I have found two lumps on my 11yr old springer, they are either side of his rib cage area and i can only describe them as being under the skin and feel like small lumps of silicon! flattish but a bit squishy jelly like.
He is absolutely fine in himself, no change in eating habits or energy levels. Not sure whether I need to jump straight to the vets just yet as clinically he is very well but thought i would ask for some advice first.
what do fatty lumps feel like?

I found a small lump that sounds like that on my 11 yo and the vet said it was nothing to worry about. Prpbably a good idea to take your dog though jus to put your mind at rest.

> what do fatty lumps feel like?

Pretty much as you describe :)  Smooth and mobile is generally a sign not to worry but you are always best to get it checked with a proper examination by a vet rather than an internet diagnosis :)

My 12 and a half year old has had a lump like this for about 2 years in near enough the same place as you describe, it has been checked by the vet who says fatty; you can get your fingers right round it ( if that makes sense) I have now discovered another one coming up on the other side, I will be taking him in for a old age check up in the next couple of weeks. So as others have said I would not be too worried ( easier said than done) but would have the vet look at it for you.

Hope all turns out well.

To be sure you should go to the vet, but as others have said fatty lumps tend to be soft.
My bitch that i lost to cancer some years ago had a tumour in her groin and that felt very different, I could get my fingers round it but it felt like a lump of gristle.

thanks sounds ok then but will get them checked when we have vaccinations done.
He is very fit & well so didn't think they could be too serious.

Pepsi is more lump than dog these days, she has an orange sized one in her neck that has been there at least 2 years and has been fine needle biopsied and is a fatty lump.. and lots of smooth lumps just behind her elbows on her rib cage, on her back, her back legs everywhere... most have been looked at by the vet and all suspected fatty lumps, most have not been touched. As she is older and not in the greatest of health with her joints and now her heart we would never put her through any surgery, so no point in putting her through any diognostic treatment. Non of them cause her any pain or impact on her life at all. It really is a case of each dog is different and the choice of treatment made to fit the dog.
I am a firm believer in letting my girls enjoy life once they get to a certain age without invasive intervention to diagnose, if I feel they have reached an age when I would not inflict surgery on them except for life or death situations like bloat maybe. Her daughter at nearly 8 years old or Grandaughter at 20 months are however still active happy bouncy dogs and I would certainly look carfully  if a lump may have a more sinister cause and consider surgery for both of them.
The fact that he is fit and well may not be an true indication as many cancers show little effect on a dog untill they begin to encroach on vital organs or bone structure.
Hope he is OK
Aileen

Sounds fatty to me but you can have them checked to be sure - not necessarily with taking them off, my vets have been happy to just aspirate lumps on an older dog rather than put them through surgery.

Remy and Tia are very lumpy dogs - Remy's are all as you describe, like little jellyish silicone type lumps and he's got loads of them.  His first one is now the size of a date and has been growing for about 4 years.

Tia has less but bigger - the biggest one has been aspirated and is fatty only but is rock hard and immovable, so even then it's not necessarily bad.  In her case it's the position that's the problem (tucked in behind her 'tricep' and now it has a little soft one growing underneath pushing it out).

I've only ever had 3 lumps removed - all from the same dog, my last one.  And only one of those was suspect (and turned out to be fatty too), the others again were position - one had 'fallen' down her side under the skin, cut itself off from its blood supply and started to die, and the third was just circumstantial - the fallen lump landed on top so the vets just took the other one while they were there.

IME the only problem is that mast cell tumours are very good at disguising themselves as fatty lumps, or warts, or whatever....

The main lump that the vet aspirated and thought was a fatty lump, 6 months later turned out to be a Grade 3 mast cell tumour requiring major surgery and follow-up chemotherapy. She had 2 others removed at the same time, and one turned out to be a Grade 1 MCT and the other benign. All lumps were different and all looked innocent, until the main one started itching and became a bit scabby. Winnie wasn't even 7 at the time. I'm not sure how much I'd put an "old" dog through but wouldn't consider and 11 year old Springer to be that "old". 

> I'm not sure how much I'd put an "old" dog through but wouldn't consider and 11 year old Springer to be that "old". 

That's it, they're all so different.  Tia was still plenty lively enough when she arrived with her big lump - it's the stress of surgery/recovery that stopped me putting her through it (and the ultrasound and possible surgery for her tumour/s now).  If she were younger it would perhaps have been worth it, and I do wish my idiotbrother had had the lump taken off when it first showed - but him being him, didn't notice it until I picked her up a year ago (and yes, it was as big then).

I'm taking my old Goldie in on Tuesday for ultrasound and x-rays for his "abdominal pain" (all bloods etc have been fine) and although he won't like me leaving him there they're hoping to be able to do both without anaesthesia as he's usually so good. As you say they are all different and depending on the results I'll then make the decision of what to do next based on the diagnosis and his temperament not his age.