Lumpy dog

Greyallaround · Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 2:29 pm Post subject: Lumpy dog

I found what I and my vet think is a fatty lipoma under Hunter's left front leg. Now that he's losing weight, I'm noticing that there seem to be a couple more around his rib cage area, mostly around and behind his front legs. They all move with manipulation. Is this common in this breed? Will these fatty deposits go down with the rest of the fat with his exercise? I'm going to try to get him back in to my vet to look at them again this week, since I've found more.

Thanks.

SparkyTansy · Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2008 4:14 am Post subject:

My last two Weimaraners (Mother and daughter) both had quite a number of small cysts appear throughout their lives... they look similar although they were very much localised (never grew in groups)
I remember reading once that cysts were common, but since then Sorrel, who is nearly 4, has not had anything... the other two girls had had at least a couple at that age...
I'd have a vet look at them to be on the safe side - keep us posted Smile

Cengle · Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:18 pm Post subject: We had them too...

My late weim, Reny, had a few of those exact bumps - we had them removed and they never came back cancerous. He died suddenly of bloat last year, other than that, he was a healthy 8 year old boy!

Welches · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:10 am Post subject:

Yukon has about a dozen of these fatty cysts so we are VERY familiar with them. They are on his ribcage, in his "armpits" and chest. They are very common in weims and tend to appear as they get older. However, losing weight will not get rid of the cysts. But if your dog loses more weight they will become more noticeable. You should have your vet aspirate each cyst that appears to make sure it is not cancerous. All they have to do is take some of the fluid from the cyst and look at it under the microscope. Sometimes it has to be sent to a lab. If it's not cancerous, then you don't have to remove them. In fact, I would recommend NOT removing them. You just have to get used to seeing them. It's gotten to the point now that my vet doesn't charge us an office visit when a new lump shows up on Yukon. We just go in for the needle. Also know that just because he might have 10 cysts that turn out to be fatty, the 11th could be cancerous. Don't ever assume that just because it looks and feels like all the other fatty cysts that's what it is. We now keep a "map" of all the cysts on him and which ones have been checked. The more they get, the harder it is to keep track of which ones are new and which ones have already been checked.

http://www.weimaraneraddict.com/discussion/fatty-cysts-vt8445.html

Above is another thread on this board about the cysts. At least two people regretted having them removed, just FYI.

Weimwayz · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:50 am Post subject:

Lipomas (or fat lumps) are very common in our breed. A vet can put a small needle and aspirate some cells to ensure it is only a fat lump and nothing else. if it is just fat vets generally leave these along unless they are causing an issue where they are located like under the arm or leg. Just keep an eye on them and if they get bigger or really start to bother your weim than they should be removed. Older weims tend to get a lot of them as they age