Many times dog lovers will arrive in my hospital and point out that their canine companion has a bump. This one is soft, kind of like very firm jello. “Doesn’t seem to be causing any pain,” they say.
Hm. Well, it could be a “fatty” tumor. This is simply a tumor made out of fat. Yes, a big glob of fat, the same stuff that makes us chubby.
Some clients have used natural means to help their dogs with these tumors. I have had my clients say they have had luck with curcumin given by mouth. Curcumin is a part of the spice turmeric. In The Dog Cancer Survival Guide, I wrote about this bioflavonoid. It can be purchased as an ingredient in Apocaps, and also by itself as a sole agent.
Many dog lovers have heard of the fatty tumors, and have been told by their vets that there is nothing to worry about. And many times, they are right.
Not every time, though.
Here’s why: first of all, not every soft tumor is a “fatty” tumor. Remember mast cell tumors, the Great Imitators? Some mast cell tumors are aggressive, life-threatening cancers. And they can feel just like a benign fatty tumor.
Your vet can differentiate between a fatty tumor and a mast cell tumor with a simple fine needle aspirate, an easy, outpatient procedure where the vet takes a sample with a needle and sends it to a pathologist. Many of us will review the slide right in house.
Another soft gooshy tumor, especially on the limbs, in called a hemangiopericytoma. This is an unfriendly tumor, folks.
Secondly, not every tumor made out of fat is truly benign. Most are, and they are called lipomas. However, a small portion of them grow aggressively. They invade into surrounding tissue. They often grow fairly quickly, over months, and expand. These are called liposarcomas.
The reason it matters is that they can become quite large. And you remove them and they will often regrow, since they are difficult to remove. You think you got ‘em, and they come back.
Take home message: if you have a rapidly growing, fatty tumor, get it out. You might be dealing with a liposarcoma, and they can be tough. Have the vet biopsy the edge, and make sure they include adjacent muscle, or the path folks may complain they don’t have enough data to make a call…
Best to all,
Dr Dressler
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Dear Colin
I believe under these conditions I cannot disagree with your vet’s recommendations since he/she has hands on the dog.
Good luck
Dr D
Dear Anne
aside from the dog cancer diet, combination apoptogens, immune support, antimetastatics (all in the Guide), you cold consider Neoplasene injectable under sedation (discuss this with your vet) as a salvage procedure that might be what you are looking for…I hope this helps
Best
Dr D
Dear Jillian
these are odd but common growths that seem to have a genetic basis. The truth is we don’t have a really effective preventative. I’ve seen some improvement with Apocaps but not every time, and some guardians say the Budwig diet helps (altough I am not really convinced of this 100%). Keeping them lean is good, and the dog cancer diet would be a thought to discuss with your vet along with these other ideas.
Best
Dr D
Dear Randall-
my take on it is check them to make sure they are fat. Fine needle aspirate is simple, easy, and can at least confirm fat. Palpation on the other hand, cannot do it reliably:
http://www.dogcancerblog.com/not-all-soft-lumps-are-lipomas/
true, they all might be fat…in which case all you have to do is keep feeling them and measure them…and if they grow then remove them later.
D
Dear Dr. Dressler:
Dear Dr. Dressler:
I have a 10 yr. old black neutered labradoodle from Australia . He has increasing numbers of tumors which feel like lipomas. These began to appear about 2 yrs ago and are widely scattered with some small clusters of 2-3. I am palpating these growths regularly, but I don’t feel confident I could pick up a conversion to liposarcoma. There are about 20 tumors now and my vet feels that , in this situation , biopsy would be tedious and unproductive with no one suspicious site.
I think this is appropriate, but would like comments from a canine cancer pro.
My 16 year old sheltie/terrier mix dog has had a fatty tumor for several years and I never had it operated on because I figured at 9 she was too old to do it. She has been fine with it until recentley it started leaking. It was just a little bit before and now it is so much more that the first time I saw it I thought she had peed on the couch. Is this a bad sign? what can I do to help her? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help.
Dr. D.
I have an Alaskan Husky who will soon turn 13. Several months ago she was diagnosed with a benign (biopsied) fatty tumor in her abdominal cavity. Additionally, the tumor is inoperable since it is attached to the inside abdominal wall and it would require a mesh replacement. Given her age and breed, the vet and the surgeon have recommended she not have the surgery. However, the tumor is continuing to grow and is now larger than a grapefruit and causing her some discomfort when she lays on that side. Her only other medical issue is that she has elevated liver enzymes. We’ve been giving her Denamarin (SAM-e and Milk Thistle) but her counts haven’t been dropping much. Is there anything else I can give her to help reduce the size of the tumor, particularly from a homepathic perspective? I noticed the mention of curcumin, but is that more for malignant tumors? The only advice I’ve been given from a canine dietician is a raw diet but my vet isn’t too keen on that idea. Any information you can provide is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
-Sandy and Ruby (aka Miss Ruby Doo)
Dear Sharon,
the first step is to see if it is really a benign growth. If so, surgery is the best option. I often operate on dogs of this age without problems. Non-surgical options include apocaps that contain curcumin, neoplasene, and of course diet (free download above) and immune support. Above all, please have this checked and discuss treatment with the veterinarian.
