Surgical management of infiltrative lipoma on the ventral abdominal region of a one-year-old Alsatian cross bitch

Lipomas with intramuscular infiltration are prone to recur when they are not resected with a wide margin irrespective of their location whether in the trunk, extremities or the head and neck. These benign tumours can rapidly enlarge; infiltrate local tissues, thus requiring wide-margin resection which is performed with an attempt to preserve important structures as much as possible. A 1-year-old Alsatian cross bitch was presented at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike with a complaint of growth on the ventral abdomen. On physical examination, the physiological parameters including rectal temperature, respiratory and heart rates were within the normal range of values for dogs. A pendulous round mass measuring about 12 cm X 6 cm X 4 cm at the ventral abdominal region which on palpation was firm and painless was also observed. Fine needle aspirate cytology revealed lipocytes occurring singly and in groups. The growth was surgically excised under injectable general anaesthesia. Histopathology showed severe proliferation of adipocytes and adipose tissue in the dermis and muscle layers of the abdominal wall. The case was followed up for up to 12 months and there was no recurrence. This case report provides evidence that surgical excision of infiltrative lipomas if carefully done to remove all tumour tissues, can be curative.