A standard of therapy for osteosarcoma includes amputation with or without adjuvant chemotherapy. There is a subset of dogs with osteosarcoma that are unsuitable for amputation. We evaluated kinetic variables in dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma treated with a single 8 Gy dose of radiation. Eighteen pet dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma received one 8 Gy fraction of palliative radiation on day 0. Force plate measurements and clinical assessments were made on days 0, 7, 14, and 21. Peak vertical forces (Fz) were recorded for each limb and a symmetric index (SI) was calculated. There were no significant changes in kinetic parameters after one 8 Gy dose of radiation therapy. Nine of these 18 dogs exhibited increased limb function at day 21 based on force plate analysis. Significant factors affecting Fz included gender and tumor location. There was a significant correlation between Fz and response to therapy based on SI at day 21. SI seems to be useful to objectively assess response in this mixed population of dogs. One 8 Gy fraction of radiation therapy alone did not reduce lameness associated with appendicular osteosarcoma, but a subset of dogs did have improved limb function after a single dose.

Although bone production around cortical bone grafts was detected by use of scintigraphy, this method did not provide accurate assessment of graft incorporation in sheep. Furthermore, bone produced by activated periosteum could not be distinguished scintgraphically from bone that replaced the graft. Intercalary autografts healed more rapidly and had greater incorporation into the host bone, compared with findings for allografts.