How to Prevent Lipomas in Your Dog

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Lipomas, or fatty tumors, are typically soft masses found under the skin along your dog's body. Though not generally dangerous, these fatty tumors are formed as your dog's body is unable to get rid of toxins that build up. Lipomas are usually a sign of kidney and liver dysfunction or an overwhelming amount of toxins in your dog's body that the liver and kidneys cannot process and eliminate. These fatty masses typically are not too painful. They do not usually cause irritation or appear red or create bald spots. Though lipomas are not a problem themselves, they are often a sign of a potential liver or kidney issues. Preventing lipomas from forming under your dog's skin would require you to prevent liver and kidney dysfunction and failure.


Feeding your dog a high-quality diet is key to overall health. Avoid giving your dog toxic foods that his body cannot process. Your dog's liver will work hard to rid the body of toxins and his kidneys will work to rid the body of waste. As toxins build up from a poor diet, your dog's kidneys and liver will work harder over time. If left unable to free the body of these toxins, lipomas could form under the surface of the skin.

On top of keeping your dog on a high-quality diet with a lean protein as the first and main ingredient, consider supplementing with additional minerals and oils per your veterinarian’s recommendations, based on your dog’s breed and health issues. Your veterinarian can recommend a diet perfect for your dog’s size and breed. Be sure your dog has access to plenty of fresh, clean water every day to help keep the kidneys and liver flushed out as well. The key to developing lipomas is toxicity within your dog's body. Keeping his toxin levels down will prevent lipomas from forming as long as the liver and kidneys are functioning properly. Adding nutritious options to your dog's diet such as lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables for antioxidant powers and probiotics such as yogurt will help not only keep toxic foods away from your dog and toxin levels low within your dog's body, these healthy choices will also benefit his overall health. If you are feeding your dog a healthy diet and providing delicious yet healthy choices, your dog's health will reflect his diet. If your dog is able to free feed and eat people food and has access to household toxins, his health will begin to deteriorate, potentially resulting in lipomas.

Avoid Toxins

Your dog should also avoid ingesting toxins as well as everyday items such as toothpaste, shampoo, household cleaners, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and anything deemed poisonous or toxic for your dog. These toxins could also include people food such as grapes or chocolates that can become toxic for your dog. If your dog’s body cannot naturally digest and eliminate toxins, their risk of developing lipomas is much higher. Do not give your dog food his body cannot digest. Remember what you put into your dog is what you will get out of your dog. Keep household items away from your dog and always supervise him when he is outside near your shed or your garage or anywhere where you may store chemicals such as antifreeze or pesticides like rat poison that could harm him or be fatal. Toxins that build up in your dog’s system are not usually deadly toxins; they are typically just an overwhelming amount of toxins, so overwhelming that his body is unable to cycle them through and eliminate as waste. The more your dog is subjected to unhealthy choices, the harder his liver and kidneys will have to work and the greater potential he will have of developing lipomas.

Maintain Healthy Weight

By maintaining a healthy weight, your dog is less likely to develop lipomas as well. If your dog has a healthy diet with top quality foods and a lean protein as the main source and first ingredient, he is less likely to be overweight or obese. Just as with toxins within your dog's diet, if he is eating too much food at each meal without the proper and healthy balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates, he is more likely to develop lipomas because his kidneys, liver, and intestines are not able to process the amount of food quickly enough to rid the body of proper waste and toxins. By maintaining a healthy weight with your dog through diet and exercise his body will be able to eliminate these toxins faster before lipomas are formed underneath his skin. Toxins can also be released through exercise. If you are looking to help your dog lose weight, exercising with him is beneficial, as toxins are released during this type of movement as well. Lipomas are correlated with toxins and how well your dog's body metabolizes.

Effects of Preventing Lipomas

Lipomas are not a danger to your dog. Your veterinarian may recommend having them surgically removed as they form, especially if your dog has several of them or if they are in places on the skin that become painful simply based on location. This could be an expensive surgery as well as an uncomfortable recovery for your dog. Preventing lipomas through a healthy diet, avoiding toxins, and maintaining a healthy weight is certainly a much more simple approach than an expensive surgery to remove fatty tumors underneath your dog's skin.

Good General Care for Prevention

It is not very difficult to maintain quality health for your dog. Lipomas, as simple fatty tumors underneath the largest organ your dog has, their skin, can be prevented with preventive care from your veterinarian, a high-quality, healthy diet, and constant exercise throughout your dog's life. Understanding the risks of feeding your dog poor quality foods and allowing them to ingest simple things that can still become toxic to their bodies is important to understanding how you can prevent fatty tumors from forming. Dog owners have plenty of health concerns to worry about. Something like lipomas, that is completely preventable through healthy choices, could be something you and your dog may never have to deal with.