Fatty Tumours - remove them before they grow!
Fatty lumps, or LIPOMAS, are very common in dogs and cats - especially if they are overweight or older. Certain breeds are also more susceptible. These fatty lumps are usually ‘benign’ tumours, in that they do not spread to other parts of the body. However, they often grow very big. We have removed lipomas the size of a large melon! As they get bigger, the blood supply also increases, making them more difficult to remove. This is why we like to remove them early rather than later.
Sometimes we do not know for certain that they are lipomas until we have removed them, and can examine the tissues more closely. Any growth that is not obviously a simple lipoma should be sent for pathological examination.

Here's a recent case. (put on our website for Alexandria who enjoyed seeing the pictures of her dog's operation)
 This is Pete Milloy, a 9 yr old male neutered crossbreed with a deep lipoma on his right rump.

Here's Pete under anaesthetic.  The lipoma is not painful, and not visible till we clip away the hair. But it's bigger than it looks!

Ready for surgery                                                                               Through the skin, and there's the lipoma

Here it is detached from the surrounding tissues.                              Blood supply is tied off and the lipoma is removed

The tissue  under the skin is sutured                                   and the skin is closed with staples.

Pete made a good recovery.
The lump was a simple benign lipoma - just about the safest lump you can have!!
Some growths are much more serious and need urgent attention.

If you spot a growth of any sort on your dog or cat come and see the vet right away.
Don't leave lumps to get bigger and bigger! Removal of a tumour early is always going to be easier and safer.