Intravenous Aminobisphosphonates for Managing Complications of Malignant Osteolysis in Companion Animals

Aminobisphosphonates are a class of drugs effectively used for the management of pathologic skeletal conditions in people, most notably hormonally mediated osteoporosis and cancer-associated bone metastases. Based on their physicochemical properties, aminobisphosphonates concentrate within areas of active skeletal remodeling and exert protective bone biologic effects through the induction of osteoclast apoptosis. Given the similar mineral composition and cellular components of bone tissue shared among mammals, it would be expected that aminobisphosphonates should also be effective in managing malignant bone diseases in dogs and cats. The first half of this review article briefly summarizes the general properties of aminobisphosphonates including their pharmacology, mechanism of action, and potential adverse side effects. The second half of this review focuses on the clinical utility of aminobisphosphonates and measures of response in dogs and cats diagnosed with malignant skeletal tumors.