2024‘s Best Dog Food For Lipomas: Diets To Help Lessen Skin Lumps

Did your senior or fat dog suddenly grow skin lumps on her body? Sure, it looks terrifying. But the good news is that most of these lumps called lipomas or fatty tumors are not cancerous or painful, and can be lessened over time.

Learn about lipomas in dogs in this article, which tackles the characteristics, possible causes, and prevention or reduction measures of these ugly-looking fatty masses in your furry friends.

Also, this article includes the latest review of the best dog food for lipomas and ways to help alleviate and prevent it in your dog. More than just to fill a dog’s empty stomach, the right diet is vital to canine health.

What are Lipomas in Dogs?

A dog’s lipoma or fatty tumor is a common benign mass composed of fat cells that grow under the skin anywhere in the body, but more prominently in the belly and chest areas.

Most dogs with canine lipomas are in the middle age or older groups. Also, obese female dogs are more likely to get them. About 16% of geriatric dogs are infected by fatty tumors.

Some studies also suggest that spayed or neutered pups are more vulnerable to developing a fatty tumor. In the United States, at least 1.5 million pups each year are estimated to undergo treatment for fatty tumors.

Among the breeds most prone to a dog’s lipoma are the Labrador Retrievers, Doberman Pinschers, and Weimaraners. However, all dog breeds or mixed-breeds may experience lipoma growth. It’s just easier to recognize it in short-coated pooches.

Typically, most canines start growing one or two of these benign tumors, but other dogs immediately grow several lipomas earlier on.

OUR TOP 3 PICKS FOR BEST DOG FOODS FOR LIPOMAS

Further studies are still being conducted to pinpoint the exact cause of a dog’s lipoma, even as the toxins from a poor diet or chemicals in the environment are suspected as major contributing factors to its buildup.

When the endocrine system is not functioning properly, the body tries to contain and eliminate toxins through the skin causing fatty tumor birth.

Toxins and fat get trapped by the lymphatic system, which is an integral part of the immune system. But too much of the toxins cause a buildup because not all are excreted from the body.

This buildup causes the growth of lipomas. It’s like the body creates these skin pockets that contain excess fats and toxins, and seals them off to prevent them from re-entering the system. 

Although commonly harmless, pet parents are urged to have the vet examine their dog’s lipoma. A test known as needle aspirate can be conducted by the vet to study the fat cells from the lumps. This is important to rule out cancerous or malignant tumors.

Sometimes, dog owners confuse a fatty tumor for lymphoma, which is the cancer of the lymph nodes, or liposarcoma, which is a malignant tumor.

Both liposarcoma and lymphoma tend to grow rapidly and spread in other parts. These may require immediate surgical removal.

Like in most health issues in canines, a veterinary check-up is crucial to fixing the disorders in the early stages.

What To Look For In The Best Dog Diets For Lipomas

If fresh food and raw feeding are challenging options for you, the next best choice is commercial pet food with high-quality and natural ingredients, and with clean animal proteins as the main ingredients.

Whether wet or dry foods, select a dog chow that’s low in carbohydrates content, and diets that are formulated for weight management.

Here are the qualities to look for in the best commercial dog’s diet for lipomas:

Free of Artificial Ingredients

Choose diets that have only natural ingredients. Artificial ingredients like flavoring, coloring, or preservatives are mostly heavy in toxins that could overwhelm the dog’s elimination system.

Other common unhealthy ingredients added to commercial pet foods are Melamine, BHA, BHT, Ethoxyquin, Propylene Glycol, and MSG.

Free of Poor-Quality Carbohydrates

Some cheaper brands also use low-quality grains as fillers and carbohydrates load for kibbles. Wheat and corn are some of the low-quality carbs that offer very little nutritional value and can only help in weight gain.

High-Quality Protein Sources

The finest commercial dog foods are made with clean and high-quality animal protein from a named animal source such as beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, or salmon. At least the first two ingredients must be from a high-quality animal protein.

Avoid unnamed animal meat meal or by-products. Real organic meats from grass-fed or free-range animals are better choices.

Some dogs are also allergic to common proteins like beef, chicken, eggs, and dairy. Find out if your pup has any of these food allergies or sensitivities.

Low In Carbohydrates 

Though carbs have their benefits to dogs, a low-carb diet is more suited to dogs with lipomas as one of the objectives is to manage the dog’s body weight.

To compute the carbohydrates content of commercial dog chows, check the Guaranteed Analysis on the label, add the protein, fat, fiber, ash, and moisture percentages indicated, and subtract the total from 100.

