Immunotherapy is transforming cancer treatment in dogs, offering new hope for difficult diagnoses. Understanding welfare implications helps owners make informed decisions about treatment.
Cancer immunotherapy represents a significant advance for dog welfare by offering treatments that may cause fewer systemic side effects than traditional chemotherapy while achieving meaningful anti-tumour responses. Welfare-centred oncology considers not just survival time but quality of life throughout the treatment period. Key welfare considerations include the burden of veterinary visits and treatment administration, management of immune-related adverse events, monitoring for pain and discomfort, and honest assessment of when treatment is providing benefit versus prolonging suffering. Palliative care including pain management, nutritional support, and comfort measures should accompany all cancer treatments. Decisions about treatment intensity and duration should involve frank discussions between owners and veterinary oncologists about realistic expectations and the dog's individual responses.