# How can he be sure it is "just a lipoma"?



## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I noticed an egg shaped lump near Brooks' underarm area a few months ago. It slides around easily when you feel it, & is very soft.
The vet felt it and told me it was nothing to worry about, that it was just a lipoma and he wouldn't need to do anything about it.
How can he be sure just by feeling it? Shouldn't he aspirate some of it to be tested?


----------



## Doug (Jul 17, 2010)

Yes an aspirate should be done to set your mind at ease.
Is it slow growing or fast?

My girl has plenty of lipomas. The vet could tell straight away by simply looking at this new one that it was nasty even though it kinda looked like her other one. This one also felt harder and was more grounded. 

Your vet would have taken the age of your golden into consideration. He would have felt lots of non harmful lipomas in his time. Most vets will offer or at be willing to do an aspirate if asked. All of our other times the vet asked if we wanted it done but they did not really urge us to do it until she saw this large fast growing lump. Just remember that even needle aspirates are not that accurate. 

I hope that your confident vet is right and that it is just a fatty lipoma. I would watch it carefully and see if it grows over the next few weeks. For us lipomas were just a part of life for an older retriever. Good luck!!


----------



## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Yes, he should aspirate the lump, put the aspirate on a slide, add water and if they don't mix, bingo.....fatty tumor=lipoma. My vet aspirates all new suspected lipomas just to be on the safe side.


----------



## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

I just found two lumps on Brady, and my vet told me at this point they were too small to be aspirated. How big are Brooks'?

One is on each side of his shoulders, so we are thinking it is from his vaccines.


----------



## KathyL (Jul 6, 2011)

I agree with Doug, a fine needle aspirate can be done, but generally when they are right under the skin and feel soft, they are generally benign. If it grows you might want to have it removed just for comfort.


----------



## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

My senior lab mix has so many lipomas, too many to aspirate everything. And cutting them out, he would look like a patchwork quilt or Frankenstein's monster. 

Like others said, you can have a fine needle aspirate done to ease your mind. Yes, not all aspirates are correct, because it is hard to get really deep into tissue.


----------



## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I don't think it has grown since I first noticed it (weird how just one day I noticed it, but maybe I just never touched his under arm/side in that exact place before? I know when I tried to show it to the vet tech before the vet came in, it took about 5 min of feeling before I could find it again).


----------



## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

To be 100% sure the only way to know is to take it off and biopsy it. Hearing that it is located in the armpit area I might have it removed since if it starts growing bigger it will be harder to take off and may inhibit his movement.


----------



## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I would think you should ask the vet to aspirtate to have peace of mind. I'm sorry Brooks is getting to the age where those bumps start to appear. Oakly's vet asked if I felt any bump's on him as he "was getting to be that age". It made me sad.


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

lgnutah said:


> I don't think it has grown since I first noticed it (weird how just one day I noticed it, but maybe I just never touched his under arm/side in that exact place before? I know when I tried to show it to the vet tech before the vet came in, it took about 5 min of feeling before I could find it again).


Our vet attempts an aspirate if it otherwise doesn't appear to be something else, but we usually elect to have them removed at the next scheduled sedated dental, to prevent further growth that might interfere with movement or quality of life. 

We also asked for a dog body map with Barkley and started mapping them, measuring them when discovered, so we could monitor growth.


----------



## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Dallas Gold said:


> . We also asked for a dog body map with Barkley and started mapping them, measuring them when discovered, so we could monitor growth.


That's a great idea. 
I just felt the thing. It isn't attached to the muscle/rib area at all-I can get my fingers under it as I grab onto his skin. It is just under the skin, soft, I can move it around and I would say it is the size that would sit easily on a spoon (the usual silverware size spoon)


----------



## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Oaklys Dad said:


> Oakly's vet asked if I felt any bump's on him as he "was getting to be that age". It made me sad.


I know exactly what you mean-I feel the same way.


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

lgnutah said:


> That's a great idea.
> I just felt the thing. It isn't attached to the muscle/rib area at all-I can get my fingers under it as I grab onto his skin. It is just under the skin, soft, I can move it around and I would say it is the size that would sit easily on a spoon (the usual silverware size spoon)


http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/golden-retriever-senior-center/110122-boby-maps.html#post1641353

Hank posted this earlier, but the title has a typo and it might not get picked up on a search! I'm wondering if a Mod can correct it??


----------



## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I changed the title so is should be easily searched.




Dallas Gold said:


> http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/golden-retriever-senior-center/110122-boby-maps.html#post1641353
> 
> Hank posted this earlier, but the title has a typo and it might not get picked up on a search! I'm wondering if a Mod can correct it??


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Some online references for dog lumps and bumps:

Causes of Solid-Appearing Lumps & Bumps on the Skin of Dogs

Lumps and Bumps - Common types, what to watch for, and how to monitor lumps and bumps in pets


----------



## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

If it is the size of a spoonful, I would think it is big enough to be aspirated and would request it done whether the vet thinks it is needed or not. 

We just had one aspirated on Spip the Lab and I am thinking about asking for a recheck at her next visit a few months from now. It literally take a minute for the draw, a couple of minutes for the vet to check it, and does not require sedation of any kind.


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

We found a lump on Toby that we'll get checked out tomorrow at his regular vet appointment- a follow up to his Great Tamale escapade and a regular acupuncture session:










Those are hubby's dirty fingers- he'd been out detailing the car when I asked him to find the lump.


----------



## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Looks scabby Anne. Are the edges peeling up?


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Penny & Maggie's Mom said:


> Looks scabby Anne. Are the edges peeling up?


Yes, but it's black below it. I also suspect Toby has a case of icythyosis (sp) as I noticed it after his double boarding the last two weekends.


----------



## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Cody would get sores like that with staph, Anne. Keep us posted on what the vet says.


----------