For dry food, choose a carbs content of below 40%, while for wet or canned foods, pick a carb load of under 8%.

Complete and Balanced Nutrition, Antioxidants, and Probiotics

For overall health, essential vitamins and minerals are welcome additions in any food formula. In particular, some nutrients are believed to be helpful in the fight against lipomas including vitamin C, various B’s, L-carnitine, and chromium.

A good load of antioxidants from high-quality whole foods like blueberries, raspberries, apples, carrots, beans, and leafy green veggies can also help protect the dog’s body from free radicals brought about by toxins. Probiotics can also help strengthen the immune system apart from digestive benefits.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Dog foods with a rich dose of omega fatty acids, especially omega-3, may also aid in the efforts to lessen or prevent dog lipomas.

Fish oil is a great source of these omega fatty acids, and some commercial dog foods are formulated with fish oil from various fish like salmon and herring.

Omega 3 fatty acids are notable in helping to reduce inflammation and obesity apart from also supporting the dog’s skin and coat

Low in Poor-Quality Fats

Are fats responsible for fatty tumor development? Not necessarily. But the quality of fats may have something to do with developing skin lumps. Fats that are broken down by the digestive system well are not an issue.

However, some oxidized and rancid oils from common ingredients in cheaper dog foods like poor-quality fats from genetically modified animals, GMO, vegetable oil, or canola oil may be a contributing factor in the formation of lipomas.

Best Dog Food for Lipomas

Reviewed Best Dog Food for Lipomas

1. Ollie Pet Food Chicken Recipe
2. Tylee's Human-Grade Beef Recipe
3. Stella & Chewy's Surf ‘N Turf Dinner Patties
4. Weruva Paw Lickin' Chicken in Gravy
5. Ziwi Peak Venison Recipe
6. Farmina N&D Ocean Herring & Orange
7. Zignature Zssential Multi-Protein Formula

 

1. Ollie Chicken Dish with Carrots

First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Carrots, Peas, Rice, Chicken Liver

Our best fresh food option happens also to be our top overall choice for the best dog’s diet for lipomas – Ollie Chicken Dish with Carrots recipe.

Probably one of the most respected fresh pet food maker today, Ollie prides itself on having partnered with a U.S. Board Certified Veterinary nutritionist as its chefs to guarantee that all AAFCO standards for pet nutrition are met.

For dogs with lipomas, and also for weight maintenance, this chicken cuisine is our recommended recipe as it has the lowest caloric content among the company’s offerings at only 1298 kcal ME/kg. But the other recipes – beef, turkey and lamb are just as amazing.

Real diced chicken meat is the first ingredient in this all-fresh ingredients food, followed by highly nutritious whole foods potatoes, carrots, peas and spinach to make a fabulously healthy diet for your furry loves.

It’s also enhanced with outstanding amino acids and essential nutrients like taurine, and vitamins A, E, and various B’s. Plus, it includes salmon oil, which is a great source of omega fatty acids that can also help eliminate toxins.

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2. Tylee's Human-Grade Beef Recipe

First 5 Ingredients: Beef Heart, Beef, Beef Liver, Broccoli, Zucchini

Another excellent fresh diet option for your pooch is Tylee’s human-grade frozen fresh food.

Tylee’s makes A1 fresh food recipes made with outstanding natural ingredients that can satisfy your dog’s appetite and nutritional needs.

Inspired by the company owner’s dog Tylee, who was saddled with food-related health problems, Tylee’s prepares dog foods free of unhealthy ingredients that bring toxins to the dog’s body.

We especially like the Beef recipe, which is made of primarily USDA-certified beef and organs and splendid fruits and veggies like mango, broccoli, spinach, and zucchini for a complete and balanced diet.

Its carbs load is only 6%, with healthy protein and fat contents of 12% and 7% respectively, plus 3% fiber pack. All ingredients are frozen fresh to retain all the natural goodness and nutrients. Yes, this diet is heavy on essential nutrients too. And it has salmon oil for the high-quality omega fatty acids.

Tylee’s beef recipe received an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars from over a thousand reviewers at Chewy.com, with 90% of them giving positive reviews.

Most customers loved the ingredients and consistency of the recipe and said even their picky pups cleaned their bowls.

But there are also a number of dog parents that aren’t impressed, with various complaints from crumby meat pieces to the broccoli being too big and hard to thaw to the packaging not being able to reseal.

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3. Stella & Chewy's Surf ‘N Turf Dinner Patties

First 5 Ingredients: Beef, Whole Ground Salmon, Beef Heart, Beef Liver, Beef Bone

As for a freeze-dried raw food diet, it’s hard to match the superior quality of Stella & Chewy’s.

