Dr. Rosie DVM

Canine Osteosarcoma: Hard Conversations and Honest Options

Dr. Rosemary Stolzer-Bolton, DVM, DVMCanineFree Preview

Appendicular osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor in dogs and a disease that demands both clinical precision and honest communication — because by the time of diagnosis, 90-95% of patients already have micrometastatic disease. Follow Thor, a 9-year-old Rottweiler with distal radial OSA, from radiographic recognition through amputation, carboplatin chemotherapy, multimodal pain management, and the eventual metastatic conversation. Earn 1.0 RACE CE credit.

Learning Objectives

1Recognize the clinical and radiographic presentation of appendicular osteosarcoma in large-breed dogs and apply the staging workup including the prognostic significance of preoperative alkaline phosphatase
2Compare treatment options — amputation plus carboplatin, limb-sparing surgery, palliative radiation, and comfort care — with their respective median survival times, complication rates, and quality-of-life implications
3Construct a multimodal analgesic protocol for osteosarcoma bone pain using NSAIDs, gabapentin, amantadine, opioids, and bisphosphonates, targeting each tier of the pain pathway
4Integrate evidence-informed complementary modalities — acupuncture, omega-3 fatty acids, turkey tail PSP, curcumin, and dietary modification — into a conventional osteosarcoma treatment plan with explicit evidence level ratings
5Apply the HHHHHMM quality-of-life scale to guide monitoring and end-of-life decision-making for osteosarcoma patients, including the timing and framing of the euthanasia conversation

Course Syllabus

1
Meet Thor — The Lameness That Isn't Getting BetterPreview
module-1-meet-thor
8 min
2
Biology and Staging — Understanding the Enemy
module-2-biology-staging
8 min
3
The Treatment Decision — Amputation, Limb-Spare, or Palliative
module-3-treatment-options
9 min

Final Assessment

10 questions · Passing score: 70%

Complete all course modules to unlock the assessment. Upon passing, your CE certificate will be generated automatically.