Osteosarcoma

Introduction Osteosarcoma (OSA) is the most common primary bone tumor in dogs and cats. Although information regarding etiopathogenesis is lacking, OSA of the long bones (appendicular OSA) is far more common in large and giant breed dogs than in smaller dogs. It is largely a disease of middleaged to older dogs, with a median age of 7 years. OSA of the axial skeleton has a more even distribution between breeds and occurs at an earlier age than appendicular OSA. OSA is a clinical problem not only due to its aggressive destruction of bone and the attendant pain and structural damage caused, but also due to its high potential for metastasis.