Best,
Dr D
Dear Sandy,
sorry to hear about your Husky. These can be tough. My favorite curcumin containing supplement is apocaps, and you should have the liver enzymes monitored with either apopcaps or curcumin by itself. These are not for malignancies only. There is a free diet download on the top of this page that I would recommend you read. Some have success with Neoplasene. Not impressed with homeopathic remedies (in the traditional sense of the word) for fatty tumors (lipomas, liposarcomas, or infiltrative lipomas). The Guide has comprehensive info on these topics…please use veterinary supervision for each step.
I hope this helps
D
Hi Dr
Hope you’re well.
I have a Boston terrier furbaby who will be 9 this July.
He has developed lumps over a period of a year and since the number has increased, his vet said that we should take all of them out and find out if these are just fatty lumps or otherwise. I asked if he could aspirate them to find out but he said that that would not clearly give me an answer.
I am a little hesitant of the operation as he is now almost 9 and fear the anesthesia.
Why cant they aspirate?
Your advise is much much appreciated.
Shar
Dear Shar,
I do not know why the hesitancy to check the masses with a fine needle aspirate. Some growths (like adenomas) do not require fine needle aspirates as their appearance is so typical we can be almost 100% sure they are benign…but the vast, vast majority of growths in a senior dog should be checked and/or removed. Why don’t you ask the vet to clarify so you understand?
D
My 18 month old rescue ‘puppy’ (of mixed breed) has had a lump on her back leg, near her butt, for a few weeks. It started out as a soft, jelly like lump, but then one night I felt it and it was hard. The next day it was soft again, then last night it went hard again – really knobbly and it felt like there was a long thin ‘lump’ shooting down the leg. This morning it was soft again! Should I be worried?
I was petting my Shetland Sheepdog Merlin tonight and noticed on his right side two small moveable lumps right behind the shouler on the ribs. He turns a year on the 26th of March and I’m very concerned about what these could possibly be. What’s the likelihood of a young active healthy sheltie having Lipomas or something worse? There’s no evidence of cancer in his bloodlines, his breeder hasn’t seen any cancer in her stock but he is an outcross to another bloodline. I’m going to take him to work on Monday and get a biopsy.
Thanks
Joanne
Dear Joanne,
statistically benign is more likely BUT get them checked anyway! let us know the outcome…
Best
Dr D
Dear Helen
please bring your dog to the vet and have the lump checked
Dr D
I have a 3 year old husky and he has a soft squishy lump on his chest the vet did the needle aspirate and it didn’t appear like he got anything but when he emptied the needle there was a few small drops of clear like water can you tell if this is a good sign of just a Lipoma he is very active and eating well
Dr. Demian Dressler
I have a 10 year old dauchsund/chilhua and she has been diagnosed with a fatty tumor several years ago. However, the bumps have grown and I’ve been told by several friends who have had this happen that she could die quickly from this. So my question is should I have her rechecked to be guaranted that it is still benign tumor and what specifically should I ask the doctor to do to be guaranteed. I’m very concerned about her well being. She is also a caterack (spelling I know is wrong) in her eyes as well. Often I think she is having a hard time hearing as well. It takes her a long time to respond sometimes.
Should I be concerned and how long do these dogs have to live once diagnosed of a malignant tumor? Thanks.
Dear Chrisine
there is such a thing as malignant transformation and yes, I am not sure why you should not get this re-checked. Please get your dog medical attention.
Different cancers are different and the stats are different so we need a diagnsosis to answer the lifespan question…sorry I can’t help answer that one without knowing more about what this is.
Best
Dr D
My dog has many fatty lumps, many of which have got bigger. The vets have said they are not cancerous but now I’m not sure. My dog now drat he’s a lot and drinks lots. Can you advise me what to do .
Dear Shelley,
as usual, it is sensible wisdom to get the lumps tested with a fine needle aspirate or biopsy. Maybe a second opinion??
Best
Dr D
Hi we have a 1 1/2 year old great lab mix that within the last month has had a very large mass grow on his side. We first had the fine needle aspirate done by a vet oncologist & were told it was too inflamed at the microscopic level to get a good glimpse. Last week we had a biopsy done & found out today he has lipomas; however, from our readings I’m not sure if he doesn’t have liposarcoma. Is surgery his only option? & is there any type of medication / antibiotic shown to slow the growth of this type of cancer? It seems to be growing very rapidly despite being on steroids, pain medicine, a holistic immune booster & the antibiotic fluroquenolene (we started him on this because pre-biopsy we thought he had chondrosarcoma). Any advice will be more than greatly appreciated.
My 9 year old lab has some fatty lumps and like you stated earlier my vet said no worries but i have heard that a no grain type of dog food is a good way to prevent them from getting worse. Whats your take on that? Also what type of food would you recommend for my dog?
Thank you
Gary
Dear Gary,
limiting grain usually does not stop lipomas, but I am not sure whether your dog’s lumps are lipomas. They have been tested, I hope?
D
Dear Kaycie,
get a copy of the path report as discussed in the Dog Cancer Survival Guide. This is step one. Lipoma (not cancer) is utterly different from liposarcoma (malignant cancer) and the treatment and advice will be very different.
Best
Dr D
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