For lipomas in dogs, we particularly like the Surf ‘N Turf Dinner Patties, which features freeze-dried raw beef and organs from grass-fed cattle, and wild-caught salmon meat, plus 100% organic plant-based ingredients including cranberries, spinach, broccoli, carrots, and blueberries for a balanced diet. 

This recipe is also high in protein at 45%, and essential nutrients like calcium carbonate for bone support, and various vitamins, plus probiotics for immune and digestive health.

The carb content is just 11% but the calories and fat load are pretty high at 5140 kcal/kg and 34% minimum respectively. The freeze-dried raw food is easy to prepare – just add warm water to rehydrate.

Over at Chewy.com, 300 reviewers gave this product a remarkable average grade of 4.7 out of 5 stars, with a whopping 96% giving the thumbs-up.

Most reviews were about the high-quality product as well as how their pups adore the patties. Some of the not-so-friendly comments mentioned that the patties were a bit too hard and takes longer to rehydrate, and that the scent was too strong.

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4. Weruva Paw Lickin' Chicken in Gravy

First 5 Ingredients: Chicken (Boneless, Skinless, White Breast), Water Sufficient for Processing, Potato Starch, Sunflower Seed Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate

If your pooch likes wet or canned food, this chunky recipe from Weruva is certainly one of the finest choices.

Notable as a premium brand, Weruva’s Paw Lickin’ Chicken wet food features human-grade boneless, skinless, white chicken breast as the first ingredient.

There are limited ingredients in this formula but the nutrients pack is certainly not limited. The carb load is amazingly low at just 1.9%, but the protein content is bounteous with 10%.

With over 300 reviews at Chewy, this wet food received an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, with 95% of respondents giving positive comments.

You’ll hardly find negative reviews, except for some customers finding the price too high. On the other hand, many said their food-sensitive dogs were fine with this food, and that it produced healthy stools.

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5. Ziwi Peak Venison Recipe

First 5 Ingredients: Venison, Water Sufficient for Processing, Venison Tripe, Venison Liver, Chickpeas

Talk about premium wet food brands, Ziwi Peak is surely one that easily comes to mind. This Venison recipe in particular is highly touted for its novel and high-quality protein source – venison.

Real premium-quality venison meat and organs, including tripe, plus the very delectable New Zealand green mussels make up 92% of this exceptional pate.

It has none of the undesirable ingredients like GMOs or artificial preservatives. The carbs content is only 3%, while it packs a 10% protein mass.

While there were only 36 reviewers for this food at Chewy, 91% were encouraging comments, which are mostly about the savory taste, food allergy relief, and its compatibility with aging dogs.

The few adverse comments were mostly about the “nasty” smell and extravagant price.

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6. Farmina N&D Ocean Herring & Orange

First 5 Ingredients: Herring, Dehydrated Herring, Sweet Potatoes, Herring Oil, Dried Whole Eggs

In the dry pet food category, Farmina N&D Ocean Herring & Orange grain-free recipe is undoubtedly one of the best picks.

This premium brand is composed of 70% animal ingredients led by high-quality herring to carry a 34% protein load. The carbs content is just 28.6%, which is low for kibbles. 

The rest of this food is made of terrific whole foods that include sweet orange, pomegranate, apple, and spinach, plus a host of essential nutrients for the dog’s overall well-being.

Herring oil is the source of the rich omega fatty acids in this dry recipe, to aid in immune, skin, and coat health. It’s also high in glucosamine.

An average of 4.6 stars out of 5 was given by over 50 online reviewers for this premium kibble. They mostly loved the quality ingredients and abundant nutrients in this food.

Many also claimed their dogs’ coats looked healthier with this chow, and some said it helped alleviate their pup’s sensitive skin and tummy. A few naysayers said their finicky pups were not interested, or the kibbles smell too strongly of fish.

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7. Zignature Zssential Multi-Protein Formula

First 5 Ingredients: Turkey, Turkey Meal, Salmon, Lamb Meal, Duck Meal

Here’s another great kibble option for your four-legged babies – Zignature Zssential Multi-Protein formula, which is made of prime-quality novel protein sources headed by real turkey meat, plus salmon. It’s appropriate for sensitive dogs as it has none of the common food allergens. 

The ingredient list is absolutely impressive, with all components sourced from highly reputable suppliers around the world.

With a high 32% protein load, and 18% fat content, this grain-free diet is great for maintaining an ideal weight. It has only 35.5% carbs content too, which is below average for dry pet food. The salmon oil in the recipe offers an ample supply of fatty acids.

