Fatty lumps growing on my doggie

My buddy has had fatty lumps growing for years (they did tests for tumors and whatnot, and apparently they're fat deposits). The first one I noticed was probably 10 years ago, but they said it was nothing serious "so don't worry about it". It kept growing until it hindered his breathing and comfort - so after much debating (his age mostly) we finally said yes to an operation. They removed the big fat lump from his crest, but now he has them growing on his sides. It's aggravating because he'll be 15 years old soon, and the vet doesn't want to operate.

What can I do? Are there any supplements that may break up the fat? Or a change in food? I give him scraps of human food but not plate pulls, just little pieces, so i'm doubtful it has much to do with human food. Basically i'm stumped and saddened I can't help him

These two sites give some information about lipomas:

http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/dogdiseasesl/a/lipomas.htm

http://www.vetinfo.com/types-lumps-dogs.html

I've read that turmeric (which contains curcuma) has been usefully used in dogs with all sorts of tumours. But check with your own vet. In humans, curcumin isn't always absorbed very efficiently. One way to increase absorption is to take it with black pepper. But I don't know if black pepper is suitable for dogs. I've seen it mentioned in some studies on Pubmed but only one used it internally, and that was only an extract used for arthritis. Not successfully, either. One used it as a paste for acceleration of wound healing.

One Chinese herb recommended by holistic vets is Chi-Ko/Curcuma, along with L-carnitine and chromium picolinate to work on fat metabolism. In addition, turmeric is also recommended by vets to decrease the growth of lipomas.

http://www.suite101.com/content/best-ways-to-treat-dog-lipomas-a179930

Turmeric

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Another form of treatment is the injection of 30% calcium chloride (CaCl2) directly into small subcutaneous tumors (i.e., lipomas with a diameter of < 4 cm).3 Caution should be used to prevent overdosage with calcium salts or seepage of the calcium chloride solution into extralesional subcutaneous sites that may result in sloughing of the skin.3 The injection of 30% CaCl2 results in adipocyte necrosis, which induces acute inflammation. 3 Inflammatory cells are probably responsible for the removal of dead tissue debris.3**

 

**Reference 3: Kramek BA, Spackman CJ, Hayden DW: Infiltrative lipoma in three dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 186:81-82, 1985.

http://www.vet.uga.edu/VPP/clerk/Nation/index.php

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Cat's Claw: This herb is well known for its anti-tumor properties. It benefits the natural and acquired immune systems and enhances the protective power of B- and T-cells.

http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/fatty-tumors-in-dogs.html

Again, no idea if Cat's Claw is safe for dogs.

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If the immune system has anything to do with it, keeping him stress free will help. And lots of cuddles won't go amiss.

Pepper can be dangerous for dogs. A lot of spices can cause acute pancreatitis. There's also breeds that are prone to prancreatitis such as miniature schnauzers.