Lipoma and Liposarcoma in the Dog: Fatty Tumors
Dr. Demian Dressler is internationally recognized as “the dog cancer vet” because of his innovations in the field of dog cancer management, and the popularity of his blog here at Dog Cancer Blog. The owner of South Shore Veterinary Care, a full-service veterinary hospital in Maui, Hawaii, Dr. Dressler studied Animal Physiology and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Davis before earning his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. After practicing at Killewald Animal Hospital in Amherst, New York, he returned to his home state, Hawaii, to practice at the East Honolulu Pet Hospital before heading home to Maui to open his own hospital. Dr. Dressler consults both dog lovers and veterinary professionals, and is sought after as a speaker on topics ranging from the links between lifestyle choices and disease, nutrition and cancer, and animal ethics. His television appearances include “Ask the Vet” segments on local news programs. He is the author of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Full Spectrum Treatments to Optimize Your Dog’s Life Quality and Longevity. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Avian Veterinarians, the National Animal Supplement Council and CORE (Comparative Orthopedic Research Evaluation). He is also an advisory board member for Pacific Primate Sanctuary.
Updated: May 15th, 2024
Summary
Is that soft squishy lump on your dog something to worry about? It depends.
Many times dog lovers will arrive in my hospital and point out that their canine companion has a bump. They are soft, kind of like very firm jello. “Doesn’t seem to be causing any pain,” they say.
Hmmm. 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 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.
Some Fatty Tumors Are Cancers
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. This is 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 gushy tumor, especially on the limbs, in called a hemangiopericytoma. This is an unfriendly tumor, folks.
Because two dangerous tumors can look like fatty tumors (lipomas) I recommend that all such tumors get aspirated.
Some Fatty Tumors Are Dangerous In Other Ways
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 surrounding tissue. They often grow fairly quickly, over months, and expand. These fast growing lipomas have crossed the line and become what are called liposarcomas.
Get the Dog Cancer Survival Guide to learn more on how veterinarians diagnose and stage cancer in Chapter 9
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.
Liposarcomas are not good news. So again, 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
Dr. Demian Dressler is internationally recognized as “the dog cancer vet” because of his innovations in the field of dog cancer management, and the popularity of his blog here at Dog Cancer Blog. The owner of South Shore Veterinary Care, a full-service veterinary hospital in Maui, Hawaii, Dr. Dressler studied Animal Physiology and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Davis before earning his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. After practicing at Killewald Animal Hospital in Amherst, New York, he returned to his home state, Hawaii, to practice at the East Honolulu Pet Hospital before heading home to Maui to open his own hospital. Dr. Dressler consults both dog lovers and veterinary professionals, and is sought after as a speaker on topics ranging from the links between lifestyle choices and disease, nutrition and cancer, and animal ethics. His television appearances include “Ask the Vet” segments on local news programs. He is the author of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Full Spectrum Treatments to Optimize Your Dog’s Life Quality and Longevity. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Avian Veterinarians, the National Animal Supplement Council and CORE (Comparative Orthopedic Research Evaluation). He is also an advisory board member for Pacific Primate Sanctuary.
Dr. D
Last night, I noticed a big lump (on the inside) on my 7 year old Boxer. The lump protrudes outward but is still held within the skin. It’s located around the groin area at the crease of his right back leg and his stomach. I hadn’t noticed it before and it’s not too visible but when I touched it, it felt like some sort of fatty filled sack inside. I have no idea what it could be. It doesn’t seem to bother him and he acts just fine. Eats like he always eats and doesn’t make any noise of discomfort or anything when the lump is touched. We are taking him to our local vet asap and was just curious as to what advice you could give me or perhaps questions that I could ask the vet.
Thank you
Dear Zamora
please get the lump tested at your vet’s as soon as possible. Unfortunately his activity does not give us much information.
Best
Dr D
I have an 8 year old dalmation who over the past 2 months has nearly 8 lipomas no problems….Now he has hind leg weakness sometimes he cant get up or walk very long. Over past 23 hours he has very foul liquid stool. Does not look good……vet visit today….
