Bone Cancer in Dogs: Which Breeds and Body Shapes Are at Risk
In UK vet records, bone cancer was rare overall but far more common in big, long-legged breeds such as Scottish Deerhounds, Leonbergers and Great Danes.
Written by thecanineledger
If a large or giant-breed dog develops a limp that doesn’t settle, or a firm swelling on a leg, see your vet within a few days. If the limp is sudden and severe, or the leg looks broken, go the same day.
Our note: This advice is ours. The paper lists lameness, swelling, severe pain and fractures as common, but gives no timing for owners.
Osteosarcoma is a cancer of the bone that is often very painful. In UK vet records from 2016, 331 of 905,552 dogs had it, about 1 in 2,700 (O’Neill et al., Canine Medicine and Genetics 2023). For some breeds, the figure was far higher.
While bone cancer is rare in dogs overall, body shape changes the odds a great deal. The authors conclude that “breed, bodyweight and longer leg or longer skull length are all strong risk factors”.
→ Osteosarcoma: The Amputation Decision
1. The study
The dogs. Researchers used VetCompass, a database of anonymised UK primary-care records, covering 905,552 dogs at 887 clinics. Cases didn’t need a biopsy to be counted, which the authors say reduces some biases in earlier studies.
Funding. The Kennel Club Charitable Trust and a pet insurer supported the work. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
2. The breeds most affected
| Breed | Share with bone cancer in 2016 |
|---|---|
| Scottish Deerhound | 3.28% |
| Leonberger | 1.48% |
| Great Dane | 0.87% |
| Rottweiler | 0.84% |
| All dogs | 0.037% |
Age. The median age at diagnosis was 9.64 years.
Small numbers. Some of these figures rest on few cases. Four Scottish Deerhounds and four Leonbergers had bone cancer.
Our note: The paper’s limitations say the Great Dane’s ranking may have fallen over time, yet it ranks third here.
→ Rottweiler Health: Cancer, Joints, and the Aggression Records · → Giant Breeds: What the UK Records Show About Health and Lifespan
3. Body shape and size
Weight. Risk rose with adult bodyweight. Dogs heavier than average for their breed were also at higher risk.
Short legs. Short-legged (chondrodystrophic) breeds had about a tenth of the odds of other breeds.
Skull shape. Long-nosed breeds had higher odds than breeds with a medium-length skull. Flat-faced breeds had lower odds.
Sex. Once weight was taken into account, males were no more at risk than females. The authors suggest earlier findings in males may have been due to their larger size.
4. What the study can’t tell you
Neutering. The paper is unclear. The results say sex and neuter status weren’t linked to bone cancer. The discussion says there was “some evidence that neutering was associated with increased odds”, though smaller than in earlier studies.
Insurance. Insured dogs had higher odds of diagnosis, which may reflect more vet care rather than more cancer.
Rare breeds. The study couldn’t reliably measure risk in breeds with few dogs in the UK.
Our note: The paper’s results and discussion disagree on neutering, so we say nothing about neutering and bone cancer.
5. If you have a large or giant breed
- Take a lasting limp seriously, especially in a dog over about seven.
- Feel for swellings on the legs, and report them.
- Keep your dog lean. Weight is linked to risk, though weight loss hasn’t been shown to prevent bone cancer.
Our note: These points are ours, including “over about seven”.
→ Choosing a Breed or a Mix: The Health Data Breeders Don’t Lead With
6. What we could not verify
| Commonly said | What we found |
|---|---|
| “Male dogs get more bone cancer” | Not once weight was counted. Their larger size may explain it. |
| “All big dogs get bone cancer” | No. Most don’t, and some large flat-faced breeds may be protected. |
| “Neutering causes bone cancer” | Not settled. The paper is inconsistent on neutering. |
Sources
- O’Neill DG, Edmunds GL, Urquhart-Gilmore J, Church DB, Rutherford L, Smalley MJ, Brodbelt DC. Dog breeds and conformations predisposed to osteosarcoma in the UK: a VetCompass study. Canine Med Genet 2023: VetCompass study, 905,552 dogs, 2016. Supported by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust and a pet insurer
Always confirm with your vet before acting on anything on this page.