Cancer is a disease that your dog can get, much in the same way humans do. Bladder, kidney, breast, nose...it can happen. And probably more often than most people would think. There are many factors that enter in. Genetics does play a role sometimes, environment is a big factor, but I believe diet...what dogs eat is the first area where it can be prevented, delayed, slowed (once in progress) or even reversed if caught early. The majority of dog owners don't realize how big a deal it is what they feed their furry companions. They go to the grocery (please don't buy that 'commercial' stuff there! -- or anywhere for that matter), pick up a 15 or 40 pound bag, and as long as it says 'dog food' on it, they buy it...usually the cheaper the better.
I believe in majority of cases, canine cancer can be prevented. There are challenges, especially in rescue where a dog's background is unknown. So much of what we eat is deficient in some way, and then we think we are supposed to feed our dogs this food that crowds the shelves in the supermarkets, and never question what this special creature really needs. This isn't what dogs need, and this is just the beginning of setting up a potential problem down the line, some sooner than later. Oxidation, a process that causes a cut apple to turn brown or metal to rust, causes free radical damage in the human and canine body alike, setting up an internal environment that is more susceptible to disease.
According to Alice Villalobos, DVM, "more than half of the senior dogs in a veterinary practice will die of cancer such as cutaneous, soft tissue sarcoma, lymphatic, mammary, skeletal, oral, nasal and visceral and neuro-endocrine tumors." How sad. This should not be or become what our precious furry family members succumb to in their golden years. Cancer, any kind can be very complex, and treating it through nutrition along with herbs (and hopefully little conventional intervention and only when absolutely necessary) can be quite successful. When you consider radiation is one of the predisposing factors of cancer, and is often used in Western medicine to 'treat' cancer, it seems like perhaps that's not the best option.
Even though the United States is 'the land of plenty', most people and their pets suffer from mal-nutrition...it's not that we don't eat enough...it's that we don't eat properly. The possibility of cancer to form increases when our bodies become unbalanced or weakened. This can occur in many ways. Stress is a factor, and dogs do experience stresses on their bodies, emotionally, physically and mentally. Most pet owners think that just taking their dog to have a blood test will ease the worry, if nothing shows up, all is fine. Typically, once a blood test shows cancer, it's been there for awhile. Fur mineral analysis is a much better and earlier indicator for cancer and other ills. Since a blood test only shows what is happening in the body right now, it's not the most accurate. A fur mineral analysis can show what's been going on for several months, and this allows opportunity to hopefully catch it early, allowing for a better outcome.
If your dog should develop cancer, and you've been feeding it a commercial kibble...stop using it, and switch to a raw or home-cooked diet, also adding proper whole food supplements. If you don't know where to start, contact a certified canine nutritionist or a holistic veterinarian to get an accurate diagnosis (from the vet), and then build a food regimen that will best suit the type of cancer you are dealing with. Writing about cancer is never a short article, and this one simply sets the ground work for what yet lies ahead, and the need to tackle it in a manner that will benefit and heal, not tear down. I want to specialize in treating cancer naturally/nutritionally in dogs, so I will be writing many blogs in regards to this disease. I want my readers to know there is more treatment options than just conventional medicine would lead you to believe. This is unfortunately a disease that is being seen more and more in veterinary practice, and thus one that needs to be addressed.
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