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Why Biopsies Matter if Canine Bone Cancer is Suspected

Posted by  on Friday, November 11th 2011     

For most of us, the amputation process is a trial-by-fire experience that leaves our heads spinning. If cancer is suspected, it’s critical for us to advocate for our dog’s treatments, even if our vets seem to be on the ball.

One of the ways we can ensure that all treatment options are presented to us is by ensuring that a biopsy is performed on our dog’s affected limb, before and/or after amputation.

Recently we were saddened to hear that a member’s vet did not send the dog’s amputated limb to a pathology lab for a post-op biopsy. This wasn’t the pawrent’s fault, they trusted their vet to follow standard cancer diagnosis protocols. Sadly, the vet didn’t.

Being angry about this error doesn’t serve a purpose, but we thought we could turn a regrettable situation into an educational one, by reviewing the importance of this procedure for new members who haven’t gone through surgery.

Why Are Biopsies Useful?

In “The Dog Cancer Survival Guide,” (one of the best dog cancer resources available) Dr. Susan Ettinger DVM, Dip. ACVIM (oncology) says:

“Biopsy reports are extremely useful because they give the diagnosis and a detailed description of the cancer cells. They will also often report the tumor type, grade and sometimes a margin evaluation (which tells you if the entire tumor was likely removed). The lab may also include comments about the cancer’s likely prognosis, but these comments, unfortunately, could be viewed as facts. Keep in mind that the biopsy report is only one part of the story, and your dog’s prognosis is not based solely on this one item.

For a more complete and reliable prognosis for your dog, it’s best to have a discussion with an oncologist who has examined him, reviewed his medical history and stated his cancer for spread. Putting that information together with the biopsy report creates a more complete picture.”

Biopsy Types

Biopsies can be performed before or after amputation. Before amputation, a fine needle aspirate can detect up to 94 percent of bone cancers. When a diagnosis can’t be confirmed with this painless, in-office procedure, an open incisional biopsy may be suggested.

An open incisional biopsy is a general anesthesia procedure that takes several large bone samples from the affected area. It is a painful procedure and one that usually isn’t done unless an exact diagnosis isn’t achieved from a fine needle aspirate. It’s roughly $300 and complications can range from infection to a pathological fracture of the bone.

Why Biopsy?

Bone biopsies are not necessary before amputation if you are certain that you will amputate. While bone biopsies will help determine what kind of cancer your dog has, and what kind of treatment is best if you are considering chemotherapy, bone biopsies are not necessary if you know you will not pursue chemotherapy.

If you are leaning toward amputation and your dog’s diagnosis is up in the air, spare your dog the agony of this expensive bone biopsy procedure and ask your vet to conduct the bone biopsy after the leg is removed.

Recommended Reading

The Dog Cancer Survival Guide by Dr. Demian Dressler, DVM and Dr. Susan Ettinger, DVM, Dip. ACVIM (Oncology)
Three Legs & a Spare, a Canine Amputation Handbook from Tripawds
Tripawds Discussion Forum: Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Final Diagnosis?

 

 

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Penny Jars Measure a Dog’s Quality of Life

Posted by  on Tuesday, October 25th 2011     

When I was on my cancer journey, my doctor told us about “The Penny Jar” method, which can help pawrents measure quality of life as cancer progresses.

Spirit Bo’s folks also knew about this easy way to keep track of good and bad days. His mom Meghan generously provided the following description:

The Penny Jar Method: How to Measure a Dog’s Quality of Life
by Meghan Howell

“During the canine cancer journey, “bad” days are likely to arise. Sometimes the bad days are so overwhelming, we may overlook the many good days that our companions are having.

An effective way of assessing your canine pal’s quality of life is called the Penny Jar method.

To use this method, you will need two jars/cups and pennies. One jar is for good days and the other is for bad days.

It is important to establish a rubric, or standards, as to what constitutes a good or bad day. You can write out your rubric or keep a mental note of it, and it should be tailored to your dog’s specific issues.

For example, the most important issues that you may keep track of could be

  • appetite
  • mobility
  • breathing

Of course, each dog is different and will have his/her own set of standards to track.

After establishing the issues that you want to monitor, you will need to decide to what degree or how many of the variables will need to be abnormal to count it as a bad day. For instance, if two of the issues are off that day, you may want to count it as a bad day.

