Cancer is a leading cause of death in dogs over 10 years. Welfare-conscious oncology balances treatment benefit against quality of life throughout the diagnostic and treatment journey.
Canine cancer management requires ongoing welfare assessment throughout the treatment journey. Chemotherapy protocols in veterinary medicine are designed with quality of life as the primary goal, producing fewer severe side effects than human oncology. The welfare-conscious approach involves regular honest assessment of treatment benefit versus burden, genuine consideration of palliative-only care as an ethical choice, and proactive pain management for painful tumor types including osteosarcoma. End-of-life decisions should be guided by quality of life assessment rather than prognosis alone, with euthanasia available as a welfare-positive option when suffering cannot be adequately managed.