How Much Does Dog Lipoma Removal Cost?

On average, the cost of lipoma removal surgery ranges from $200 to $500 per mass. If the problematic lipoma is located in a more out of reach part of the body, like intramuscularly or on an internal organ, that price can jump to at least $1,000.

Bear in mind that these are just averages, and the cost to have a lipoma surgically removed from your own dog will depend on the size of the tumor and where in the body it’s located, as well as the age, breed and overall health of your pup.

Although harmless in most instances, larger lipomas do sometimes require surgical removal if they’ve formed in areas inhibiting your dog’s mobility, such as near the armpit, on the backs of the thighs, against major joints, or in more severe cases, between muscle layers. Oral lipomas and growths around the throat can result in restricted breathing and swallowing, also mandating removal surgery.

In rare instances, diagnostics might reveal that a fatty lump is actually a liposarcoma — a malignant soft tissue tumor. The silver lining with liposarcomas is that they’re slow to metastasize (spread to other parts of the body), which gives pet parents a bit more time to solidify a treatment plan with their vet. An often-recommended approach for eradicating liposarcomas typically involves a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Veterinary scientists haven’t yet been able to pinpoint what exactly causes lipomas in some dogs but not others, but a few major risk factors have been identified, including:

• Age: Lipomas are most common in middle-aged and older dogs. And if one lipoma is present, odds are they’ve had enough time to develop a couple more. If this is the case for your dog, your vet may recommend multiple biopsies at once, just to be on the safe side. Diagnostic costs will vary mostly based on how accessible the tumor is for testing.
• Breed: All canine breeds are equally susceptible to lipomas. However, Labrador retrievers, poodles, Weimaraners, Doberman pinschers, cocker spaniels, dachshunds and miniature schnauzers seem to be more genetically predisposed to these fatty tumors.
• Weight: Overweight and obese dogs are especially prone to lipomas. Lipomas may be more difficult to notice in overweight dogs as they can become easily hidden by excess fat. This can prove particularly dangerous in the event of a malignant tumor like liposarcoma.

Minimum Lipoma Removal Cost

Simple lipomas — ones that you might notice mid-belly rub since they can be felt through the top layer of skin — are going to be cheaper to diagnose than infiltrative lipomas.

Because simple lipomas are subcutaneous, sitting just beneath the fur and superficial tissue, a biopsy can be easily performed through a fine-needle aspirate, which averages in cost from $20 to $100. Diagnostics like this are included in most pet insurance wellness plans. 

For this minimally invasive test, your veterinarian will use a syringe with a thin needle to withdraw a cell sample from the lump in question. If your veterinarian gives you the all-clear and diagnoses your dog with a simple lipoma, there’s really not much else that needs to be done in terms of treatment. Some pet owners might feel compelled to have the mass removed for cosmetic reasons, but doing so could put your dog at an unnecessary risk for surgical complications and infections.

Maximum Lipoma Removal Cost

Infiltrative lipomas, which are named for how they infiltrate muscular layers and connective tissues, aren’t as accessible as simple lipomas and will require radiography like an ultrasound, X-ray or CT scan to diagnose. Medical imaging usually costs around $150 per scan.

The most expensive aspect of a canine lipoma removal is the surgical procedure itself, especially if the lipoma is large or in a location that is hard to access, like between major organs.

As stated, most veterinarians will not perform a lipoma removal for simple lipomas. However, if a simple lipoma is causing your dog discomfort, the cost for removal starts at around $200 per mass.

Surgical removal of infiltrative lipomas is far more complex. Given that infiltrative lipomas tend to latch onto major muscles and connective tissue, the excision needs to be extremely precise and may need to be done by a board-certified surgeon. Due to the difficult nature of this surgery, infiltrative lipoma removals can exceed $1,000. You may need to pay extra for your pet’s preoperative exam, initial blood work and vitals, general anesthesia, follow-up vet visit, and other itemized fees.

Radiation therapy, which can easily creep into the thousands of dollars, is sometimes used in conjunction with surgery for larger infiltrative lipomas in order to further prevent future regrowth.

Whether lipoma removal is covered by your pet insurance provider depends on if lipomas are a preexisting condition for your dog.

If your dog already has a few benign tumors before you enroll them in a policy, the surgical cost for potentially larger or more problematic future lipomas will likely not be reimbursed. However, if your dog is diagnosed with a liposarcoma or any other form of cancer, the majority of accident and illness pet insurance policies will cover the diagnostics, removal surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and more.

Even if your dog already has a few simple lipomas, new lumps and bumps are always something worth having looked at by a veterinarian. Ultimately, dog lipoma removal cost will be defined by the severity of the tumor, the scope of necessary treatment, and how your dog responds to surgery and recovery.

One key differentiator between lipomas and unrelated malignant tumors to keep at the forefront of your mind is that benign bumps are slow-growing. If you notice a mass on your dog that is quickly augmenting in size, seek out veterinary attention immediately.