Dog Bone Cancer - Is There Hope For Dogs With Bone Cancer?

Osteosarcoma accounts for well over 80% of all dog bone cancers

. Even though these tumors may appear in any bone, they tend to develop in the long bones of the legs. The most typical locations for osteosarcomas to develop are in the parts of the shoulder, the wrist and the knee joints.

This disease takes place most often in larger sized breeds of dogs that include Rottweilers, Great Danes and Greyhounds. It would appear that the elevated risk is linked to swift growth as a puppy, along with elevated leg size.

Osteosarcoma can occur in dogs of any age, but the average age at diagnosis is 8 years. It has even been reported in dogs as young as 6 months old.

Diagnosis

Most dogs with osteosarcoma are taken to the veterinarian because they have developed a limp, or because their owner has noticed a hard swelling on their leg, which is growing larger.

Your veterinarian will probably suspect dog bone cancer based on your dog's breed, age, and the location of the swelling. They will suggest further tests to make sure that they are on the right track. This particular type of tumor has some characteristic features on x-ray and that is often enough to confirm the diagnosis. If there is any doubt or confusion, it will be necessary for your dog to undergo a bone biopsy. A small piece of bone is removed under a general anesthetic and sent to the pathology lab for examination. This is the best way to be 100% confident that you are in fact dealing with an osteosarcoma.

It is also likely that your dog will undergo blood tests and also chest x-rays to check for spread of the cancer.

Prognosis

There is no doubt about it: osteosarcoma has a very poor prognosis. In over 90% of cases, this dog bone cancer has spread to the lungs at the time of diagnosis, and secondary lung cancer is the usual cause of death. Even with aggressive treatment, the average survival time is only 1 year.

Given the likely outcome of treatment, should you put your dog through the stress of treatment of osteosarcoma? This is a decision for you to make in conjunction with your veterinarian, and should be based on your dog's age and general health. There is no right or wrong answer. It's important to remember that this type of cancer is extremely painful, and good pain relief is essential to give your dog a good quality of life for the time they have left.

Has your dog been diagnosed with cancer? Do you suspect that he might have this dreaded disease?

by: Ginny Carroll

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