Bone cancer, and specifically Osteosarcoma is one of the most common bone cancers in dogs. It has been estimated that 10,000 dogs are diagnosed each year with Osteosarcoma which is approximately 5% of all dog cancers.
It is a cancer predominantly of older dogs but can also occur in dogs 1-2 years of age. Males appear to be affected more commonly than females. It has been estimated that dogs weighing >80lbs are at least 60 times more likely to develop this cancer than dogs weighing <75lbs.
Commonly affected large breed dogs:
• Rottweilers
• Sain Bernards
• Newfoundlands
• Bernese Mountain Dogs
• Great Danes
• Golden Retrievers
• Dobermans
• Weimeraners
• Boxers
Affected dogs usually present with lameness or a solid bone swelling.
Treatment Options:
• Amputation of the affected limb
• Removal of the affected bone
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Pain management
Unfortunately, this type of bone cancer is highly aggressive and often spreads to other organs such as the liver, kidney, skin or other bones.
As with most serious problems in pets, it is best to pick up changes early so there is a better chance of survival.
Monday, April 20, 2009
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Sadly, we lost our 4 year old chocolate lab to this. We did catch it early, but it had already spread to his spleen, which we had removed. We could not remove the original tumor because of the location of it in his pelvic bone. However, we did get almost a full year after removing his spleen. Such a awful disease for dogs of any age. Help find a cure by donating to http://curecaninecancer.org
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