Zignature is also one of the best-loved pet food brands in the premium category. It accumulated rave reviews from hundreds of online customers, mostly in high praises for its taste and quality.

Many dog parents also mentioned how their pooch’s itch subsided after shifting to this brand. There were a couple of complaints about the kibble crumbling easily, and one that said his dog developed an allergic reaction to it.

If both premium dry foods mentioned above are beyond your budget, you may want to consider VICTOR Purpose Nutra Pro. It offers a low-carb option with sufficient essential nutrients that can help the pooch's body deal with toxins.

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Best Supplement

Fera Pet Organics Mushroom Immune Support Pet Supplement

First 5 Ingredients: Organic Lion's Mane, Organic Red Reishi, Organic Shiitake, Organic Cordyceps, Organic Maitake

It helps to give your dogs the extra immune boost to protect their body from toxins.

Some dogs could benefit from additional nutrients that help the body to function effectively. For this reason, giving your pup some supplements greatly help with various health problems.

Fera Pet Organics Mushroom supplement is an excellent health booster as it is rich in antioxidants that fight free radicals. They contain beta-D-glucans that support a healthy immune response.

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More About Lipomas in Dogs

Are Lipomas in Dogs Painful or Life-threatening?

Being usually benign tumors, most lipomas in dogs are not considered cancerous, as they do not spread to other tissues.

But they may cause some discomfort to canines if they grow as large as a golf ball or larger and hamper the dog’s normal movement, or if the fatty lumps grow in inconvenient parts of the body like the armpits or groin, or nerve-rich areas. In this case, surgery is the best option.

What Are The Contributing Factors That Cause Lipomas In Dogs?

The exact cause of canine lipomas is still undetermined although there are a number of suspected factors that may help develop lipomas in dogs, especially in seniors and genetically prone breeds.

Here are the most common contributors to lipoma growth in dogs:

Poor Diet and Contaminated Water

A poor-quality dog’s diet is believed to be the most common trigger for the formation of lipomas in dogs. Many cheap commercial dog foods have ingredients that are unhealthy to canines like too many carbohydrates in the form of cheap grain fillers, artificial preservatives, and other toxins.  

An abnormality in the immune system, especially in the lymphatic system, which is partly responsible for blocking toxins from entering the blood system, may result in the disposal of these unwanted substances through the dog’s skin leading to the formation of fatty tumors. If you persist in giving your pups substandard and toxin-heavy diets, then good luck in keeping these lumps away.

Contaminants in the dog’s water like chloride and fluoride can also aid in developing fatty tumors. Better to give your pups filtered water.

Medication and other Chemicals

Some of the drugs consumed by or applied to your dog may also result in lipoma growth. Toxins from grooming products, medications for ticks and other parasites, and other chemicals may contribute to lipoma growth in some cases.

Your dog may be exposed to a number of chemicals in your home or garden, such as pesticides and cleaning formulas, which can contribute to the development of fatty lumps. Try not to use pesticides and other harmful chemicals when you have pets.

Toxic synthetics from plastic food and water bowls also find their way into the dog’s system. Shift to a stainless steel bowl, which is the safest material for pets.

How Are Lipomas In Dogs Treated?

A fatty tumor can be surgically removed. But since most dog lipomas are benign tumors and are harmless, surgery is not normally necessary except when they are causing discomfort to the dog, or hampering movement.

An invasive or big lipoma may cause some muscle pain or hinder movement, in which case surgery may offer the dog relief. But since aging dogs are especially susceptible to lipomas, surgery could even result in complications and other health problems. It’s always best to consult a vet first.

In rare cases, some dog skin tumors are malignant tumors known as Liposarcomas, which must be treated more aggressively, typically with surgery, as they have the ability to metastasize.

Another method being used nowadays is liposuction that extracts the fat cells from these lumps. Even after surgery or liposuction, however, the chances for regrowth are quite high.

Alternative Treatment 

Some holistic veterinarian methods are also available in treating lipomas in dogs. These alternative treatments help lessen or shrink fatty tumors by stimulating the body to gradually process the fat cells until the tumors diminish.

This is especially effective during the early growth of the skin lumps. These methods are usually safe but take time to show results. You can consult a holistic veterinarian in your area about lipoma treatment.

Some homeopathic vet treatments also use herbs and various essential oil sources, including CBD oil, to eliminate toxins and prevent lipomas in dogs. Herbal remedies lack scientific backing but have quite a number of success stories too.

Among the herbs typically used by homeopathic vet practitioners are chamomile, chickweed, milk thistle, dandelion, and turmeric. A concoction called golden paste that uses turmeric powder as the main ingredient is known to help ease inflammatory conditions.