My 14 year old yellow lab has several fatty tumors, lately she had to have one removed that grew rapidly on her mammary area, it was small but grew quickly. Now she has a large protusion from her anal area. She is 14 with severe arthritis, is there anything we can do..Her blood labs all came back great…The anal tumor has grown rapidly, & have heard they are usually cancerous.
Dear Ava,
I would imagine your vet has made a recommendation to have it biopsied or aspirated?
This is step one: a diagnosis.
Once you know that this is cancer, and what kind of cancer, then we come up with a plan.
Please have it diagnosed!
Best
Dr D
About a year ago of year and half ago , I pointed out to the bmy vet the bilateral axillary “swellings” on my dog. Lipomas, he said, nothing to worry about, Over the last 8 months or so they’ve grown so much they impede her movement, and her breathing.
How difficult is removal of lipomas in the axillary region, most likely with muscle, etc involvement. Is this a job for veterianry surgical specialist? SHould I ask my vet to do chest films and needle aspiration biopsy?
Dear Erine
the first thing to ascertain is if they are indeed lipomas (get a fine needle aspirate done, or biopsy). If you have a skilled clinician, often an experienced (but not necessary board certified) surgeon can do the job successfully, but statistically a board certified surgeon is always the better choice. Axillary masses can be easy or impossible to remove given the anatomy, so the safest is the specialist if possible.
The check for metastasis will be contingent on the results of the fine needle aspirate or biopsy. Not all cancers metastasize to the chest so again there, have the sample assessed for tumor type as your next step.
Keep in touch
Best
D
Dr. D,
I found a lump on the side of my golden’s trunk. He is only 2. Took him in and his Vet did a fine needle aspirate. She said it is likely a lipoma, but she was a little concerned because she found actual clumps of fat cells. She is sending the slides to a cytologist to r/o liposarcoma. Can a liposarcoma be differentiated from a lipoma by cytological evaluation alone? I just want to be sure since my special guy is so young, and if caught early liposarcomas are so much easier to cure.
Thank you for your help,
Jenny
Dear Jenny
good point!!!
It is pretty darn hard to say a liposarc can be diagnosed with a fine needle aspirate. Get a biopsy done including the surrounding muscle if the mass is growing and get it removed. Sometimes curcumin and the other apoptogens can help with these (shrink a bit but not make disappear…).
All my best
D
Just found a 2 inch long thin lump behind the shoulderblade of my 15 month old working cocker spaniel. Not causing any pain, still covered with hair and skin intact. Is this something I should be worried about? It has just appeared today and he is a very lively, over friendly mishievous dog.
Thanks
Hi Shadowsten,
I’m feel empathy for you and your beloved wolf service dog with those ignorant vets. Yes I lost my beloved to an ignorant evil vet who I wish for nothing more than to hold him down and inject him/her with the things they forced into my beloved manipulating me into believing that they were doing good. SOME VETS ARE SADISTIC BASTARDS! I feel your anger and desperation. Please see if I can help you:
1) PLEASE SEE AN ALTERNATIVE HOLISTIC VETERINARIAN who is also an orthodox vet. Make certain this holistic veterinarian has extensive experience. Dr Barbara Foerge The All Natural Vet Clinic in Russel Lea between five dock Sydney NSW. google it and get to her or ask her for a referral. She is a well respected Holistic and Orthodox Vet who regulary consults internationally and nationally. I send my clients to her when I can not treat animals with extensive complexities.
