Question of the Day

Limb amputation is the treatment of choice in this dog with osteosarcoma. Also consider adjunctive chemotherapy due to the likelihood of metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis.

On radiographic review the lesions are characteristic of a primary bone tumor. There is a large, expansile, destructive osseous lesion of the distal right tibia with cortical destruction, most severe at the caudal and medial margins. There is also mild, irregular periosteal proliferation and soft tissue thickening at the site.

Osteosarcoma is a top differential for an older large-breed dog with an expansile, destructive osseous lesion.

Click here to see normal canine tibial radiographs.

Radiographic interpretation and images courtesy, Dr. A. Zwingenberger and Veterinary Radiology.