Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs over 10 years, and welfare-centred decision-making around treatment, palliative care and euthanasia timing is a major ethical challenge.
Dogs with cancer experience pain, reduced appetite, fatigue and progressive functional decline. Welfare-centred cancer management balances treatment benefit against treatment burden — chemotherapy side effects in dogs are generally milder than in humans, but palliative care may provide better quality of life for some patients. Quality of life scales (HHHHHMM — Hurt, Hunger, Hydration, Hygiene, Happiness, Mobility, More) provide owners with structured decision frameworks to avoid both premature euthanasia and unnecessary suffering.