Nasal tumors are the most common tumor of the nasal cavity in dogs, causing progressive facial distortion and breathing difficulty, with radiation therapy offering the best chance for extended quality life.
Nasal tumors cause progressive, distressing symptoms including chronic nasal discharge, nosebleeds, breathing difficulty, and eventually facial deformity as tumors invade surrounding structures. The slow progression means dogs may experience months of worsening symptoms before diagnosis. Pain from bone invasion contributes to suffering that is often inadequately recognized in affected dogs. Radiation therapy significantly extends life and improves quality of life for treated dogs, but requires general anesthesia for each of 15-20 treatment fractions — creating procedural stress. Palliative management for dogs not undergoing radiation requires careful pain management and monitoring of quality of life. The prognosis remains guarded and end-of-life planning is important given the typically progressive course.