Cancer is a leading cause of death in older dogs. Managing welfare during cancer treatment and making humane end-of-life decisions requires a quality-of-life-centred approach.
Dog cancer welfare requires balancing treatment benefit against treatment burden in a species that cannot express treatment preferences verbally. Veterinary oncology decisions should centre on quality of life - whether treatment maintains a positive lived experience - rather than simply maximising survival time. Dogs undergoing chemotherapy generally show fewer severe adverse effects than human cancer patients, and many maintain good quality of life during treatment. When treatment can no longer maintain quality of life, palliative care focusing on pain management, comfort, and positive experiences becomes the welfare-optimal approach. End-of-life decision-making supported by validated quality of life tools helps owners make informed, welfare-centred decisions.