Some studies show that CBD oil and other hemp and cannabis substances can help fight tumors. These substances are said to prevent the growth and proliferation of cancer cells.

CBD oil is slowly making its way into various medical treatments, including cancer treatment, as it’s believed to boost the immune system’s ability to battle cancer cells.

If your dog is already undergoing conventional medical treatment, don’t attempt to mix with herbal remedies without consulting your vet first as these may alter the results.

 

What To Do If Your Dog Has Lipomas and How To Prevent Them

Many cases of lipomas in dogs involve overweight dogs. Therefore, keeping a healthy weight would be incredibly helpful in keeping these nasty lumps away, or at least controlling their size and number.

Regular grooming helps a lot in the early detection of fatty tumors. Shorter hair will enable pet parents to spot the early growth of a fatty tumor, which starts as the size of a pea. The early assessment by the vet can help largely in containing the further growth or increase in the number of dog lipomas.

A holistic veterinarian would suggest more natural measures to help reduce and prevent lipomas in dogs, which may actually help more than conventional remedies like synthetic medication.

Here are some tips to help prevent or reduce fatty tumors in your dog:

Exercise

To keep a healthy weight, dogs need regular exercise. More playtime of fetch or just the regular walk in the park will go a long way in improving canine health and prolonging a dog’s life. It will also keep them happy and stress-free. As mentioned earlier, fatty tumors seem to develop more in fat dogs. Fresh air and sunlight are also highly beneficial to your pets.

Keep Toxins Away From Your Pup

Try to protect your dogs from consuming, inhaling, or touching toxic chemicals such as cleaning products, pesticides, and other toxins. These make the immune system, especially the lymphatic system, work harder. 

Change to High-Quality Diet

A shift to a high-quality dog’s diet may be the most important move you can do to help your dogs with lipoma. Most of the toxins in your dog’s system come from the diet you give.

Too much of these toxins become problematic for the lymphatic system to function and inhibit the effectiveness of the immune system and liver function to process toxins.

This is why a dog’s food must be free of toxins from artificial ingredients found in many commercial food products. Check out the portion in this article about what to look for in the best diet for lipomas.

To avoid toxins in food, the best diets for dogs with fatty tumors are fresh foods, if you have the financial means and the time to prepare.

Home-cooked or raw diets are better options for your dogs with lipomas than most commercial dog foods. This is because fresh foods have none of the artificial components that bring toxins to food.

If you cook the food, don’t include any of the spices or ingredients commonly added in human foods as these are not safe for dogs. Don’t use conventional cooking oil or canola oil either. Better to use olive oil or coconut oil, which are minimally processed.

Raw feeding is okay too for as long as the meat you serve is clean and free of common flesh-dwelling bacteria like salmonella.

Organic meats are best as they’re not exposed to any chemical processing. Raw food diet is great for its clean and high proteins but lacks some of the essential nutrients your dog needs. You can give your dogs some supplements to augment raw feeding.

If you don’t have the time to prepare a raw food diet, some pet food companies offer freeze-dried or dehydrated raw foods that are ready to serve. These products however are quite pricey.

Also, you can find available fresh food options for dogs that are commercially available and ready to serve too. In our list of the best dog foods for lipomas, you will find some recommendations.

Clean, Filtered Water in Stainless Steel Bowls

Tap water or water from a deep well has some toxic contaminants that can only add to the toxins in the dog’s body. If your dog is developing lipomas, shift to filtered water to minimize contaminants.

Also, don’t use plastic water or food bowls as they tend to accumulate some bacteria, aside from potential little pieces of the plastic contaminating the water or food.

Herbal Supplements

Some homeopathic and holistic veterinarian approaches to dealing with a dog’s fatty tumor are the use of herbal remedies and natural foods.

Some of the commonly used herbs for this purpose are milk thistle, dandelion, and burdock, which are believed to promote liver function, circulation, and elimination.

Check out some of the blog post materials available online about the proper use of these herbal remedies based on the personal experience of pet parents.

Conclusion

Fatty tumor growth is most prevalent in middle age to older dogs and overweight dogs. It is triggered by excess fats and toxins in the body that the system is trying to process.

These lipomas are mostly harmless and may be surgically removed. Keeping a healthy dog weight may help prevent or reduce lipomas in dogs.

A healthy diet, with lower carbs content and none of the poor-quality components and artificial ingredients, can help minimize toxins in the body and prevent lipomas.

Especially for older dogs, a regular visit to the vet can help largely in extending a dog’s life.