It seems lately, I have been seeing more and more pets come in with lipomas. I ask my customers about it and they say, "Oh it's nothing, just a fatty tumor." Most vets tell you not to worry, just leave it-there is nothing that can be done about it and it doesn't hurt your dog.

Lipomas are fatty deposits that collect under the skin. They are usually soft, smooth and movable. They are usually found when you are bathing or grooming your dog. If you do find a lump on your pet, you should take him to the vet to get a biopsie.

In general, lipomas are not cancer and are not painful or dangerous unless they grow too big to be obstructive or limit your pet's mobility. However, most holistic vets believe they are a symptom of other underlying problems that should be looked at.

From a holistic pet's point of view, they believe that lipomas are a result of what we've done to depress the metabolic functions and immune system in our animals. Lipomas are a sign of improper fat digestion and a haywire metabolism, and they often result from the unnatural commercial diets that contain 50 to 65 percent carbohydrates.1

Diet changes may not be a miracle cure for your pet once they have lipomas, but it could reduce the growth of existing lipomas or cause them to shrink - for them to disappear is highly unlikely.

Dogs that have been over vaccinated and the vaccinations have had an adverse effect on the body may have chronic warts, skin tags, and fatty tumors.

Both traditional vets and holistic vets do not like to remove the fatty tumors unless the tumor is rendering your dog immobile or it becoming a danger to your pet-like blocking the airway. Sometime the removal of a fatty tumor results in more tumor growth.

When it comes to treatment, you should speak with your holestic vet because lipomas are a symptom of a deep-seated imbalance in your pet and each pet will need their own individualized treatment.

Treatment could consist of a combination of diet change, herbal prescriptions, exercise, preventing unnecessary vaccinations and keeping your pet away from toxins and pesticides.

On the positive side, lipomas are not usually life-threatening. Just keep in mind, that when your traditional vet tells you not to worry about it, lipomas are a sign that something is out of balance in your pet's body.

1. The Whole Dog Journal, August 2007