Veterinary cancer specialist, vlogger, speaker, book author & focused on early detection & helping pets live longer & live well. 
04/23/2025
Osteosarcoma (OSA) is a beast of a cancer. 😞
It’s very aggressive locally with destructive bone changes and is highly metastatic. And even though less than 10-15% have detectable metastasis at diagnosis, 90% of patients succumb within 1 year with amputation alone due to metastasis.
The median survival time of this diagnosis with surgery alone is 4 to 5 months, with a 90% mortality rate in one year.
With chemotherapy, the 1-year survival rate is 40-50%, and 20-25% of dogs are alive at 2 years. (Nowhere near perfect, but way longer than without treatment, and considering a year is like 5 human years, it’s a very treatable cancer.)
We most commonly see this cancer in middle-aged and older giant breed dogs, though we also see it in 1-to 2-year-old dogs, and small dogs too.
Lastly, as far as OSA treatment, the thought of amputation is shocking for most owners, but luckily most animals function well after the procedure, and owners are typically pleased with their mobility and quality of life.
Have any questions about this type of cancer or know a dog with osteosarcoma? How did they do with their amputation? Let me know.
