Canine lipoma treated with steroid injections: clinical findings

Abstract Lipomas are common benign tumors of fat cells. In most cases surgical excision is curative and simple to perform; however, it require general anesthesia and may be associated with delayed wound healing, seroma formation and, nerve injury in deep and intramuscular tumors. Lipomas often grow after surgical excision. The objective of this study was to evaluate treatment of subcutaneous, subfascial or intermuscular lipomas using steroid intralesional injections in dogs. Fifteen dogs presenting a lipoma were selected for treatment with intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide, 40mg/mL. The procedure was ultrasound-guided. Nine subcutaneous and subfascial tumors showed a complete regression. The others lipomas decreased in diameter achieveing in some cases the remission of the pain and the regression of the lameness. Steroid injection was a relatively safe and effective treatment for lipomas in dogs, only six dogs showed temporary polyuria/polydipsia post treatment.