My senior dog has a foot tumor. What are the treatment options?

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.

The option is to do nothing and just wait until the tumor is so big that is causes problems or pain or ulcerates. There really are no other options other than surgery (debulking the tumor), maybe radiation (this willl depend on the kind of tumor) or chemotherapy (which also depends on the kind of tumor. I suggest you discuss palliative care (just treat symptoms until euthanasia) with your veterinarian. I am sorry your Rusty is so ill.

I am sorry, but there is no cure for cancer. Small tumors can be removed surgically and then undergo chemotherapy or radiation therapy depending on the type of tumor and if clean margins were made during surgery. If this is not an option for Hundoll, then he would be considered for hospice-type care. I would recommend that you have have him evaluated by a vet for pain. You can feed him whatever he wants at this point. Acupuncture may help with some of the pain, but it won't be able to stop the growth of the tumor. You may be able to find a vet in your area that uses herbal remedies, but they need to be prescribed after careful examination of the dog.

I am so sorry that Wilbur has a tumor. Would amputating the leg be an option for him? That removes the tumor, you don't have to worry about having enough skin to cover the area, and dogs do great on three legs. Can you speak to another vet about a second opinion?

I'm sorry to hear about Stephanie's problem. To know for sure what the type of growth is and what to expect from it, a pathologist should look at a sample of the tissue from a surgical biopsy. Without this info, we are just guessing by its appearance, rate of growth and our experience. I am very concerned by the appearance of this mass and the rapid growth after it was initially removed. It is suggestive of a malignant mouth cancer. These are typically very aggressive and very difficult to treat. Your best bet is to ask your veterinarian to refer you to a veterinary oncologist. This is a specialized doctor that can give you the best treatment options. My guess is that they could combine radical surgical resection of the growth and the portion of the jaw that it is growing from. This may be preceded by or followed by radiation treatment. They can go over the prognosis and what exactly to expect, but your regular veterinarian is probably limited to the surgery that was already done. It can be repeated, but the outcome will be the same....rapid tumor re growth. Ask your veterinarian if there is a good specialist that you can see to find out all of your options and decide if treatment is feasible.

I am so sorry, but there is nothing you can do at home for this, other than try to keep it clean if it breaks open and bleeds (which it looks like it could do at any time). Short of taking her in, there really just aren’t any options... this would require surgical removal. If she’s comfortable, eating, and happy, it’s not wrong to just love on her for the time she has left and not pursue treating the tumor. Again, I’m sorry I don’t have more options to offer you. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor guy. That is a lot to consider. Here is a good treatment plan. Tumor on belly- I would recommend getting this removed surgically and then sending it off for analysis so that you know if it is benign or cancerous, and if any further treatment is recommended. Arthritis- you can attempt to manage this with over the counter Dasuquin. This product works very well for mild arthritis symptoms. But if his arthritis symptoms are moderate to severe, then he will respond better to prescription medications and/or arthritis injections (Adequan) through your vet. Swollen elbows- I would really have to visualize this in order to give you recommendations on care. If you are trying to describe calluses on the elbows, then getting Dixie soft bedding can help this. Calluses in general however are not harmful or painful to your pet, because they are the body's response to laying on hard surfaces. This is a way for the body to protect itself from cuts or abrasions developing on the skin. Wart-like lump in ear- Warts are quite common in older dogs. They are usually benign however and don't require treatment unless they start to bother your pet Dixie or if they ulcerate and/or bleed. If the wart does become a problem then surgically removal is how you would resolve this.