It’s important to remember that it is your dog’s health and days that you are assessing, not your own. A bad day at work should not equate to a bad day for your Tripawd.

Be sure to make the Penny Jar part of your daily routine so you do not miss a day. Sometimes, the good days are smooth rides and we may not think about the Penny Jar until a bad day hits.

Always add pennies daily in order to get an accurate assessment of your dog’s quality of life.

Be Consistent; there are No Wrong Decisions

The Penny Jar method can be used as a tool to aid you in the decision to set your dog free. You will need to determine at what point your dog no longer has a good quality of life.

At first glance, you may think that when the bad day jar has more pennies than the good day, it will be time.

However, some may decide that after multiple, consecutive bad days the time will be right.

When using the Penny Jar method, it is important to be consistent. There are no wrong decisions as long as you are honest with yourself and your Tripawd!”

Many thanks to Meghan for sharing this important tip with our community. If you would like to share tips from your own Tripawd journey, contact us here.

Recommended Reading:

 

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Veterinary Drug Shortages Coming to a Clinic Near You

Posted by  on Tuesday, September 13th 2011     

Cheap, generic pharmaceuticals come with a high price these days as many critical, lifesaving drugs are becoming scare at human and veterinary hospitals around the U.S. Will your chemo drug be next?

Tripawds member Princeton brought the shortage to our attention recently so we asked one of our favorite oncologists, Dr. Johnny D. Chretin, DVM, DACVIM of VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital, if he could tell us more about chemotherapy drug shortages in the veterinary world.

“As far as drug shortages, its an epidemic.  Bottom line is they are mostly generic, older drugs, that we are talking about. . . It all adds up to trouble. ” says Dr. Chretin.

Chemotherapy drug shortages include carboplatin, doxorubicin, and cisplatin. This list on PetMD includes other important veterinary drugs in short supply, such as the antibiotic cipro.

Experts give many reasons for the shortages but currently there are few solutions and the problem is getting worse every year.

Industry Consolidations and Patent Expirations

As patents expire on many older drugs, ranging from pain relievers to life saving chemotherapy agents, manufacturer profits can drop by as much as 90 percent, leaving companies with less profit incentive to continue making these drugs. In addition, the pharmaceutical industry is constantly undergoing constant mergers and acquisitions, which causes a dearth of manufacturers available to produce costly but lifesaving drugs.

Despite the shortage, the usual laws of “supply and demand” don’t apply here because the federal government prohibits manufacturers from raising prices on drugs more than six percent every six months.

To exacerbate the situation, companies are manufacturing their newer, patented chemotherapy drugs that are often the same drug as the older generic version but cost much more for patients. Unfortunately there are few alternatives for the older generic drugs that are in short supply and if a patient needs immediate treatment, their physician or veterinarian must turn to the newer, more expensive version. Sometimes they’ll look for vendors selling the older drug in the “gray markets” where markup is astronomical and quality control can be an issue.

Medical providers are often caught off-guard when a shortage happens, mainly because the Federal Drug Administration doesn’t require manufacturers to tell hospitals when their drugs will be in short supply. Currently, two bills in the federal government (Senate 296 and House 2245) have been proposed to require manufacturers to provide notice. Contact your representative to support these bills!

Be Prepared, Stock Up

To avoid being caught without the drugs your Tripawd (or you) need, do what Princeton’s mom did, and order enough ahead of time to cover all necessary treatments. While this will hurt your pocket book, at least you won’t go without.

If you’ve run into a drug shortage, what did you do to handle the situation? Let us know below in the Comments section, we’d love to know.

Recommended Reading:

National Institutes of Health Cancer Bulletin: Continued Shortage of Chemotherapy Drugs Causing Concern

Orlando Click: Drug Shortage Leaves Pets without Basic Treatment (includes video)

Pet MD: The Daily Vet: Drug Shortages a Problem for Pets Too

ABC World News: Chemo Drug Taxol Shortage Puts Cancer Patients at Risk (includes video)

 

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An Oncologist’s View on Treating Bone Cancer Dogs with Holistic Medicine

Posted by  on Tuesday, August 2nd 2011     

In this last segment of our video chats about canine bone cancer with Dr. Johnny Chretin, head of oncology at VCA Animal Hospital West Los Angeles Oncology Center, we asked him:

Can holistic treatments fight cancer in dogs?

