Pain Management For Dogs With Bone Cancer

Many guardians are surprised to find out just how many tools veterinarians have to help with their dog s pain.

Pain management for dogs with bone cancer. Symptoms of bone cancer in dogs depending on where the cancer occurs the signs and symptoms of this cancer vary and can be non specific. Osteosarcoma osa at the top of the list osteosarcoma is the most prevalent type of bone cancer in dogs. Experimental models of cancer induced bone pain in animals have found that antibody blocking of ngf results in decreased metastatic bone pain 12 and a monoclonal anti ngf antibody developed for dogs is under clinical investigation. Bone cancer is extremely painful for canines so use of any combination of preferred methods will be beneficial in some way in helping to maintain a more manageable comfort level for your dog.

Pain management will depend on the type of pain the species individual pain tolerance and the overall health status of the pet. Many veterinary oncologists believe that bone pain caused by cancer is never truly managed adequately with pain medications alone. Amputation will restore quality of life and in many cases actually extend it since dogs with severe pain from bone cancer are often euthanized at an early stage to end their suffering. Pain is a problem for dogs with cancer because it causes such life quality loss that s why recognizing when your dog is in pain and finding a way to control dog cancer pain is a very important part of full spectrum cancer care.

Elements of oncology addresses the many components of diagnosing managing treating and monitoring veterinary cancer patients this new column begins with a series of two articles that describe strategies for cancer pain management in dogs and cats with an overall goal of raising awareness among the veterinary community about treating cancer pain early and recognizing that cancer pain can be. Bone cancer occurs more frequently in middle aged to older dogs average age is 7 years although osteosarcoma in the rib tends to occur in younger adult dogs. Pain relief for dogs may be necessary in a number of instances including when the dog is affected by a severe illness such as cancer. The best way to manage cancer pain in pets is to prevent it a term referred to as preemptive pain management.

13 use of canine anti ngf monoclonal antibody in an experimental model of pain showed significantly reduced. Bone cancer in dogs what it means for your dog and what to do types of bone cancer in dogs 1. Pain management for canine bone cancer is possible and there are many ways to help relieve your dog s discomfort.