Case of the month: 10-year-old female Labrador with chronic vomiting

Signalment and anamnesis

For further clarification the following radiographs were taken:

Radiographic description

A fat-opaque mass is visible in the region of the caudoventral abdomen
The mass measures approximately 5 vertebral body lengths in craniocaudal diameter and displaces the small intestinal tract cranially, the descending colon dorsally, and the urinary bladder caudodorsally
The stomach is moderately filled with soft tissue opaque material, probably ingesta
The surrounding musculoskeletal structures are unremarkable except for a mild ventral spondylosis deformans of the spine

Diagnosis

Fat opaque abdominal mass is suspicious for a lipomatous tumor such as lipoma or less likely liposarcoma

Outcome

Histopathological examination after surgical resection confirmed the tentative diagnosis of abdominal lipoma
Clinical symptoms improved rapidly after resection of the mass

Discussion

Lipomas are the most common mesenchymal tumors in dogs
Although in most cases they occur subcutaneously (98% of cases), they can also occur in other locations in the body, such as the thorax, abdomen, and muscles
Lipomas can be infiltrative and noninfiltrative
Lipomas should be considered as a differential diagnosis for fat-opaque masses in the thoracic and abdominal cavity
These tumors grow slowly and often remain clinically inconspicuous until they become very large. The clinical features of lipomas in body cavities are related to pressure on surrounding tissues or organs, as well as impairment of their function
Successful removal requires careful separation from adjacent structures, but because invasion is uncommon, removal is often uncomplicated
Prognosis in these dogs is good, although owners must be cautioned that recurrences may occur

Many thanks to Dr. ECVDI Thorsten Rick and the Öffnet externen Link in neuem Fenster Vetklinikum Vienna for providing this case report!

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