Dr. Chretin is an advocate of holistic treatments and doesn’t discourage pawrents from pursuing this type of care, as long as pawrents are talking to a qualified practitioner and remain aware that holistic care cannot replace what western medicine does.

“Any good holistic practitioner is going to tell an owner what they can offer, not replace what western medicine does.”

VCA L.A. Oncology vet PatientHolistic care is not going to replace chemotherapy, or surgery, and if pawrents are talking to a practitioner who says their methods can replace these things, go somewhere else.

But for any pawrent who asks about combining holistic care with western medicine, Dr. Chretin says “I tell them ‘absolutely!’ Odds are you’re not going to hurt (the dog) and if they’re willing, I say more power to you!”

 At VCA Animal Hospital West L.A., Dr. Chretin works in conjunction with on-site holistic practitioners who treat his patients, which keeps the lines of communication open so both doctors know exactly how a patient is being treated. About 30 percent of Dr. Chretin’s patients are also being treated with holistic medicine.

 The jury is still out as to whether or not holistic care actually improves quality of life and fights cancer, but Dr. Chretin says “I think it’s a matter of time before we have a landslide of studies that say “yeah, that is the way to go. It’s not going to be across the board . . . I don’t know where it’s going to take off to, but there is something to it.”

Watch Dr. Chretin Discuss His View on Holistic Therapy

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Dr. Chretin has treated enough cases (like Reno, in the following video) to know that sometimes holistic care can make a difference, although nobody knows for sure. Still, he cautions pawrents to keep in mind that in his experience, probably less than half the holistic treatments available can actually do something for dogs with cancer.

 Dr. Chretin’s Team Helps Reno Beat the Odds

VCA L.A. Oncology vet Patient RenoOne of Dr. Chretin’s many long-term success stories is Reno, a three-year survivor of osteosarcoma who’s lived with lung mets for the last two years.

Earlier this year, Reno told us about his experience with chemotherapy, metronomic protocol and mushroom therapy.

In the following video, his dad explains what the family went through when Reno was diagnosed, why he pursued amputation and chemotherapy at VCA Animal Hospital West Los Angeles Oncology Center and how Reno and the family are coping with life on three legs.

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Thank You Dr. Chretin and VCA Animal Hospital

This is the last in our series of video interviews with Dr. Chretin at VCA Animal Hospital West Los Angeles. Check out more of Dr. Chretin’s informative advice about canine bone cancers, such as:

Tripwds sends sincere thanks to Dr. Chretin and his helpful staff for allowing us to bring this impawtant information to you!

Recommended Reading

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Walking the Talk, Living in the Now with Wyatt

Posted by  on Friday, July 29th 2011     

“Living in the Now” is common advice here at Tripawds, and this week we had to do our best to walk the talk after a huge lump appeared on Tripawd Spokesdawg Wyatt Ray’s amputation site.

Wyatt isn’t a Tripawd because of cancer, but when the lump appeared last Saturday, we couldn’t help but have flashbacks to when Tripawds Founder Jerry was diagnosed.

Wyatt is only 2.5 years old, but we’ve seen Tripawds as young as 15 months get diagnosed. After his local vet couldn’t diagnose the swelling, we feared that this awful disease was happening to us again.

Old Shoes Hurt

Fortunately we’re only an hour from one of the best veterinary teaching hospitals in the world, Colorado State University. That’s where Wyatt had three of the hospital’s most experienced soft tissue surgeons looking at his stump this week, trying to figure out where the swelling was coming from.

The wait was excruciating and put us right back into the shoes everyone wears when they first join this community. Wearing them again was painful.

Good News: No Cancer

Tests confirmed he didn’t have cancer, so Wyatt went into surgery on Wednesday for 2.5 hours to uncover the cause. After digging and probing, surgeons concluded that Wyatt’s amputation site was infected from “foreign material” that was trying to work its way out of his stump. The material and infected tissue is being sent out to a lab for evaluation and a final diagnosis.

