How to Treat Benign Fatty Skin Tumors on Dogs
Check over your dog's body regularly., Take your dog to a veterinarian., Allow your veterinarian to needle aspirate the lump., Discuss treatment options with your veterinarian., Wait and see what the lipoma does., Consider surgical removal., Give...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Check over your dog's body regularly.
It is important for dog owners to assess the state of their dog's body regularly in order to find problems as soon as possible.
A great way to do this is during regular brushing or grooming.
Go over your dog's body with your hand and feel for any changes or lumps.A lipoma usually feels soft and can be moved around under the skin a bit with no discomfort to the dog.Lipomas can be found anywhere on the dog but do show up on the belly frequently.
Most lipomas are benign, but those located under the armpit or near joints may cause some discomfort, especially if they are pressed inward by legs.
Lipomas on the neck may be a threat even if benign as they can press into the larger neck veins.
Consult a veterinarian to determine whether these should be removed or observed. -
Step 2: Take your dog to a veterinarian.
If you identify any lumps or bumps on your dog you should have them looked at by a veterinarian.
While they may not be a problem, as is the case with most lipomas, they should be assessed by a veterinary professional.
Your veterinarian will ask you about the lump and when you noticed it, in addition to doing a physical examination.
Do not just avoid dealing with the issue and assume it will go away.
Lipomas that are not assessed and treated can grow and become problematic and reduce the dog's comfort.
Measure the size of the lump and monitor to see if it grows or shrinks at all. , In order to assess the type and severity of the lump, your veterinarian may want to do a needle aspiration.
This is a procedure in which the veterinarian inserts a needle into the tumor and extracts cells to inspect under a microscope.
This will allow the veterinarian to determine what is going on with the growth.This test will allow your veterinarian to see if the cells inside the lump are benign or malignant.
The vet may request a sample be sent to a diagnostic lab for further review of the lump.
If you are concerned that your dog might experience discomfort during the procedure, speak with your veterinarian. , There are a variety of things that can be done to treat lipomas depending on the type and severity of the lump.
It is important that you discuss all options with your veterinarian and make an educated decision that takes your dog's comfort and your financial situation into consideration.
However, it is likely that your veterinarian will have a treatment option in mind that he or she thinks is most appropriate and helpful to your pet.
If the lump is not benign, then the need for treatment will be more serious and time sensitive.
However, you should still be presented with a few options and ultimately the treatment decision is yours.
Failing to treat a malignant lipoma may put your dog's health at risk and could lead to a shortened lifespan and a lower quality of life. , In many cases, if the lump is benign, then the veterinarian will suggest monitoring the lump for changes.
If it does not change and it causes your dog no discomfort, then your dog may not require treatment.
If the lump does change or causes discomfort, then surgical treatment options can be explored.
If your decide to wait and see if the lipoma changes, then you will need to actively keep an eye on it.
Chart its size and shape by putting a piece of thin paper (wax or tracing paper) over the growth, tracing it, and then writing the date on the paper.
Do this every month and you will have a good record of the growth's shape and size.If the lump grows rapidly or changes shape, take your dog back to the veterinarian to get it assessed. , If the veterinarian finds that the lump is malignant, that the lump can't be identified for certain, or that the lump is causing your dog discomfort, then he or she may suggest removal.
The seriousness of the procedure to remove a lipoma will depend on its size and location.
However, it usually requires anesthesia but is a quick procedure otherwise.If the lump is actually malignant then more tissue will need to be removed to make sure all malignant cells are removed. , If your dog has a lipoma removed, it may have a small wound that needs to be cared for until it heals.
Make sure your dog does not excessively lick the surgical wound or chew at any stitches that are holding it closed.
Also make sure to keep the wound clean and change any bandages as directed.Larger lipomas may create a larger wound that will need to be drained to prevent blood from pooling.
If this is necessary, your vet should walk you through this step of aftercare.
You may need to put a cone on your dog for a few days after surgery to make sure that it doesn't mess with the surgical wound. , There are a wide variety of treatments that can be done for your dog's condition that use non-traditional forms of medicine.
These include traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, and herbal supplements.
Consult with a practitioner for one of these types of veterinary treatment to get a consultation and to discuss treatment.It may be hard to find a practitioner of alternative medicine for dogs in your area.
You may need to travel for treatment or consult with an expert that lives elsewhere and give treatment yourself. , There are some dietary changes that may help a dog that is having recurring benign tumors, as overweight dogs can develop larger lipomas.
First, make sure that your dog is eating high quality food that does not contain unnecessary chemicals and additives.
Giving your dog quality food will help its overall health, potentially improving the dog's immune system and ability to suppress more tumors.Discuss your dog's diet with its veterinarian.
Make sure that any changes you make to your dog's diet will fulfill its nutritional needs. , There are some alternative medicine veterinarians that advocate for the use of supplements to boost the dog's immune system and to eliminate toxins from the body.
These supplements could include a variety of things, including bovine colostrum and fatty acid supplements., There are some natural medicine products that can be used on benign fatty tumors.
For example, there are skin detox tinctures, such as Tumoxil, that are applied directly to the growths and are purported to eliminate toxins under the skin.There is some evidence that injecting lipomas with steroids can be an effective treatment for small growths.
However, this would need to be done by a veterinary professional. -
Step 3: Allow your veterinarian to needle aspirate the lump.
