Cancer is a leading cause of death in older dogs and a major source of pain and suffering. Effective palliative care including multimodal analgesia significantly improves quality of life for dogs living with cancer.
Dogs with cancer frequently experience inadequately managed pain — owners and veterinarians sometimes underestimate cancer pain, and treatment focus on curative intent can overshadow palliative needs. The welfare priority in advanced cancer is maintaining quality of life through effective pain management, appetite support, and maintaining the dog's ability to engage in activities they enjoy. Specialist palliative care input, quality-of-life assessment using validated tools, and open conversations about euthanasia timing are all important welfare interventions that improve the end-of-life experience for dogs and their families.