Wyatt is finally home, high as a kite on Tramadol and looking very spacey, nervous and tired. Here we are once again, taking care of a post-op Tripawd.

We’re a little smarter than we were last time, but it’s still nerve wracking. Wyatt’s wearing a surgical drain that been stitched into his side. The drain looks like a hand grenade and we’re supposed to empty the fluid as it accumulates. This is something new to us.

He’s also on pain pills and anti-biotics, has post-surgery bruising and we need to watch him carefully until we take him back to CSU on Monday to have the drain removed.

The Bad News: Hip Displaysia

We’re thrilled Wyatt doesn’t have cancer, but at the same time, we were devastated to hear the surgeon tell us that he definitely has a good case of hip displaysia.

As a rear-leg amputee, hip displaysia is not going to be easy for Wyatt to cope with as he ages. Some day far in the future, the condition will impact all of us in a big way.

But for now, we are going to take things one day at a time, and enjoy every minute of our young, wild and vibrant Tripawd’s life.

Thank you everypawdy for your concern about this crazy kid. We’ll keep you posted when we have the lab results next week.

 

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Amputation Surgery Suture Reaction in Dogs

Posted by  on Tuesday, July 26th 2011     

Post-amputation suture reactions in dogs are rare. But, as we found out yesterday during our visit to Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, some dogs do experience a reaction to stitches at the amputation site, which can occur even a year or more after surgery.

As we wait for news about whether or not Tripawds Spokesdawg Wyatt Ray is having a suture reaction (nearly two years after his amputation), let’s talk about this impawtant topic:

Amputation Incisions: A Primer

Amputation sites are closed off using a combination of internal and external stitches, staples or even glue.

These diagrams and descriptions give a detailed outline of how the incision and stitches are made, but in short:

  • Three layers of a canine amputation incision area must be sutured closed: muscle, subcutaneous layer, and skin
  • The type of suture material, method and length used depend on the incision location
  • Internal sutures made deep in the body are typically performed using synthetic or natural material that gradually absorbs back into the body (which can take up to several months)
  • External sutures on an amputation site usually must be removed by hand
  • The kind of suture material and brand used by a vet is chosen according to the procedure being done and the material the vet was trained to use at school and in practice.

Most dogs do not have an allergic reaction to suture material used on their amputation site, but some dogs do.

Breeds more susceptible to skin sensitivities, like German Shepherds, may be more prone to suture allergies than others. Some brands of suture material cause a more severe allergic reaction than others.

Unfortunately one of the only ways to tell if your dog is allergic to a type of suture brand is by having surgery.

Symptoms of Suture Reaction in Dogs

If a sudden lump, rash or infection appears at the incision site, it could be a suture reaction. Signs include:

  • A sudden lump on or around the incision area
  • Irritation, burning or slight fluid drainage on the lump

If a lump suddenly appears on your dog’s amputation site, even months after surgery, have your vet look at it. An allergic reaction to sutures could lead to a staph infection, so get it looked at as soon as possible. In some cases, the incision will need to be re-opened to have the internal sutures removed.

While the lump could be a seroma, remember that seromas appear immediately post-op and often have slow but constant drainage. You’ll also see a large, puffy area directly underneath the skin.

Finally, if your dog is having a suture reaction, get the name of the suture material used by your vet. Then, if your dog ever needs surgery again, make sure the vet uses a different type of material.

Recommended Reading

About.com: Veterinary Medicine: From the Forum Veterinary Q & A: Suture Site Healing
Incisions and Healing in Animals, Veterinary Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc., Holly Nash, DVM, MS
An Overview of Suture Materials Used in Surgery
Tripawds.com Discussion Forum: Ask a Vet: Suture Reaction
DobermanTalk.com: Discussion Forum: Doberman Health: Dang! Staph Infection
Principles of Veterinary Suturing

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Tripawd Talk Radio Discusses Pet First Aid on Sunday, July 24

Posted by  on Thursday, July 21st 2011     

Jillian Meyers, Healthy paws L.A.Join us Sunday for Tripawd Talk Radio when we’ll have a conversation with Jillian Meyers, founder of HealthyPaws L.A., a center for pet first aid, CPR and general pet care.

Healthy Paws helps pet people prevent, prepare for, and respond to pet health emergencies.

