Canine lipomas treated with steroid injections: clinical findings

PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e50234. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050234. Epub 2012 Nov 30.

Abstract

Lipomas are common benign tumours of fat cells. In most cases, surgical excision is curative and simple to perform; however, such a procedure requires general anaesthesia and may be associated with delayed wound healing, seroma formation and nerve injury in deep and intramuscular tumours. The objective of this study was to evaluate treatment of subcutaneous, subfascial or intermuscular lipomas using intralesional steroid injections in dogs. Fifteen dogs presenting with lipomas were selected for treatment with ultrasound-guided intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide at a dose of 40 mg/mL. Nine subcutaneous and subfascial tumours showed a complete regression. The other lipomas decreased in diameter, achieving, in some cases, remission of discomfort and regression of lameness. Steroid injection was a relatively safe and effective treatment for lipomas in dogs; only six dogs experienced polyuria/polydipsia for about 2 weeks post-treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dogs
  • Female
  • Glucocorticoids / administration & dosage*
  • Glucocorticoids / adverse effects
  • Injections, Intralesional
  • Lameness, Animal / drug therapy*
  • Lameness, Animal / pathology
  • Lipoma / drug therapy*
  • Lipoma / pathology
  • Male
  • Polydipsia / physiopathology
  • Triamcinolone Acetonide / administration & dosage*
  • Triamcinolone Acetonide / adverse effects

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids
  • Triamcinolone Acetonide

Grants and funding

The authors have no support or funding to report.