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In our experience, many owners have a harder time with amputation for a limb bone tumor than their pets! Most patients tolerate an amputation and even thrive once the painful tumor and limb are removed. In the case of limb tumors, surgical or radiation limb-sparing options may be possible. The best option is case and patient-specific and typically involves surgery (such as a limb amputation: watch this video to learn more) or radiation therapy. Local treatment of the primary tumor alone has a median survival time of about four months, while the addition of chemotherapy can extend survival time to a year or longer. It is also a highly aggressive form of cancer that has a high metastatic rate requiring systemic therapy (chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy) to help slow the spread of the bone tumor cells in addition to the local treatment of the primary tumor. Limb osteosarcoma commonly causes lameness and pain because of the invasion and destruction of healthy bone, necessitating a local treatment for the primary tumor. It’s our commitment to compassionate care. Pain management is always part of the care plan, and our team is here to help and support owners every step of the way, including end of life decisions. In the case of bone tumors, there are many options, and our team of experts will explain all of them to you, including the pros and cons for your pet and family, and help you make an informed decision. The goal of treatment for every patient at the Flint Animal Cancer Center is to help every pet live the longest and best quality life possible despite both the cancer and the treatment. Diagnostic testing also provides the oncologist with information regarding the dog’s general health and may identify concurrent medical, bone/joint, or nerve/spinal problems, all of which may influence the treatment recommendations. First, it is necessary to determine the tumor type and extent of the cancer. Work-up and staging are essential for two reasons. Definitive surgery, such as amputation in the case of a limb tumor, may be performed without a prior biopsy if the age, breed, location, and appearance of the tumor are all very suggestive of osteosarcoma. A PET-CT scan may be offered to evaluate the entire body for the presence of spread. Initial evaluation of a dog with a suspected bone tumor often includes a complete physical examination, blood tests, X-rays (of both the affected site and the lungs), a bone scan to look for other areas of bone involvement, and sometimes a fine needle aspirate or biopsy. Other clinical signs may vary, depending on the primary site and involvement of underlying structures. Some dogs may present to the veterinarian due to a fracture caused by the weakening of the affected bone. As the degree of discomfort increases, it can cause other signs such as irritability, aggression, loss of appetite, weight loss, sleeplessness, or reluctance to exercise. Limb tumors usually cause various degrees of lameness that may be intermittent initially, and it may improve in the short term with pain medications prescribed by your veterinarian. These tumors are usually painful because the cancer is destroying the healthy bone. A swelling, soft or hard that increases over time, can be associated with a bone tumor wherever it grows on the body. The signs associated with a bone tumor may be nonspecific. Various diagnostic tests such as X-rays, blood tests, and sometimes a biopsy are required to determine the most appropriate treatment. The biological behavior, prognosis, and treatment of bone tumors depend on tumor type, primary location, and extent of disease spread. In about 80 percent of patients, the cancer will spread to the lungs. It happens in smaller dogs but much less commonly than in larger breed dogs. Osteosarcoma commonly affects the limbs of dogs but can also occur in other parts of the body (skull, ribs, vertebrae, pelvis). Osteosarcomas are highly aggressive tumors, characterized by painful bone destruction where the tumor grows. Approximately 85 percent of canine bone tumors are osteosarcomas ( osteo = bone, sarcoma = cancer). Bone cancer is a common cancer in dogs, especially in large and giant breeds.