We’ll talk about:

  • how to assess your dog’s health status
  • what to do if your dog is in distress
  • how to make your pup more comfortable during bad weather
  • signs that say it’s time to go to the vet.

This promises to be one of our most informative shows yet for Tripawds and quad-pawds alike. Mark your calendars to tune in and ask your questions!

Date: Sunday, July 24, 2011
Time: 6:30pm EDT (3:30 Pacific)
Duration: 30 min.
Call In Number: (310) 388-9739

Tune In Here: Pet First Aid, CPR and Safety for Dogs
Share Link: bit.ly/ttr072411

Post questions for Jillian with a reply to this topic, or join us in the Tripawds Live Chat during the show!

Tripawd Talk Radio Pet First Aid Interview

Recommended Reading:

Pet First Aid – What To Do In An Emergency
Healthy Paws Pet First Aid, CPR and Care Classes

DISCLAIMER: Information provided is for entertainment only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice.

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Bone Cancer Tumors and Treatment Options for Dogs

Posted by  on Tuesday, July 19th 2011     

During our video chats about canine bone cancer with Dr. Johnny Chretin, head of oncology at VCA Animal Hospital West Los Angeles Oncology Center, we asked him some questions that Tripawds members often ask, such as:

“Can Removal of the Primary Tumor Expedite Metastasis in Dogs with Osteosarcoma?”

Dr. Chretin states that in a small pilot study at a veterinary teaching hospital (likely Colorado State University), researchers studied a small group of 15 or 20 dogs who didn’t undergo amputation after being diagnosed with bone cancer because their owners didn’t want the surgery or couldn’t afford it.

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The pilot study followed these dogs throughout the remainder of their lives and concluded that there was no difference in the rate of metastasis among dogs who had amputation surgery versus those dogs who did not. This has also been the case in Dr. Chretin’s practice at VCA Animal Hospital.

Will Radiation Help if Postponing Amputation?

Another study at Colorado State University showed that a large percentage of osteosarcoma dogs who were treated with stereotactic radiation therapy instead of amputation had good long-term survival rates. Instead of succumbing to sudden pathological fractures or untreatable bone cancer, the cancer eventually metastasized as it does for dogs who do undergo amputation.

Why Amputate Sooner Rather than Later?

Although stereotactic radiation therapy is showing great promise for bone cancer dogs, it’s only available at Colorado State University and the University of Florida. For the majority of dogs who cannot undergo this therapy, their pain must be addressed promptly to avoid additional suffering.

“There’s no way to completely get rid of the pain, except taking the leg off,” says Dr. Chretin. “We can do quite a few things that can make them feel pretty darn good, but there’s no way to take all that pain away from them if they have that leg intact. By delaying amputation, the dog is at great risk of a pathological fracture and “that’s as bad as pain gets in animals,” says Dr. Chretin.

Historically, cancer researchers believed that the longer the cancer tumors are left in the body the more time it has to spread. However Dr. Chretin states that this theory is being challenged. Nobody really knows for sure at this point.

“That’s why medicine is really interesting and challenging,” says Dr. Chretin. “Just when we think we understand cancer and say ‘OK this is how it works, this is how the cancer has behaved over the last 20 years,’ all of a sudden someone asks a different question (and everything changes).”

Does the Location of a Tumor Matter?

Finally, we wanted to know, does the location of a dog’s bone cancer tumor determine the severity of the cancer or a prognosis?

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“I’m not aware of anything that says that radius versus humerus is any different,” says Dr. Chretin. Each individual dog’s cancer presents its own unique challenge. For example:

“If anything, having a tumor on a scapula might be better because (your dog) doesn’t necessarily have to lose the leg, you can just lose the scapula. So if you look at things from that perspective, then it’s better to have the tumor higher up.”

When a dog has a leg tumor it can be more challenging to treat, not because the cancer will behave more aggressively but because there is less tissue to work with when attempting to removing the tumor. This is why amputation is often the recommended treatment.

Moving down the leg, clinical studies show that if osteosarcoma is below the wrist, those patients tend to do better and live longer even without chemotherapy. The cancer will still spread but it seems to take longer. Unfortunately, it’s rare for osteosarcoma to present itself in that location.

What about limb sparing for lower extremity tumors?

