Fatty Tumors in Dogs

[Debby - LB]

Anyone have any experience with fatty tumors? My Dolly had a huge one once at the top base of her tail, at the same time she also had one on her side behind her elbow. Both were really ugly, purplish red/black things and had to be surgically removed. She was lucky to have kept her tail. Both were non cancerous and didn't grow back.

She has a small one on the front of her right front leg and one on the side of her jaw about the size of a quarter, both been there for years and have not grown at all.

I was grooming her and found another one and this one has me concerned. The vet techs had never seen anything like it and the Vet "thinks" it's another lipoma but also has not seen one present like this. When he first looked at it he said it looks like a skin tag but why the tumor is suspended from her skin he didn't know. He said he was pretty sure this wouldn't be cancer either but naturally won't know until he removes it...won't know the extent of it until he sees where the blood vessels feeding it are coming from. This tumor is in the perianal area and is suspended about 5 inches, the tumor at the end of the skin tag is about the size of a golf ball and looks just like the ones that were removed years ago.

I think what concerns me most is that I read that fatty tumors usually only develop in the skin over the trunk of a dog's body or legs; they rarely develop on the head, feet, tail, scrotum, or in the perineal area under the tail. Already had one on the tail so maybe this one will be OK too. If anyone has ever had or heard of a tumor growing like I described please share your story, I'm interested in finding out your outcome.

And I also ask for prayers for my Dolly who goes back to have it removed and biopsied Tuesday morning.

 

[Mona]

Sorry I cannot help you with any info on her new tumor, but sending prayers and healing thoughts for Dolly.

 

[Sonya]

My lab had numerous fatty tumors (we did have a couple removed that had gotten very large). He also had mast cell twice so I always had every bump or lump checked.

Now my mix has the fatty tumors also, we've had most of them checked by needle aspiration just to be sure it was nothing else. I've found a couple more questionable bumps on him recently that don't look anything like fatty tumors. He is 17 now and we've decided it is what it is and I'm not having them checked anymore.

Can the vet do a needle aspiration instead of biopsy to see what it is?

Wishing for the best!

 

[Debby - LB]

Thank you Mona and Sonya! Sonya I'm sorry your boys have had this too. I completely understand deciding to let it be. The needle aspiration was the first thing that was done the last times this was a issue so I don't know why he didn't do one this time but I'm going to ask Tuesday morning.

I'm a little more concerned now than I was when I wrote this post this morning. When I went out to work in the garden she had a sticker vine in her tail and after I cut it out I lifted her tail to check the problem spot and the tumor is flush with the skin now....? this is so strange, it was like hanging/dangling from a piece of skin and now it's up close to her body. It is right beside her rectum, I wonder if it's one of her anal glands that's infected or? and has come to the outside?

I've quit trying to read and research it because everything I've read about how this one looks is not good. I'm so heartbroken over this.

 

[Mona]

Oh no Debby, that sure doesn't sound good. Tuesday just won't get here fast enough!

Abby has a mammary tumor too that she'll be having checked out on Monday. Boxers are a breed prone to benign tumors and she's had a couple removed already, but because this is a mammary one, I have to say, it does have me a little more concerned. She was spayed as soon as she was old enough, never been bred, so not typical of mammary cancer, so hoping it remains that way!

 

[Debby - LB]

Oh No Mona! Im so sorry and hope you get good news on Monday. I´ll be praying for your Abby.

 

[Sonya]

Brutus did have a tumor on his rectum as well (it didn't look like a fatty tumor or the mast cell he had prior)...I always wipe my dogs bum after they go (yes I'm weird and anal. Lol). This tumor popped out in a matter of hours, it was about the size of a grape. My first thought was a hemmroid, but dogs don't get them. My regular vet was on vacation so I had to take him to a different vet. He felt the tumor was probably on the inside and while going pooh he pushed it out. Brutus did not appear to be in pain, just concerned that everyone was up his bum. The vet directed me to MSU as he was afraid to remove it so close to his rectum muscles for fear of Brutus losing control of his bowels. They didn't even biopsy it, they instantly removed it. The lab results came back benign.

Brutus was also prone to infections of the anal gland...it would hurt him so bad that when I touched his tail he would yelp. My vet ended up removing the problem one. When he had those infections, his anus looked totally normal, I only knew because when I tried to wipe him or touch his tail he yelped.

I think she would have pain if it was the anal gland, but I'm no vet. Could be something similar to what my dog had, something on the inside that got pushed out while going potty....and hopefully it's benign.

Praying for the best.

Prayers for Abby also Mona.

 

[Debby - LB]

I hope it's benign too. It's about 3/4 inch from the rectum, not coming out of it just beside it.

 

[Mona]

Thanks Debby and Sonya.

