Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in older dogs. Welfare-centered management balances treatment efficacy with quality of life throughout the cancer journey.
Cancer causes significant suffering through pain from tumor growth, invasion of surrounding tissues, and metastasis. Osteosarcoma pain is particularly severe -- bones destroyed by tumor are exquisitely painful and fracture risk adds acute injury to chronic pain. Treatment decisions require honest weighing of quality of life against survival extension -- aggressive treatment that causes significant side effects may not be appropriate if quality of life during treatment is poor. Palliative care focused on pain management and quality of life may provide better welfare than curative treatment in some cases. Regular quality of life assessment using validated tools guides compassionate decision-making.