Limb sparing is often presented as an option for dogs who aren’t amputation candidates or for pawrents who are hesitant about removing the limb. However, the reality is that a limb spare is a lot to put a dog through, plus there is a 30 percent risk of infection and a 30 percent risk of the cancer reoccurring in the same limb. Usually, the limb will have to be amputated anyways.

Stay Tuned for More Canine Cancer Oncology News

This is the latest in a series of video interviews with Dr. Chretin at VCA Animal Hospital West Los Angeles. Stay tuned for additional interview clips with Dr. Chretin that offer informative advice about canine bone cancers, such as:

Tripwds sends sincere thanks to Dr. Chretin and his helpful staff for allowing us to bring this impawtant information to you!

Recommended Reading

North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine: Osteosarcoma in Dogs

PubMed: Palliative radiation therapy for canine osteosarcoma

PDF: Bone Cancer in Greyhounds, Dr. Guillermo Couto, DVM, dip. ACVIM

Dr. Charles Louis Davis, DVM Foundation: Outline of Veterinary Skeletal Pathology

Veterinary Practice News: How to Treat Osteosarcoma When Surgery is Refused

All content Copyright Tripawds.com, July 2011. If you like this article enough to mention it on your website, we simply ask that you attribute the source and contact us when you post it.  Thanks!

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Vet Bill Financial Help from Smudge

Posted by  on Tuesday, July 12th 2011     

Tripawds are amazing and Smudge is especially awesome. Smudge and his people are founders of Smudgie’s Gifts, a fund to help financially distressed pawrents pay for urgent veterinary care. Smudge’s generous people, Ward and Cheri Wells recently told us about their work and we wanted you to know about it. The following guest blog post was submitted by Ward and Cheri.

Who’s Smudge?

When I held him in my hands he was just a small smudge.  Inky black with tan brows, the beagle-shepherd mix burrowed his tiny nose into my shirt while the fleas continued to ravage his skin.  His shabby old outdoor shelter, too rickety to be called a doghouse, lay nearby, void of his brothers and sisters already adopted.  He was the last.  The smallest.  The runt of the litter, and he chose me.

Smudge LoveyLoavesNow, 13 years later and one leg lighter, Smudge is still my little boy.  A bit whiter in the face but just as bright-eyed.  A bit slower to rise from his bed, but just as excited to hear the clink of the treat canister.  And now missing a leg, but still excited when the leash is taken off of the hook.  He’s my boy, and he is an inspiration.

In April 2011, after two unsuccessful surgical attempts to repair a torn ligament in his knee due to an injury, Smudge’s right rear leg was amputated.

Much more traumatic to us than to him, he accepted his new “specially-abled” status immediately and adjusted better than any human would to the same circumstances.

I believe that the vet removed a few years of Smudge’s age along with the leg, because Smudge’s demeanor since the surgery is more puppy-like, more playful, more endearing (if that’s even possible).

Smudgie’s Gifts Helps Pets Get Needed Care

Smudgie’s Gifts, a fund available through LoveyLoaves Inc, is for animals like Smudge.  These funds are available to pet owners and rescuers who are facing difficult veterinary costs due to their pets facing life threatening illness or injury.  LoveyLoaves Inc is a pet advocacy and wellness non-profit organization based in East Orlando, FL.

In addition to Smudgie’s Gifts, LoveyLoaves has goals that include:

  • educating the community about responsible pet ownership
  • the benefits of spay/neuter
  • the importance of microchipping
  • and many other pet-related topics.

LoveyLoavesTo learn more about Smudgie’s Gifts and LoveyLoaves, or to apply for funds please refer to our website.  Eligibility requirements do apply, and due to the many requests we receive, unfortunately not everyone will be awarded funds.

Decisions are made based on many factors including urgency of need, financial need, and availability of funds.

Please Help Smudge Keep on Giving

If you are not personally in need of Smudgie’s Gifts, but know of an animal that would benefit or if you believe in this very important cause, please consider donating and making a difference.

Download this veterinary financial aid document for more financial assistance resources if you’re having trouble paying vet bills. Admin heard about LoveyLoaves on LinkedIn. If your are “In” be sure to join the Tripawds LinkedIn Group!

