My senior dog has fat deposits. Will exercise help reduce their size?

Lipomas are just accumulation of fat and are very common in older dogs. As they age they develop more if they are prone to them. Dogs that are overweight are more prone to them but I see them very commonly on dogs that are an ideal body weight. I usually do not worry about them unless that are causing issues with mobility or they are bothering the dog. If they are causing issues, I would talk to your vet about having them debulked. When they are this large, it is impossible to completely remove them and they will likey regrow, but debulking them will allow him to be more comfortable. If they do regrow, they will likely never get as big as they are right now, but of course I cannot guarantee that. I hope this helps!

It is very likely this mass has changed from a lipoma (fatty deposit) to another kind of mass. For now its best to just clean it with Betadine diluted 50:50 with water, and then get your vet to either sample the mass again or go ahead with surgical removal of the mass. Hopefully it is still a benign (non-cancerous) tumor. Best of luck with Millie moving forward. Take care!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Physical activity would definitely help. However, a lot of it comes back to the diet that is fed. It is not necessarily about the amount of cups but it is more about the caloric content in each cup. You can follow the recommended amount of food in the bag (though they tend to recommend a higher amount than needed) or preferably have your veterinarian calculate the needed intake based on the most current weight. I recommend you try the Science Diet metabolic weight management diet which works great for weight loss. Good luck and have a good night!

Well the trick with senior pets over 7 years of age is to simply get them on a senior pet food. Most high quality brands such as Hill's Science Diet, Royal Canin, Evo or Eukanuba carry senior diets that are lower in fat content and higher in fiber along with essential vitamins and minerals needed for older pets. Also fatty lumps "lipomas" are not necessarily a result of fatty foods. Fatty tumors are a direct result of old age and changing the diet won't necessarily decrease the occurrence of these. However, having your pet on a senior diet is still recommended for their overall health and well-being.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These could be benign or malignant growths. Him being a puppy, this could also be a normal accumulation of fat or tissue. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

Typically these fatty lumps (lipomas) require no treatment unless they are very big, affect the way a dog moves, and/or bothers the dog. If these scenarios do not apply to Oso, you don't need to do anything.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend just changing to a lower calorie diet such as the one you mentioned. Other low fat or weight loss diets that I have had a very good experience with are Hills metabolic weight management diet and the Royal canin GI low fat diet. Good luck!