 

[user 488]

Debby, a few of my Dobies had lipomas in the same places. I certainly don't know what the rectum thing is. Hoping it's nothing.

Mona, I hope Abby does not have breast cancer. One of my Cairns had a breast tumor but she lived to be 16. She had a litter of puppies but then she was spayed soon afterwards.

Hoping for a good outcome on that too.

 

[Mona]

Thanks Carol. I also had a Chihuahua many years ago when I was raising them, that had a breast tumor (benign) removed. I don't recall what age she was when she got it, but she had had 2 litters (total of 3 pups both litters combined...LOL) and was spayed at the time she got the tumor. I placed her into a pet home when she was 8 years, and I never was notified upon her death, however, the last I did hear from them, she was still alive at 16 years of age! Hoping Abby's will be benign as well. Just makes me nervous when it is a mammary tumor.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

My boxer had a tumour removed from under her chin in Oct 2014, just before I was about to board a plane to explore the USA. Of course I stayed home. It was under her tongue and growing quite quickly. My vet actually wanted to wait till I got home from Holidays but I couldn't wait or go on holidays for that matter. I would have been too worried. I was blessed as her operation went well and the mass was removed. It was the waiting that I didn't like especially waiting for the mast cell results. My prayers were answered and hoping yours are too.....

Praying that your " Fur Kids" Make quick recoveries.

Sending best wishes

 

[Mona]

Well, I am not any further ahead with Abby. he looked at it and said he thought it was just thickening of the skin in that spot (which is ridiculous if you ask me, since it just came on all of a sudden!), but, he's the professional I guess, so not much to do about it. He was not at all concerned, so I guess that is the good thing about it.

 

[Debby - LB]

That is good news Mona! But if you feel different about it I know you'll follow your instincts and keep a close watch on it so you can take her back. I hope what he said is all there is to it and that she'll be fine though.

Well for Dolly the Dr. looked at the change in her tumor since Thursday and said it was not what he initially thought it was. He thinks this was caused by a wound and said it has a blood supply. No mast cells. I'm skeptical about this diagnosis. Honestly I don't think he's sure what it is but naturally would not know until it could be removed and studied.
Since she would have needed anesthesia for longer than he initially intended he did blood work to make sure liver/kidneys were up to par. Her createnine level was higher that he'd like for the amount of anesthesia he'd have to use so I brought her home. I have some medicine to give her every day and a special diet for 2 weeks then he'll check her blood again. He said to look at the tumor every day and report any change.

 

[user 488]

I always go with my gut feeling and think of it this way......if a human can talk and tell the Dr. what hurts and what is wrong and they still get the diagnosis screwed up I certainly think a vet has bigger problems determining a diagnosis. I am fortunately blessed with an amazing vet but I still give my input and I am lucky enough that she actually listens to what I have to say.....crazy or not! I know both of you will watch them closely no matter what your vet has told you.

 

[Mona]

Sure hope the vet is right about Dolly. Funny how both you and I were not really accepting of our vet's thoughts on our situations! I guess we'll both be watching things closely, but Dolly's does sound like it needs much more attention than Abby's for sure. Hoping she will be fine Debby.

 

[Margo_C-T]

I just saw this thread. I have a red Dobie who was given to me just over 3 yrs. ago, when she was either 7 or 8 yrs. old(wife said one thing, hubby said another). I noticed several fatty tumors on her then. Since, the one that is on the front of her chest, next to her left front leg, has grown expotentially. Had to take her to the vet for an ear infection about a yr. ago; vet did a needle aspiration, determined it was indeed a fatty tumor, said they usually aren't removed 'unless the owner asks for it, or it grows to where it is seriously interfering w/ the dog in some way'...it just keeps getting bigger, but doesn't seem to hamper her in any noticeable way.I was told it could cost 'between $400 and $1000...or more',to remove, which would be quite hard for me to come up with, honestly. It doesn't 'hang down', as if it were in a bag, but sticks out in front like a big old softball!

 

[Debby - LB]

Today was Vet day again. This time we saw the younger partner...still hard for me to always address him with his professional name since he went all through school with my daughter and was around all the time...anyway since my girl has been on this liver/kidney diet the last two weeks all her blood work was well in the normal range this time YAY. He looked at the tumor, felt it and said it's a carcinoma and so now she's scheduled to have it removed next Wednesday.

I am hoping and praying that she'll be alright. I'm still so worried about this.

Margo wow that's a lot of money! I know it probably looks bad but as long as it's not bothering her or restricting her movement I think I'd leave it alone. My Dolly had a huge one at the base of her tail that got so big I had to remove it, best I can remember this cost me about $200.

 

[Mona]

I can certainly understand your nervousness over this situation. Hoping for a great outcome for Dolly on Wednesday!

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Me too hope everything goes well on Wednesday, Give Dolly a BIG HUG from all of us here on the forum