How to maintain quality of life for dogs with cancer through palliative and supportive care.
A cancer diagnosis in a dog requires rapid, emotionally difficult decisions about treatment and quality of life. Owners often fear that treatment will cause suffering comparable to human chemotherapy, while others continue treatment longer than welfare justifies out of love rather than the dog's interests. Good cancer welfare requires ongoing, honest quality of life assessment throughout the disease course. Dogs who are eating, engaging in activities they enjoy, interacting with family, and not in uncontrolled pain are thriving despite their diagnosis. Dogs who have lost interest in food, play, and social contact, or who are in poorly controlled pain, deserve honest assessment and compassionate end-of-life planning.