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Lipoma in dogs: symptoms and treatment

If you notice a thickening under the skin when petting your dog, it may be a so-called lipoma. In many cases, this is completely harmless and does not cause any discomfort for the dog. However, it is also possible that the fatty growth will lead to problems due to its size or adhesion with the surrounding tissue.


In rare cases, it can also be a malignant liposarcoma. You should therefore take the thickening seriously in any case. How to recognise a lipoma in your dog and when it needs to be treated is explained below.

Lipomas in dogs - the most important facts at a glance

  • Lipomas are benign fatty growths that can form under the skin in dogs.
  • In most cases, lipomas are harmless to dogs and treatment is often not necessary.
  • Infiltrative lipomas are fused with the tissue, which can lead to damage to the muscles and tendons in the long term.
  • If the fat tumour causes the dog discomfort, for example, because of its size, it can be removed surgically.
  • In rare cases, the supposedly harmless lipoma can also be a malignant liposarcoma.

Lipoma in dogs: What is it?

A lipoma is a benign tumour that occurs quite frequently in dogs. Usually, the fat tumour is encapsulated from the rest of the tissue and does not cause any discomfort.


However, lipomas in dogs can sometimes also grow together with the surrounding tissue and, over time, can lead to impairments. This is called an infiltrative lipoma. Sometimes it is not a benign lipoma but a malignant liposarcoma. Fortunately, the latter is the exception.

Causes of lipoma in dogs

The exact cause of lipoma formation in dogs is not yet known. However, it is assumed that there is a certain genetic predisposition with regard to the tendency towards fatty tumours. Apart from this, lipomas occur mainly in older dogs. Female dogs are affected more often than male dogs and obesity also seem to be a certain risk factor.

Symptoms of lipoma in dogs

Lipomas occur in dogs especially in the chest area, on the belly and the legs. They are soft and are usually discovered by accident during petting or grooming. As normal lipomas are completely encapsulated from the surrounding tissue, they can be easily moved under the skin with the fingers. They do not normally cause pain in affected quadrupeds.


If it becomes too large, a lipoma can hinder a dog's mobility. This is especially true if the fat tumour is on one of the dog's legs. If the fat tumour of the dog is an infiltrative lipoma, which has grown together with the tissue, it is not possible to move it with the fingers.


In addition, it is not so clearly demarcated from the surrounding areas during palpation and palpation is sometimes associated with pain for affected animals. An infiltrative lipoma can form anywhere on the body of a dog, but it is particularly common on the armpits or thighs of the four-legged friend.

Dogs with lipoma should see a vet

If you notice a lump on your dog's body, it is, of course, advisable to consult a vet. Because even though an ordinary lipoma in many cases neither causes discomfort nor needs to be treated, there is a definite possibility that the lump under the dog's skin is not harmless or will become very large over time and then lead to problems.


A prompt examination by the vet will put you on the safe side and let you know whether you should do something or just keep an eye on your dog's lipoma for the time being.

Diagnosis of lipoma in the dog

To diagnose a lipoma in your dog, the veterinarian will palpate the lump under the skin in addition to a general examination. Usually, a veterinarian can already tell with a fair degree of certainty whether the thickening is indeed a lipoma.


Nevertheless, they will usually perform a so-called fine-needle aspiration biopsy afterwards. The tissue sample taken during this procedure is then examined. In some cases, it is also necessary to take a larger tissue sample to diagnose the lipoma. Since a normal biopsy, in contrast to the fine needle aspiration biopsy, is definitely associated with pain, sedation of the dog is necessary for this purpose.

Treatment of a lipoma in a dog

Whether and how your dog's lipoma needs to be treated depends on the results of the veterinary examination. If it is indeed a common lipoma that is encapsulated from the rest of the tissue, it is usually sufficient to keep an eye on the further development of the lump.


If the lipoma causes problems for your dog because of its size, it can be removed surgically. This is particularly easy with encapsulated lipomas. The removal of the fat tumour is somewhat more difficult if it is an infiltrative lipoma. In this case, the veterinarian must also remove parts of the surrounding healthy tissue to make sure that the fat tumour is completely removed.

Prognosis for dogs with lipoma

Normal lipomas are usually not a serious problem for dogs. As long as they are small and do not bother, treatment is not necessary. Even if this is not the case and the vet advises surgery, there is usually no reason to worry. The necessary surgery is not a big deal, so your dog should be over it soon.


If it is an infiltrative lipoma, however, the prognosis for your dog is not quite so positive. In this case, it is not uncommon for a fat tumour to form again. In addition, the adhesion to the tissue can be associated with damage to the connective tissue and muscles in the affected area.

Liposarcoma in the dog

In rare cases, the lumps under the skin of dogs are not benign fat tumours, but liposarcomas. The malignant tumours can spread in the body of the quadruped. Their treatment often requires radiation or chemotherapy in addition to surgical removal. Sometimes it is also possible that the surgical intervention can be dispensed with and chemotherapy or radiation can be started directly.


The prognosis for dogs with liposarcoma is unfortunately much worse. How good the chances of recovery are for affected four-legged friends depends in particular on the size of the tumour, the time of its discovery and the presence of metastases.

Prevention of lipoma in dogs

Since no exact causes for the formation of lipomas in dogs are known, unfortunately, you also have no way to prevent their formation. The only preventive measure that is relevant not only concerning lipomas but also to avoid numerous other health problems is to prevent your dog from becoming overweight.


An amount of food adapted to the needs of the four-legged friend and sufficient exercise are decisive for this purpose. If the animal already weighs too much, it is advisable to reduce the weight promptly with a moderate diet. As support, a dietary supplement with our natural diet powder for dogs Shiimun Slim can be used.

Lipomas in dogs - our conclusion

As you can see, lipomas in dogs are fortunately harmless in the vast majority of cases and do not necessarily need to be treated. However, considering the possibility that it is not always a normal lipoma, a visit to the vet is still recommended if you feel an unusual lump under the skin of your four-legged friend.

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