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Canine Chondrosarcoma and Chemotherapy

Posted by  on Friday, July 1st 2011     

When a Tripawds member visits our Discussion Forums to find answers about canine bone cancer, if we don’t have the information, we’ll ask a professional. During our visit with Dr. Johnny Chretin, head of oncology at VCA Animal Hospital West Los Angeles Oncology Center, we wanted to know a little more about chondrosarcoma in dogs.

Chondrosarcoma in Dogs

According to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, chondrosarcoma is the second most common primary tumor of the axial and appendicular skeleton, after osteosarcoma. Only five to 10 percent of all primary canine bone tumors are of this type. However, compared to osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma is uncommon. Like osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma is a metastatic disease that spreads.

Chondrosarcoma is often found in cartilage of flat bones like the ribs, but sometimes presents itself as apendicular disease on thigh and leg bones. At first glance, it looks like osteosarcoma but it’s a slower moving disease. The tumors are much more resistant to chemotherapy than other types. As a result, surgery is the primary way to treat the disease as long as the tumors are in one part of the body and haven’t metastasized.

As Dr. Chretin discusses in the following video, chemotherapy is “a long shot” and has not been shown to be as effective in treating it.

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Chemotherapy and Chondrosarcoma

Like many cancers, chondrosarcoma behaves similarly in dogs and people. And unfortunately when it comes to treating it with chemotherapy, the success rate is typically less than 20 percent. That may sound positive, but in the oncology world, if a therapy doesn’t work for patients at least 30 to 40 percent of the time, it’s not considered to be effective or a good option.

Dr. Chretin states that there haven’t been any good, large scale studies done on dogs with chondrosarcoma who were treated with chemotherapy. However, plenty of studies done with humans indicate that the odds of success are just as slim for dogs.

“Unless there is a significant reason why we should give them chemotherapy,” says Dr. Chretin, “it’s hard to recommend it (chemo), because it doesn’t work in people and based on what we know, it’s probably not going to work for the majority of dogs.”

Although Dr. Chretin doesn’t recommend chemotherapy as a primary treatment for chondrosarcoma, if the dog isn’t a candidate for surgery, the tumor can be treated with radiation therapy to alleviate pain. However Dr. Chretin cautions clients to remember that “we’re not treating the tumor, just treating what the tumor is doing to the patient.”

Stay Tuned for More Canine Cancer Oncology News

This is the latest in a series of video interviews with Dr. Chretin at VCA Animal Hospital West Los Angeles. Stay tuned for additional interview clips with Dr. Chretin that offer informative advice about canine bone cancers, such as:

  • Cisplatin and Doxorubicin Side Effects in Dogs
  • Bone tumor removals: do they promote or prolong metastasis?
  • Does the location of a primary tumor impact cancer development?
  • Thoughts about combining holistic and traditional oncology therapies

Tripwds sends sincere thanks to Dr. Chretin and his helpful staff for allowing us to bring this impawtant information to you!

Recommended Reading:

Vet Info: Chondrosarcoma in Dogs

American College of Veterinary Surgeons: Bone Tumors in Cats and Dogs

Tripawds Discussion Forums: Chondrosarcoma

Tripawds News Blog: Bisphosphonates; When Amputation Isn’t an Option

VCA Animal Hospitals: Bone and Joint Tumors in Dogs

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Best Gear for Tripawds

Find the most helpful items for three-legged dogs by checking out Tripawds Gear product reviews and demonstration videos. Here you will find the popular Ruff Wear harness, and Bark'n Boots, or FitPAWS training equipment and much more!

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Tripawds Nutrition Blog

Learn about the best dog supplements and healthy pet diets for all Tripawds, with or without cancer. Save on dog medications, healthy food, and learn about K9 Immunty, Power Mushrooms, Dasuquin, and other recommended canine supplements.

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Gifts for Tripawd Lovers

Show your Tripawd Pride with three legged dog t-shirts, cards, caps, mugs, memorial gifts, and more! Follow the Gifts Blog for new item announcements, or browse the Tripawds Gift Shop directly. Get your Tripawds bandanna here. You name your price!

Get all the info you need with Dr. Dressler's Dog Cancer Kit!

New and improved K9 Immunity Plus — hope for dogs with cancer.

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