2) PLEASE USE THE BACH FLOWER OR AUSTRALIAN BUSH FLOWER ESSENCES. These WILL help heal your WOLF! The Bach Flower CRAB APPLE is the only essence which works both on a psychological and PHYSICAL energy level. Crab Apple is used extensively in CANCER and TOXIC compounds throughout the body of animals and humans. It’s ability to cleanse the body is amazing and reduction in pain is noticed very well if not release the pain entirely. PLEASE ALSO GET RESCUE REMEDY which contains the 5 bach flowers mix for shock, terror, pain , fear and stress. Please google the bachflowers for pets and get the list and go through it and pick which ones you want. THESE ARE NON-TOXIC NON-ADDICTIVE AND NON-INVASIVE. Put 4drops in food and in water 4x day. ALSO ADD 4 DROPS DIRECTLY ONTOP OF THE LUMP/S CRAB APPLE. WATCH IT OVER DAYS-WEEKS DISAPPEAR. But you must be frequent with it. It actually does not matter how many drops 1-4 but No More than that cause you’ll just waste it. Just get the drops. These are homoepathic ENERGY ESSENCES. and i’ve been using them on animals for over 15years wild and domesticated animals. The Australian BUSH ESSENCES there are many google that and get the list and go through that too: I would use CROWEA first. This remedy works on ALL THE BODIES ORGANS AND TISSUE. From Organs to Muscles to Nerves to Ligaments. With the Bush Essences use 7drops 2-3x day. Put 7 drops also into Wolfies dinner and breakfast and afternoon snack. Try to give the crab apple and crowea seperately. EG: DINNER: Organic Lamb Mince, brown rice, cooked carrots and beetroot with dandeloin leaf tea (yes add 2 teaspoons of dandeloin leaf and root tea sprinkles to aid liver and bladder-avoid roasted dandeloin as this is a durietic instead) add 7 drops to this. Then for DESSERT: Poached pear (deseeded and cored) or Apple (red only) with goat or sheep PLAIN yoghurt NO COW DAIRY too high in protein and cow products are a major contributor to diabetes meticulitis T2 in animals and people too. Add 4 drops of the crab apple to this. REMEDIES COST APPROX $12-20 bottle will last 6-12mths
TIP: To make a bottle last longer buy two spare empty bottles from pharmacy or health food shop. Fill it half way with organic flat-spring water. Then take 4drops of the crab apple and add it to the water. Keeps for 2-3weeks unpreserved. Then the other bottle do the same but add 7drops of the crowea to it and fill it up full with rest of water. KEEP THESE AWAY FROM ANY ELECTRICAL AND MOBILE RADIOACTIVE GADGETS-it’ll disrupt the energy. KEEP them in a cupboard or sock drawer. KEEP IT OUT OF THE FRIDGE TOO…its energy!
3)GO HOMOEPATHIC: PLEASE SEE A HOMEOPATHIC TO GET THESE FOR YOUR WOLFIE: very affordable from $5-20 per bottle
A) Lipomas THUJA 30C (safe dose 30c is best) generally use 5drops before meals 4-6x day. STOP TAKING WHEN LUMP HAS GONE! When you see lump going down in size reduce dose from 6x day to 3x day. ALSO get ST JOHN’S WORT 30c(homeopathic remedy only as I do not know your dogs health contraindications) this is incredibly soothing and can kill some cancers. My beloved was in deep pain I quickly made some strong tea with SJW and his pain and shallow breathing almost instantly stopped. Of course I kept using SJW until he passed. ONLY USE THE HERBAL EXTRACT UNDER VET SUPERVISION. THE HOMEOPATHIC REMEDY IS VERY VERY SAFE TO GIVE REGARDELSS OF WOLFIES HEALTH STATE COMPLICATIONS. Also excellent resource for Homeopathic Vets are google these as I have their reference books:
Dr Christopher Day (UK Vet)
Dr George McLoud (UK Vet – who has since passed but leaves his gifts behind)
Dr Edward Bach (Bach Flowers)
Ian White (Australian Bush Flower Essences)
4)NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Slippery Elm Bark Powder (very safe) is the bark from the Elm Tree. Contains Calcium (please if wolfie has kidney failure ask vet as the calcium can upset the balance ratrio in renal failure chronic or acute) is a natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and natural mucilage which lines and protects the gastric wall. HEALS perments and helps pull out toxins from the bodys system easily including parasites. It is gentle and although acts somewhat like a laxative is very safe to have 2-3 times a day without pulling out the bodies vital vit and minerals like laxatives do. MAKE: 1-2teaspoons per 1cup warm water. MIX and leave settle for 3minutes. ADD 1-2 tablespoons of mix to Wolfies meals. COST approx $4-8 pkt will last 4-6mths.
