Corticosteroid‐augmented interfascial injections for cancer pain management in a dog

Abstract

A 9‐year‐old Rottweiler with metastatic osteosarcoma developed severe episodic pain following forelimb amputation and progression of neoplastic disease. Despite extensive multimodal systemic analgesia, including NSAIDs, gabapentin, amantadine and later amitriptyline, the dog showed persistent vocalisation and touch‐evoked pain in the axillary region. As surgical resection of the recurrent mass was not feasible, a palliative locoregional approach was chosen. Ultrasound‐guided subscalene, serratus plane and intercostal blocks, combined with scar infiltration, were performed using ropivacaine and triamcinolone. Marked improvement was reported within 48 hours, with complete resolution of vocalisation and return to normal behaviour at home. Analgesia persisted for several weeks, exceeding the expected duration of local anaesthetics alone. A second infiltration was performed 10 weeks later due to recurrence of pain, but progressive metastatic disease and suspected pulmonary thromboembolism ultimately led to euthanasia. This case illustrates the potential value of corticosteroid‐augmented interfascial blocks for palliative cancer pain in dogs.