Here's What You Need To Know About Bone Cancer In Dogs

Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone cancer that develops in dogs. Here’s what you need to know about it.

Dogs At Risk

Any dog can develop bone cancer, but certain dogs are more at risk:

Medium, large, and giant breeds
Male dogs
Middle-aged dogs (not very young or old ones)
Metallic implants from previous injuries
Previous exposure to radiation

Symptoms

Welling
Loss of appetite
Lameness
Paralysis
Breathing difficulty
Lethargy
Pathologic fractures
Exercise intolerance

Diagnosis

A veterinarian will begin by performing a thorough examination of your dog, as well as asking for their full medical history and symptom history.

Radiographs are a common form of examination, through which a vet can see if a bone is being eaten away. This is a process called lysis. If your dog has lysis, the next step will be determining a cause for lysis, typically through microscopic cell examination.

A radiograph of the chest will also likely be conducted, and blood work will be collected. This is to check on other organs and ensure that the cancer has not spread further. Commuted tomography may also be performed on the chest, and some treatment procedures will need an MRI scan.

Treatment

After a lot of discussions with your vet, a treatment plan will be determined. Treatment options include:

Chemotherapy
Hospice or palliative care
Surgical amputation
Tumor resection
Radiation

Amputation or resection is the most common next step after diagnosis. In very advanced cases, hospice care is often the main focus.

Survival Rates

Here’s what to expect in terms of survival for your dog:

Amputation treatment only typically leads to a 4-month survival rate
Amputation and chemotherapy treatments combined typically lead to a one-year survival rate
In terms of limb-sparing versus amputation, there does not seem to be much of a survival rate difference
Untreated dogs will likely have a survival rate of 3 months or less

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