Canine osteosarcoma usually appears in large dogs, often in the legs.
Sometimes the tumor originates in a place where an earlier injury occurred.
Warning signs include limping, especially progressive lameness, and swelling.
The cancer weakens and destroys the bone as it progresses, which can sometimes
result in fractures.
This is a primary tumor, which means that the cancer originates in the bone
and then moves elsewhere in the body. It is extremely aggressive. The cancerous
cells tend to metastasize first to blood-rich cells, such as those present in
the lungs. Frequently, by the time the dog manifests visible symptoms, such as
limping or swelling, the cancer has already spread. Repeated coughing is a sign
that it may have invaded the dog's lungs.
Treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The
traditional surgical option is amputation, but recently a few universities have
been performing limb-sparing procedures. This usually involves removing the
tumor and strengthening the limb with a bone graft. Whatever surgical option is
chosen, it must be combined with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy in order
to be effective. This is because surgery removes the main tumor, but if the
cancer has metastasized to the lungs or spread elsewhere in the bones, it will
only continue to advance.
Chemotherapy is very effective at killing any remaining cancer cells present
in the dog's body. Basically, it is the process of injecting or administering
orally a combination of drugs designed to target cancer cells. Chemotherapy
drugs kill cells that grow quickly, like cancer cells. (Other fast-growing cells
include those in the hair follicles, which explains why chemotherapy can cause
hair loss.) The idea is to kill the cancer cells without permanently damaging
other, healthy ones.
Both chemotherapy and radiation therapy can be offered in lieu of surgery.
This is good, because some dogs are not good candidates for surgery, such as
those who are elderly or suffering from hip dysplasia or arthritis. But if
chemotherapy and radiation therapy aren't appropriate either, then pain
management becomes paramount.
Veterinarians have a wide range of narcotics available to control pain, many
of which are also approved for use in humans. As with humans, however, these
drugs may inhibit a dog's responses. He or she may sleep too much, or seem woozy
or dazed. If this is the case, the veterinarian may suggest delivering the
narcotic through the dog's skin, in the form of a patch. This method has risks
of its own, but can significantly enhance the quality of the dog's life.
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