Cancer is the leading cause of death in older dogs, and palliative care approaches that prioritise quality of life are increasingly available in veterinary oncology.
Cancer in dogs causes pain and dysfunction that requires active management to maintain welfare. The availability of veterinary oncology and palliative care has expanded dramatically, offering genuine quality of life improvement for many dogs with cancer. The welfare challenge is recognising when continued treatment maintains acceptable quality of life versus when it prolongs dying. Regular, honest quality of life assessment guides this critical decision.