Fibrosarcoma in Dogs (Bone)

Fibrosarcoma in Dogs (Bone)

By: Dr. Jeffrey Philibert

Section: Veterinary Care In-depth

Diagnosis In-depth

Your veterinarian will perform a complete medical history and a thorough physical examination. Medical tests are needed to establish the diagnosis, exclude other diseases, and determine the impact of fibrosarcoma on your dog.

  • Complete physical exam. A thorough exam is necessary not only to localize the site of the cancer but also to asses your pet's general health. Your pet's general condition may drastically influence the recommended treatment options.

  • X-rays of the affected body part. X-rays allow us to take pictures of the bones inside the body. This is a procedure that can be performed in almost all veterinary hospitals, and there is no risk to your pet. In some pets, a mild tranquilizer or anesthesia may be recommended.

  • Complete blood cell count (CBC). This test can determine if inflammation, infection or anemia is present.


  • Biochemical blood profile. This is a blood test to assess the general health of the body organs such as the liver and kidneys and levels of electrolytes (minerals) in the blood. Abnormalities noted in certain levels of this screening test might suggest dysfunction of these organs, which may or may not be associated to the spread of the cancer.

  • Urinalysis. This test can help determine the health of the kidneys and the pet's hydration status.

  • Biopsy of the tumor. This is an essential procedure to make a definitive diagnosis of bone cancer. It is done while your pet is under anesthesia as bone biopsy is generally painful.

  • Radiographs of the chest/lungs. Although it is uncommon for this type of cancer to spread, X-rays of the chest are usually taken prior to doing any kind of surgery to assess your pet's general health.

    Therapy In-depth

  • Surgery. The most common approach to the treatment of fibrosarcoma involves removal of the tumor along with normal surrounding tissues. Because fibrosarcoma most commonly effects the legs, this poses many difficulties with advanced disease. This is the best means of removing the burden of the cancer and for most animals it will result in abolishing the pain caused by the cancer. Most animals spend at least one day in the hospital postoperatively.

    At home, your pet will need to be highly restricted in his activity until the surgical site heals and the sutures/staples are removed, usually after 10 to 14 days. During this time, your pet should be restricted from climbing stairs unattended, jumping or playing. You will need to keep the surgical site clean and dry. Most animals go home on some form of pain control. Any questions that you have about your pet during the postoperative period should be discussed with your veterinarian. Once healing has occurred your pet can resume exercising gradually. It is surprising to most owners that most animals feel so much better with the cancer being gone that they are acting normally within 2 to 3 days postoperatively.
  • Chemotherapy. Because this type of cancer rarely spreads, chemotherapy is rarely prescribed. If it does spread, chemotherapy is initiated in the postoperative period after healing has occurred and the sutures/staples have been removed. During chemotherapy drugs are given as intravenous injections following a set schedule of every three weeks for a total of 4 to 6 doses. There are many different types of chemotherapy drugs and your veterinarian is likely to refer you to a veterinary oncologist in your area who can advise you on treatment options. The most commonly utilized drugs are cisplatin, carboplatin and adriamycin. All of these treatments have about the same impact on prolonging survival to about 10 to 12 months from diagnosis.

  • Radiation therapy. A beam of radiation is directed at the tumor resulting in pain relief. It is a highly specialized treatment available in select referral veterinary centers and is prescribed in very select cases, usually when a pet has existing conditions that disqualify him for surgery. It typically involves three treatments given over a three week period, but with some oral tumors a full course of daily treatments is recommended.

  • Pain medications. For those that choose not to pursue any of the above treatments, the administration of both narcotic and non-narcotic anti-inflammatory drugs can help in making your pet more comfortable for some period of time.

    •  
    Printable Version
     
    Have a Pet Question?
    Review the Most Frequent Questions
    Answered by Dr. Jon and His Staff of Veterinarians
    Ask Dr. Jon
    Dr. Jon's Newsletter
    Yes! Send Me the Latest Health Information, Pet Tips, Pet Stories and more...
     
     

    Related Articles

    • 1 Osteosarcoma

      Osteosarcoma is a type of cancer that typically arises in the bones of the limbs, or the appendicular skeleton. Less commonly, it may occur in the bones of the spine, pelvis, and skull – the axial skeleton....

      Read MoreRead More
    Related Articles
    • 1Osteosarcoma

      Osteosarcoma is a type of cancer that typically arises in the bones of the limbs, or the appendicular skeleton. Less commonly, it may occur in the bones of the spine, pelvis, and skull – the axial skeleton....

      Read MoreRead More
     

    Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles

    Dogs & Puppies
    Cats
    Related Articles
    • 1Osteosarcoma

      Osteosarcoma is a type of cancer that typically arises in the bones of the limbs, or the appendicular skeleton. Less commonly, it may occur in the bones of the spine, pelvis, and skull – the axial skeleton....

      Read MoreRead More