Question:
I have two dogs: a black Lab, age 12, and a German shorthaired pointer, age 10. Both dogs have lipoma (fatty tumors).What causes this? Can anything be done to reduce the size? My Lab was operated on about seven years ago. I will not put her through surgery again, but she now has a tumor growing on the same spot as the one removed.My male shorthaired pointer has one next to his penis, about the size of an orange. Another one is around his right hip. And there's a small one starting up on the left side -- it's the size of a walnut. I can move all of these tumors, so they don't seem to be connected to anything.Neither dog seems particularly bothered by the tumors. Should I just leave well enough alone and do nothing?Thank you for any advice you may have.
C.B., Naples, FL Nov 27, 2005
Answer:
The jury is out about why dogs develop lipomas. They are not cancerous malignancies, so they need not be removed unless they interfere with the dog's mobility and comfort, or are severely disfiguring. Yes, they often grow back in the same area after surgical removal of large growths.Injections with colloidal silver are said to shrink lipomas, but I have yet to find any clinical reports confirming this claim and would welcome that information from any veterinarians -- or the claim that daily doses of L-carnitine can help reduce and prevent these fatty tumors. The best prevention is regular exercise, plus a low-calorie diet and maintaining a lean body with good muscle tone. This problem in older dogs is often linked with reduced activity associated with various conditions, especially arthritis, low thyroid function and obesity.
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