My older dog has a soft lump. Is it a fatty tumor and should I worry?

These lumps needs to be checked and analysed as there are many conditions and types of tumors that could look like that. take him to the vet, they will perform a fine needle aspiration on the growths and send it to the lab for analysis. when the result comes, the vet will advise what needs to be done according to the diagnosis.

Hi there and thanks for your question! Fatty tumors in dogs often feel like a hard boiled egg and generally do not cause any issues except when they become very large. I would have the lump aspirated by your veterinarian to be sure it is in fact a fatty tumor and not another type of tumor.

This lump on Oliver could be a cyst, an abscess, a lipoma (benign fatty tumor), or another type of benign tumor. In a dog his age, it would be rare for it to be malignant. Regardless, this is something that should be checked out by the vet. The vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, the vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I'd make an appointment with the vet for him on Monday to have this lump examined and diagnosed so it can be treated as needed. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Hello, thank you for your question about Leo. The lump on Leo's side could be a variety of things, benign or malignant. Based on the symptoms you are describing one of the most likely types is a lipoma, a benign fatty tumor. These tend to be nonpainful and grow slowly in size. However, other types of masses are possible. The best way to identify the specific type of mass would be to have Leo seen by a veterinarian so that they can examine the mass and collect a small sample of cells from the mass for analysis. Once the type of mass is known further treatment options can be discussed. Although I can't say for sure it is uncommon for most types of skin cancer to lead to urinary/fecal accidents. Hope this helps, good luck!

Typically these fatty lumps (lipomas) require no treatment unless they are very big, affect the way a dog moves, and/or bothers the dog. If these scenarios do not apply to Oso, you don't need to do anything.

If the bump is under the skin, smooth and you can feel almost all of the way around it you are probably feeling a lipoma or fatty mass. If the bump is hard, irregular, firmly attached to the underlying area, getting bigger, or is painful to the touch then I'm more concerned about it being a tumor and I would bring Sammy in for an exam. Most masses you feel in the skin are benign and as long as you are keeping a close watch on it you should be fine to monitor it at home. It also could be from aninjury or insect bite and it may go away on its on in a week or so. If you are still concerned please take Sammy in for an exam. They can feel the bump and remove cells with a needle and look at them under the microscope. That way they can tell if it's fat, infection, inflammation or a tumor, and they can they recommend the appropriate treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Sammy.

Poor Tinker! Some lipomas (fatty tumors) can become fixed, but yes general they are movable. Unfortunately, being fixed to the underlying tissue is a common characteristic of malignant tumors. Any suspicious lumps should be examined by your vet. Your vet can perform a test called a fine needle aspirate on it. To do this, your vet sticks a small needle into the lump to get a sample of it's cells, and examines the cells on a slide under a microscope. It's usually painless to the animal, and relatively quick to perform. I recommend taking Tinker into your vet today or first thing tomorrow.