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Step 4: Discuss treatment options with your veterinarian.
-
Step 5: Wait and see what the lipoma does.
-
Step 6: Consider surgical removal.
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Step 7: Give after-surgery care.
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Step 8: Consider using alternative veterinary practices.
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Step 9: Change your dog's diet.
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Step 10: Give your dog supplements.
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Step 11: Treat the tumors directly.
Detailed Guide
It is important for dog owners to assess the state of their dog's body regularly in order to find problems as soon as possible.
A great way to do this is during regular brushing or grooming.
Go over your dog's body with your hand and feel for any changes or lumps.A lipoma usually feels soft and can be moved around under the skin a bit with no discomfort to the dog.Lipomas can be found anywhere on the dog but do show up on the belly frequently.
Most lipomas are benign, but those located under the armpit or near joints may cause some discomfort, especially if they are pressed inward by legs.
Lipomas on the neck may be a threat even if benign as they can press into the larger neck veins.
Consult a veterinarian to determine whether these should be removed or observed.
If you identify any lumps or bumps on your dog you should have them looked at by a veterinarian.
While they may not be a problem, as is the case with most lipomas, they should be assessed by a veterinary professional.
Your veterinarian will ask you about the lump and when you noticed it, in addition to doing a physical examination.
Do not just avoid dealing with the issue and assume it will go away.
Lipomas that are not assessed and treated can grow and become problematic and reduce the dog's comfort.
Measure the size of the lump and monitor to see if it grows or shrinks at all. , In order to assess the type and severity of the lump, your veterinarian may want to do a needle aspiration.
This is a procedure in which the veterinarian inserts a needle into the tumor and extracts cells to inspect under a microscope.
This will allow the veterinarian to determine what is going on with the growth.This test will allow your veterinarian to see if the cells inside the lump are benign or malignant.
The vet may request a sample be sent to a diagnostic lab for further review of the lump.
If you are concerned that your dog might experience discomfort during the procedure, speak with your veterinarian. , There are a variety of things that can be done to treat lipomas depending on the type and severity of the lump.
It is important that you discuss all options with your veterinarian and make an educated decision that takes your dog's comfort and your financial situation into consideration.
However, it is likely that your veterinarian will have a treatment option in mind that he or she thinks is most appropriate and helpful to your pet.
If the lump is not benign, then the need for treatment will be more serious and time sensitive.
However, you should still be presented with a few options and ultimately the treatment decision is yours.
Failing to treat a malignant lipoma may put your dog's health at risk and could lead to a shortened lifespan and a lower quality of life. , In many cases, if the lump is benign, then the veterinarian will suggest monitoring the lump for changes.
If it does not change and it causes your dog no discomfort, then your dog may not require treatment.
If the lump does change or causes discomfort, then surgical treatment options can be explored.
If your decide to wait and see if the lipoma changes, then you will need to actively keep an eye on it.
Chart its size and shape by putting a piece of thin paper (wax or tracing paper) over the growth, tracing it, and then writing the date on the paper.
Do this every month and you will have a good record of the growth's shape and size.If the lump grows rapidly or changes shape, take your dog back to the veterinarian to get it assessed. , If the veterinarian finds that the lump is malignant, that the lump can't be identified for certain, or that the lump is causing your dog discomfort, then he or she may suggest removal.
The seriousness of the procedure to remove a lipoma will depend on its size and location.
However, it usually requires anesthesia but is a quick procedure otherwise.If the lump is actually malignant then more tissue will need to be removed to make sure all malignant cells are removed. , If your dog has a lipoma removed, it may have a small wound that needs to be cared for until it heals.
Make sure your dog does not excessively lick the surgical wound or chew at any stitches that are holding it closed.
Also make sure to keep the wound clean and change any bandages as directed.Larger lipomas may create a larger wound that will need to be drained to prevent blood from pooling.
If this is necessary, your vet should walk you through this step of aftercare.
You may need to put a cone on your dog for a few days after surgery to make sure that it doesn't mess with the surgical wound. , There are a wide variety of treatments that can be done for your dog's condition that use non-traditional forms of medicine.
These include traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, and herbal supplements.
Consult with a practitioner for one of these types of veterinary treatment to get a consultation and to discuss treatment.It may be hard to find a practitioner of alternative medicine for dogs in your area.
You may need to travel for treatment or consult with an expert that lives elsewhere and give treatment yourself. , There are some dietary changes that may help a dog that is having recurring benign tumors, as overweight dogs can develop larger lipomas.
First, make sure that your dog is eating high quality food that does not contain unnecessary chemicals and additives.
Giving your dog quality food will help its overall health, potentially improving the dog's immune system and ability to suppress more tumors.Discuss your dog's diet with its veterinarian.
Make sure that any changes you make to your dog's diet will fulfill its nutritional needs. , There are some alternative medicine veterinarians that advocate for the use of supplements to boost the dog's immune system and to eliminate toxins from the body.
These supplements could include a variety of things, including bovine colostrum and fatty acid supplements., There are some natural medicine products that can be used on benign fatty tumors.
For example, there are skin detox tinctures, such as Tumoxil, that are applied directly to the growths and are purported to eliminate toxins under the skin.There is some evidence that injecting lipomas with steroids can be an effective treatment for small growths.
However, this would need to be done by a veterinary professional.
About the Author
Thomas Hall
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in DIY projects and beyond.
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