Posts tagged "osteosarcoma"

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a life-threatening affliction for household pets. As part of a Paw Nation series providing background about the medical problems your pet may suffer, we spoke to Becky Salinger, DVM and owner of Austinburg Veterinary Clinic in Austinburg, Ohio, to get some insights about the condition. You should always consult your veterinarian before giving medicine or supplements to your pet.

What are the signs that my pet has osteosarcoma?
Osteosarcoma can occur in any bone, but the most common site we see is in the limbs (75 percent of all tumors occur in the limbs). Dogs with OS of the limbs [show symptoms of] lameness and many times there is a swelling at the location of the tumor. Some owners may notice a rapidly growing swelling.

As the owner of a three-legged pup we know how tough it can be seeing your four-legged friend turn into a tripod. Balancing on three legs can be transitionally tough for newly amputated dogs, but we can't begin to imagine how hard it is when you weigh in at 180 lbs.

Gibson, a seven-year-old Harlequin Great Dane and five year Guinness World Record holder for tallest dog (he stands 7-feet tall on his hind legs) was diagnosed earlier this year with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that affects between 6,000 and 8,000 dogs annually. Seven weeks post-surgery he's doing great, though he's still adjusting to balancing on just one front leg. We wish Gibson many more years defending his record title!

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