Soft tissue sarcomas are a common group of malignant tumours in dogs requiring wide surgical excision, with significant welfare implications for affected animals and their owners.
Soft tissue sarcomas grow progressively and can cause local tissue invasion, ulceration and pain if left untreated. Welfare priorities include early detection and excision with wide margins, histopathological grading to guide prognosis and adjuvant therapy decisions, radiation therapy for incompletely excised tumours, and regular monitoring for recurrence and metastasis.