Pet Owner’s Guide To Osteosarcoma In Canines
Osterosarcoma is commonly referred to as bone cancer. Originating deep inside the bone, the tumor slowly grows outwardly. This causes a slow destruction of the bone from the inside. This cancer can affect any bone in the body, but the limbs are affected in the majority of cases. This article will discuss everything you need to know regarding osteosarcoma in dogs.
Causes
There are various reasons why osteosarcoma in dogs can occur. Some family lines simply have a genetic predisposition to this cancer. Pre-existing abnormalities may also lead to this condition. Foreign objects in the bone, chemicals, and radiation are other common causes.
Signs
As mentioned earlier, this cancer grows deep inside the bone and progresses outward. Your dog will experience more and more pain as the condition advances. Dogs usually experience lameness in the affected limb. Dogs usually only have problems with lameness occasionally in the earliest stages of the disease. Over time, it will affect your dog constantly.
Diagnosis
You need to have your dog checked out as soon as possible if he displays signs of this disease. The first step will be to take an x-ray of the limb. The x-ray should be enough to give a definitive diagnosis. Sometimes, your done may need to have a bone biopsy. Vets usually try to avoid this though since it can be quite painful.
Treatment
Treatment of osteosarcoma needs to begin quickly since the cancer can spread rather quickly. Medication will be prescribed to try to control the growth of the tumor. Pain medication is also necessary since the condition causes lots of pain. The affected limb may need to be amputated if the pain gets to be too bad. To avoid amputation, a bone replacement may be done. Dogs can also receive chemotherapy and radiation to combat this disease.
Your precious pet can be susceptible to common illnesses in dogs. You can read up on many different potential health problems at dog-illnesses.com. Click over right now.
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