Canine Bone Cancer, a Cruel Disease

You may think that your dog has merely sprained its leg after playing at the park, but when that lameness persists and the leg becomes painful to the touch, it may be the only sign you have that your dog has developed bone cancer. Your veterinarian can confirm whether it is a sprain, strain, break or cancer after a thorough examination and x-rays.

In the past, if the cancer was located in a limb, there were few alternatives other than leg amputation or possible bone grafts. The thought of a three-legged dog was not acceptable to many pet owners. Bone grafting, also known as a limb sparing procedure, is costly and only a limited number of veterinary hospitals in the United States perform this type of very complicated surgery.

The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana, is investigating a technique that is presently being used in human trauma patients that have lost large sections of bone. Bone transport osteogenesis, also known as BTO, consists of placing small fragments of the patient's own bone in to the area of bone loss. The tiny pieces of bone stimulate new bone growth. The use of chemotherapy, which is often needed in cases of bone cancer, has not been shown to adversely affect the regeneration.

Lameness in a pet can be the result of many conditions. Your pet may be favoring a leg because it was playing and is merely sore. Trauma such as a broken bone can side line your pooch. Congenital diseases such as hip or elbow dysplasia can be initially very subtle and worsen with time. If you notice your pet having difficulty getting up, not being as eager to go for a walk, is stiff after exercise or just seems to be walking funny, see your veterinarian for a complete physical examination. It may be nothing serious and only require some rest and relaxation or some medication to ease its' discomfort. Though you may be tempted to give your pain medication, don't there may be serious side effects. When in doubt, see your veterinarian because it is "Your Pet…Health Matters."