5)MEDICINAL PAPAYA or PAW PAW This fruit is truely amazing. Too many qualities to list here. BUY IT AND GIVE IT TO WOLFIE. PUT IT IN THE FOOD OR HAND FEED IT STRAIGHT!!!! VERY SAFE FRUIT TO GIVE!!!! IMPORTANT: YOU MUST PEEL AND DISCARD “ALL” WHITE AND BLACK SEEDS AS THEY ARE POSIONOUS – JUST LIKE APPLE SEEDS. Cut into chuncks and keep in tupperware container and put in fridge. Will last up to 7days in fridge. The jelly like settling on bottom of container is good – normal of this fruit. EVERY DAY AS MUCH AS YOUR DOG WANTS. FIRST MIX IT INTO THE LAMB MINCE.
6)STOP VACCINATING, defleaing your dog!!! These are HIGH TOXIC COMPOUNDS WHICH DO CAUSE DISEASE IN ALL ‘BODIES’ ANIMALS ARE SO EASILY PRONE TO DISEAES WITH PHARMACEUTICALS ANNUALLY. Ask your holistic vet about NOSODES homoepathic vaccines they do work and are very safe and do not impose toxic diseae like orthodox medicine does.
7)LOOK AT YOUR DOGS DIET!!!!….PLEASE NO TIN CRAP NO DRIED BISCUIT CRAP….NO WHEAT-ALSO MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO DIABETES METICULITS T2 as it elevates and drops blood sugars, ABSOLUTELY NO SOY-highly undigestible grain causes colic and many diseases in pets, also disrupts the THYROID gland, NO CORN (unless corn cob is ok 1per wk) processed grain, NOTHING BUT BROWN RICE! NO SUGARS NO SALTS NO PRESERVATIVES ETC ETC ETC…..OPT FOR A MORE NATURAL DIET. LAMB (AVOID HARMFUL BEEF) CHICKEN. MUST BE ORGANIC CHICKEN.
LOVE EVE hop this helps!
God Bless your beloved dog/s!
My 10 yr old dobie grew a lemon size tumor on his right elbow, this appeared overnight, it is on the outside. He has a lot of allergy issues and I just wiped him completely down on Sunday and the lump was not there. On Tuesday evening I noticed it at feeding time. He’s had several small fatty tumors for about a year, not much changing in the growth, but this one just grew basically overnight. Has anyone had one grow so fast? I will be taking him to the vet this week. Thanks for any ino
Dear Angie
please be sure to have the bump tested ( a sample taken) for a definitive diagnosis
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.
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
I’m worried about my 2 year old staff! I had him sat on my lap stroking him when I came across a lump right in the middle of his 2 shoulder blades! I try 2 examine it and get a little closer and he wimpered and got very stressed when I got near it! Should I be worried! He’s never had anything like this before 🙁 🙁
Dear Worried
it is very important to get this checked out at the vet. MIght not be cancer but it could be a problem- we cannot say- many different things come up as “lumps”. Best,
DR D
I suddenly noticed a lump on my 2 year old yorkie right where her belly button would be. The lump was solid and about the size of a dime, but she’s only 5.5lbs so it’s a noticeable size lump on her. It was also a bit red/irritated looking. Needless to say I took her to see the Vet immediately. They fine needled aspirated the lump and the good news is that they didn’t see any cancerous cells but they saw a lot of inflammation. So, it’s a bit of a mystery what could be going on. The Vet said it could be an abscess, could be an infection or something foreign could have invaded the area. The choices given were to start my dog on antibiotics and observe the lump or to just go in and remove the lump and have it biopsied – which was what my Vet thought would be the best option. After reading some stories posted, I feel a bit more comfortable and confident that surgery and just removing the lump as soon as possible is the best thing to do.
My mom has a ten year old yellow lab. A couple of months ago she noticed a small lump on the dog’s chest. It was about the size of a quarter. Since then it has suddenly grown to a large mass that extends to her mid-abdomen. It feels quite hard and thick and is very warm to the touch now, My mom is diasabled and had been unabled to get her to the vet. Now that I am back in town, she is trying to find a vet that will see the dog. Do you think that this is some type of cancerous mass?
Dear Christy
the only way we can be sure is by collecting a specimen of the mass and having it reviewed to confirm or rule out the cancer….It seems like this should be seen as soon as possible…
Dr D