there is a suspicion of this scenario then some pets undergo a small biopsy. Unfortunately the only way to fully remove a lipoma is with surgery, although this can typically be more of a conserative surgery as these masses are benign. For dogs that are not good surgical candidates, some times we will try to see if we can shrink the lipoma with a steroid injection. So it may be worth having an additional discussion with your vet about this mass. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

My dog has a large fatty lump. Is it cancer or can it be treated?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

Why is my mouse's eye swollen, cloudy, and has pus?

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

My pet is breathing hard, not eating, and lethargic. What's wrong?

My pet has red spots all over. What's causing them and what to do?

My small pet is limping and can't bear weight. Should I see a vet?

My dwarf hamster has a shut eye and is limping. What should I do?

Share