Jojo was the first dog treated in a new clinical trial testing focused ultrasound histotripsy for the treatment of canine lipomas at Virginia Tech.
The most common skin tumor in dogs, lipomas are benign fatty tumors. While treatment is not always required, large or complex lipomas can cause discomfort or mobility issues. Traditional intervention involves surgery or radiation, but some dogs do not tolerate surgery or the Elizabethan collar well, and owners may prefer a noninvasive option.
In Jojo’s case, a subsection of the lipoma was ablated with histotripsy. The research team found that, similar to other histotripsy procedures, the ablated treatment zone was immediately identifiable by ultrasound imaging, confirming the effect. Check-ups one and two weeks after the procedure found Jojo was doing well and showed no signs of collateral effects or abnormalities after treatment.