The most common cause of death in dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma, especially those undergoing an amputation, is metastasis to the lungs. Because of this, systemic chemotherapy is recommended as a follow-up to surgery for dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma.
What is the right time to euthanize a dog with osteosarcoma?
(Bone cancer rarely produces complications that cause a pet to pass away without being euthanized.) Sometimes it is obvious that it is the right time for euthanasia: the pet's pain may become unmanageable, or the pet might stop eating.
How long does it take for a dog to die from osteosarcoma?
Because osteosarcoma is a painful disease, amputation also provides relief from unrelenting discomfort that is hard to control with pain medication alone. However, the prognosis remains poor with surgery alone; 90% of dogs will die of this disease within one year if surgery is the only treatment attempted.
How long can a dog live with untreated osteosarcoma?
Without therapy average survival time is approximately two months. This is primarily determined by the discomfort associated with the primary tumour. If amputation is performed the average survival time is increased to six and a half months with 2% of patients alive after two years.
How fast does osteosarcoma progress in dogs?
It develops deep within the bone and becomes progressively more painful as it grows outward and the bone is destroyed from the inside out. The lameness goes from intermittent to constant over 1 to 3 months. Obvious swelling becomes evident as the tumor grows and normal bone is replaced by tumorous bone.
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