My large dog has bone cancer. Are there alternatives to euthanasia?

Unfortunately only your veterinarian can answer this question. In general amputation buys a few months time and considering your dog is already very old for a Belgian Shepherd, it may be more humane to give your dog palliative care than go through with the surgery. If your dog has arthritis in his hips, having only one hind leg may put serious strain on the arthritic hip and this will cause more pain. Discuss good pain management with your veterinarian. An alternative would be to go see a veterinary oncologist who is most experienced in assessing bone cancer cases and can give you good statistics as well as has most experience with good palliative care.

Oh my, I'm so sorry to hear about Dodge's diagnosis. Bone cancer (most commonly osteosarcoma) is extremely painful and most cases metastasize (spread elsewhere in the body) by the time they are diagnosed. His lethargy could be a side effect of the anesthesia, but it could also simply be a sign of pain from his cancer - there is no way to differentiate between the two. Anytime an osteosarcoma is present, euthanasia is always an option due to the aggressive and painful nature of these tumors. Unless you are considering a limb amputation and chemotherapy, it sounds as though euthanasia may be warranted to ease any suffering that Dodge may be experiencing. I'm so sorry that you are all going through this.

She has most likely been diagnosed with osteosarcoma (in the forelimb probably head of the humerus) which is a primary bond tumor. Bone tumors are painful and typically amputation is recommend with follow up chemotherapy. In the event the cancer has metastasized (spread) or it is suspected the patient will not have a good quality of life with three legs, less invasion options such as radiation therapy are recommended but only as palliative measures. If you have not already discussed talking to a veterinary oncologist with your veterinarian, I would recommend doing so. They will be able to provide you with a detailed treatment plan and prognosis.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend that you look into other treatment options before considering euthanasia. There are a lot of treatment options nowadays including simple things like joint diets. I really like the Science Diet j/d for joints. This is usually very helpful. Sometimes adding other medications such as Amantadine, gabapentin and NSAIDs can help. There are other options like radiation therapy and laser therapy that can help. I recommend you discuss these options with your veterinarian. Best of luck!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Brownie. I'm so very sorry he has cancer. Domestic rabbits typically live between 8-12 years, so he is definitely a senior rabbit. The problem with osteosarcoma is that there is a high risk of metastatis (spreading) to other parts of the body, typically the lungs. I'm not sure if you have had x-rays done of his lungs, but there may be a chance it's already spread. There is a possibility that the spread may not show up on x-rays just yet as the cancer cells are too small to detect at the moment. I'm also not sure about his anesthetic risking, meaning that giving him anesthesia could be very risky at his age depending on his health. There is a lot to consider here, and I'm not sure how much life he would have left after surgery. Sometimes yes the surgery can be worth going through even in a senior animal, but there are other questions that need to be answered like if the cancer has spread and his anesthetic risk. I would discuss these questions with your vet, which will help you make your decision. Other things to consider is that it will take a number of weeks for him to recover from surgery, and that life expectancy after surgery is not very long, usually a couple of months. I would take that into consideration as well when making your decision. I can't tell you which way to go, but I do hope I've helped you with some things to consider. Again, I'm very sorry.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear about the cancer diagnosis. While this cancer is unlikely to be cured, there are other strategies you could consider such as radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy which may help prolong Odie’s survival with good quality of life. I would recommend you check in with a local veterinary oncologist who can review the case and make further recommendations. Have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The fact that these biopsies have come back inconclusive does not mean that this is not cancer. Unfortunately, this is very likely an aggressive form of cancer. After seeing these images, my main concern is that this is possibly a tumor arising from one of the ribs or sternebrae such as osteosarcoma for instance. In one of the images I see that there is likely pulmonary nodules which are most likely due to metastasis or spread of this cancer. It is hard for me to advice further without being able to look at more images or know more about the case. I would encourage you to check in again with them as another biopsy could be performed. Also, if there is truly already signs of metastasis, the treatment options and prognosis are also limited. I would mention to them the possibility of being referred to a veterinary oncologist who can look at the case with more details and advice further. I really hope they can help you and your boy!