Ability to treat tumors previously considered untreatable with radiation.Potential for quicker recovery with fewer side effects.Fewer treatment sessions compared to conventionally fractionated radiation therapy (CFRT)-patients require only 1-3 sessions, which means fewer anesthetic events, less risk, and less disruption to your schedule.Maximum damage to the tumor and minimal collateral damage to healthy tissues nearby.The main advantage of SRS/SRT is that it delivers high doses of radiation with sub-millimeter precision. Follow-up chemotherapy is still necessary. This advanced, highly accurate type of radiation therapy focuses high doses of radiation to damage and kill osteosarcoma cells. It can also be an alternative to amputation for dogs in which the osteosarcoma hasnвЂ™t destroyed a great deal of bone. When surgery isnвЂ™t an option due to tumor location, stereotactic radiation (SRS/SRT) can be beneficial. The complication rate for this type of surgery, particularly infection, is relatively high, however. Limb-sparing surgery-in which the tumor is removed and the bone is replaced with another bone (either from your pet or from a bone bank)-may be an option depending on the tumorвЂ™s location and whether it is relatively small at the time of diagnosis. While amputation isnвЂ™t the right option for all pets, otherwise healthy dogs can function quite well with three legs. Treatment Options for Osteosarcoma in DogsД«ecause osteosarcomas tumors are so aggressive, amputating the affected limb followed by chemotherapy to treat metastasis is the most common treatment. If you are concerned that your dog or cat may have osteosarcoma, we encourage you to consult with a board-certified veterinary oncologist to examine your pet and answer your questions.

Osteosarcoma is extremely aggressive, and it spreads quickly to other parts of the body, making early detection and treatment vital.

Osteosarcoma can occur in any bone in a petвЂ™s body, but in dogs, most tumors appear in the front limbs near the shoulder, wrist, and knee. Large or giant/tall dogs are also at greater risk, as are middle-aged to older dogs. Scottish Deerhounds are genetically predisposed to osteosarcoma, and it occurs frequently in other large-breed dogs, especially Rottweilers. Certain dog breeds are more prone to developing it. The cause of osteosarcoma in dogs isnвЂ™t well understood. вЂњPrimaryвЂќ refers to cancer that starts in the bone versus spreading (metastasizing) into the bone from somewhere else. Other types of bone cancer include chondrosarcoma, fibrosarcoma, and hemangiosarcoma. What You Should Know about Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer) in DogsДЄ type of bone cancer called osteosarcoma is the most common type of primary bone cancer in dogs, accounting for over 95% of all bone tumors.

Bone cancer painful