What Unexpected Costs Can Occur From Lipoma Removal?
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.
How Much Does Lipoma Surgery Cost?
Several factors may influence the cost of lipoma removal surgery: the number of growths, location of the growths, and your dog’s age, breed, and health.
The number of growths will play a huge role in determining price. Typically, removal will cost around $200 to $600 per lipoma. The location of the lipoma will raise the price if the site is difficult to reach. For instance, if the lipoma has developed on an internal organ, the price will be much higher than if it had formed just below the skin. Deeper, harder-to-reach locations can hike the price up to $1,000 per mass, at a minimum.
The age and breed of your dog will also play a role in determining the price. Likewise, the health of your dog is an essential factor. Surgery may be more difficult if your dog is overweight or otherwise unhealthy. This will lead to an increase in price that will vary depending on where you seek treatment.
At a minimum, you will need to expect costs for veterinary exams and a biopsy diagnosis. Biopsies can range from $30 to $70 and are usually covered by pet insurance preventative care plans.
For more difficult lipomas, the diagnosis will be more complex and expensive. Extra costs may include an ultrasound, an X-ray, or a CT scan for lipomas beneath the superficial tissues. You can expect a scan like this to cost around $150 or more.
There will likely be other itemized fees to consider, such as blood work, anesthesia, and follow-up vet exams.
What does a lipoma look like?
Lipomas usually start as a small, round bump under the skin. The size of the lump will depend on how much fat the tumor contains, but canine lipomas can appear quite large. Usually, they’re soft and somewhat movable, although firmer masses or ones that are more firmly attached to the underlying tissues are also common.
Fatty tumors often appear on dogs’ neck, leg, chest, and back. Many dogs develop multiple lipomas on the body at once. Obese dogs tend to develop larger lipomas than others, and the fat deposits might shrink with weight loss, but typically do not disappear completely.
How to Get Rid of Fatty Tumors in Dogs (One Simple Supplement)
If you notice a lump has appeared overnight on your dog’s neck, chest, leg, or back, don’t panic. Many pet parents will fear their dog has cancer, but before you jump to the worst-case scenario, schedule an appointment with your vet to evaluate the lump. It may be a lipoma.
A lipoma is a common type of tumor that affects approximately 16% of dogs1. Though the word “tumor” may sound frightening, it’s important to know that these abnormal growths are benign fat build-ups and typically harmless.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about canine lipomas, removal costs, treatment methods, and more.
Pro Tip: Not sure whether you should take your dog to the vet to get a lump checked out? With pet insurance, you can worry less about the cost of vet visits with peace of mind knowing that you’ll be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses spent on covered medical conditions.