Osteosarcoma findings (unscientific)

[chivas]

As some of you may remember, a while ago I asked everyone whose dog has died from osteosarcoma to send me in some info that me and my vet were interested in.
Now this is NOT a formal study, just what we found out.

We are assuming ALL the dogs were pure breed rotties.

28 dogs

16 female
12 male

91% neutered
(80% done before age of 2)

Males seemed to have acquired OS at the median age of 6.
Females seemed to have acquired OS at the median age of 8.

Surivival time (if owner treated to cure CA and not just manage pain) median time - 3 months.

Youngest dog who acquired OS - 2 yrs.
Oldest dog - 12 yrs.


Like I said - not a formal study, just some things we found out. We are going to do a more through study with dogs with OS concerning diet and if they had any trama to the bone that acquired OS prior in life, this will include ACL surguires.

Kim

[LikeToRun]

Originally Posted by chivas

Surivival time (if owner treated to cure CA and not just manage pain) median time - 3 months.

This is interesting...Chivas, does this mean that pain-managed dogs lived longer? We've seen this in some cases of human cancer treatment, people who receive initial surgery to remove their cancerous growths, yet decline chemo/rad treatment outlive patients with similarly vicious cancers who opt for the full aggressive therapy. {disclaimer: I am not an oncologist, just an interested physiologist with a family history to be concerned with }

It does beg the question thogh, as to whether it is right to roll the dice and put somebody--some dog--through the pain and suffering, and often terminal damage of chemo/rad on the off-chance that their cancer will remit, or allow them a happy couple of months or years, and then lem them go in peace.

Thoughts?

[chivas]

Actually, no, it did not appear that only pain managed dogs lived longer. But this was only 28 dogs - I am hoping to get a wider range with the next study.
Kim

[cwasser]

Originally Posted by chivas

As some of you may remember, a while ago I asked everyone whose dog has died from osteosarcoma to send me in some info that me and my vet were interested in.

Like I said - not a formal study, just some things we found out. We are going to do a more through study with dogs with OS concerning diet and if they had any trama to the bone that acquired OS prior in life, this will include ACL surguires.

Kim

I was not a Forum member when you started your study, but I can relate my experience with OS. In January of 2002, my 4 year old female (Nuschka) had ACL surgery on her left hind leg. In August of that year, I took her back to the surgeon as she was still limping, but it appeared to be coming from the front. We took x-rays and the OS was discovered in her left front ankle. Because of the ACL surgery and arthritic changes in her right front leg, she was not a candidate for surgery. I chose to manage her pain. I let her go on December 5, 2002. I probably could have waited longer, but her bone had become rather fragile and I was terrified that she would break it when I wasn't home. Her breeder said that she was not aware of any of Nuschka's siblings having cancer. From the time she started eating until she died she was fed Nutro large breed dog food. As far as I can remember, that leg never sustained any sort of trauma.

I hope this helps.

Carol

[Rottlva]

Chivas, thank you again for your tireless efforts. Day by day, your information helps people and thier dogs. Thank you. What a beautiful way to remember your girl.

[SonnyRott]

I think this study is terrific and I thank you for taking the time to do it.

Just wondering though....of the dogs in your study, were any related? Did they have similar dogs in their pedigrees?

[chivas]

I dont know how many of the dogs where related. I just asked members on here to share their info with me, I dont believe many if any where related.

[livertw]

Just curious: Are the dogs in your survey all purebreds with champions in their lineage going back years and years? I wonder if the beautifully bred dogs on this forum with great pedigrees that all meet the standards for the breed are more prone to cancer, bad hips, etc., than my back-yard-bred, out of standard, no papers, no champions anywhere on the horizon, tall thin Daisy? This has been kinda tweaking at the back of my little brain for a while..............

[chivas]

I assumed they were all purebreds, I dont know the lines but I doubt the majority where champions. I had 2 unrelated dogs that had OS, one had decent bloodlines but by no means championship, the other was a BYB dog.

[livertw]

I guess this was poking at my little grey cells because the two purebred dogs I have owned that came from fantastic lines (a German Shepherd and a gorgeous Cocker) both had more "problems" than all the mutts and BYB pooches I have had. There is probably nothing to it, just a niggling conjecture in my little pea brain.