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Twenty-eight clinical cases of dogs with probable osteosarcoma were analyzed in order to identify frequent clinical characteristics, stage of the disease, and determine the number of cases with definitive diagnosis and specific treatment. All included cases were attended from January 2001 to August 2003 in the Veterinary Hospital of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Thirteen patients (57%) out of 28 showed an advance stage of disease, and typical feature of osteosarcoma was observed in 17/28 cases (60%). Diagnosis of osteosarcoma was confirmed in nine patients (32.1%); all of them received a specific treatment. In four dogs (14.2%) other diseases such as: osteomyelitis, hemangiopericytoma, squamous cells and prostatic carcinoma were diagnosed. Based on observations, an individualized diagnostic and therapeutic protocol is proposed, using available resources in Mexico, for patients with atypical and typical clinical presentation of osteosarcoma. Special attention is given to the early diagnosis and to integral care of patients with bone neoplasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]