Congenital facial infiltrative lipoma in a calf

The clinical and pathologic findings related to an infiltrative facial lipoma in a 5-month-old female Holstein Friesian calf are reported. The tumor was congenital, increased in size with time, and deformed the left side of the face and cranial bones. The clinical condition of the calf was good; the only detectable abnormalities were poor weight gain and decreased motility of the left upper lip. Clinical and radiologic data indicated the mass was not removable. Muscle and lymph node invasion by tumor tissue were detected histologically. Infiltrative lipoma is a rare variety of lipoma that has been reported in dogs, cats, horses, and humans. Although its cytologic characteristics are those of a benign tumor, in this patient the invasiveness of the neoplasm was associated with poor prognosis.