Nutrition and Canine Cancer - Causes, Prevention and Recovery

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in dogs. Certain breeds, such as the Bernese Mountain Dog and Retrievers are reported to be at an even greater risk of cancer with affliction rates thought to be as high as 50-70%.

The National Canine Cancer Institute, a nationwide, non-profit corporation dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health issue, has identified 39 different types of cancer in dogs. They have created a vast library of resources to help veterinarians & pet owners understand what the symptoms are for early detection, the most common diagnostic tools used to identify the different types of cancer, drug & surgical therapies that are most commonly used in treatment and the prognosis for each type of cancer.

The five most common types of canine cancer are 1) hemangiosarcoma – cancer of the blood, 2) lymphoma – cancer of the lymph or immune system, 3) osteosarcoma – cancer of the bone 4) mammary cancer – cancer of the female mammary glands and 5) melanoma – cancer of the skin.

There are many similarities in the cancers that we find in dogs and humans, but there is a vast disparity in research and mindshare between the species when it comes to actual treatment options. For example, in the 60s & 70s, dogs were used for experimental testing of lymphoma and stem cell treatments for humans. Dogs were a better candidate for this testing than other species because they have such a complex genetic diversity, second only to humans. The main issue that scientist ran into with their early tests was tissue rejection. By testing on dogs, it became apparent that the donor tissue needed to closely resemble the recipient in order for the transplant to be successful. Bone marrow transplants are risky and are therefore limited in their use, even in human patients with life-threatening conditions. Still, they have been a viable treatment option now for many years. In the meantime, hundreds of thousands of dogs have been diagnosed with lymphoma every year and their treatment options have been limited to chemotherapy and radiation which offer a survival rate of approximately two years, verses an estimated 50-60% cure rate with the bone marrow transplant. There have been a few “cutting-edge” veterinarians that have elected to perform the transplant procedure but it wasn’t until 2004 that Dr. Edmund Sullivan of Bellingham, Washington, performed the first official (and successful) bone marrow treatment in this region on a dog for the purpose of curative therapy for a cost of approximately $ 25,000 dollars.

In much the same way that a disparity exists between human and dog cancer therapies, there is a disparity in the traditional and holistic views on the overall treatment options available today, or even those forthcoming. Traditionalists believe that treatment options involve surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and that the most promising future advances in treatment include targeted delivery of gene, protein, hormone and enzyme therapies. Holistic minded practitioners look to nutrition, supplement and even energy therapies as less invasive treatment options that they believe are just as effective but that can be employed early as a cancer prevention program. The challenge for them, with regards to credibility, is that they rarely have the large scale funding to back their claims with actual verifiable research. So, in much the same way as Dr. Sullivan took the first steps in canine bone marrow therapy, an increasing number of holistic practitioners are stepping forward to collate their vast amounts of professional experience in the areas of preventative and nutritional therapies to increase awareness of these options.

The rest of this white paper will focus on the holistic component of nutrition and what role it may play in the cause, prevention and recovery of dogs with cancer.

Cause

You are what you eat.

Before the wide spread availability of commercial pet foods (following World War II), dogs were fed table scraps consisting primarily of meat. Some dogs were opportunistic hunters and supplemented their diets with small rodents & mammals. At first, the goal of commercial dog food was much the same as it was for military personnel at the time; manufacturers wanted foods that wouldn’t spoil quickly and were inexpensive and quick to make. That meant that they needed to be simplistic dry foods that were high in inexpensive grain and low in meat, fresh fruits or vegetables.

Because of this sudden change in their diet, dogs, for the first time in their evolution, started to gain extreme amounts of weight, develop allergies that caused their ears to become inflamed and their skin to itch profusely and they developed severe dental disease because of the sugars in their high carb diets. This, however, was just the start of it.

By the mid 1950s, food scientists had made significant progress in the creation of various food ingredients that would go even further to replace real foods sources and extend shelf life beyond anything that had previously been possible. Think of this time period as the “Twinkie” era because it was the perfect example of how something as simple as a snack cake could include so few natural ingredients. Dog food manufacturers incorporated many of these new engineered ingredients into their foods and in doing so increased their profit share, as well as improved their (human) customer satisfaction. Human consumers liked the new products because it meant that they could buy large bags of food, very affordably, that could last several weeks in a closet pantry. Little did we know at the time, what the cost would really be for those conveniences in terms of their dog’s long term health & well-being.

I believe, as do many others, that a fair number of the diseases we see today in both dogs and humans are the result of scientifically altered, processed foods that are high in starchy carbohydrates. Some of these ingredients have been proven to cause cancer, yet still they remain in some of the largest brands available. Science Diet, for example, a food sold & recommended by many Veterinarians, contains two known cancer causing preservatives, Ethoxyquin and BHT.

Not all Veterinarians were quick to recommend these foods however. Veterinarians that had been in practice for many years during this feeding transition witnessed the decline in health first hand, noting that there had been a shift from treating infectious diseases such as distemper to treating chronic degenerative diseases such as cancer, diabetes, liver disease, heart disease and so forth. Those that were convinced that diet change was responsible for these diseases reached out to overseeing authorities to voice their concerns but by the time these observations were made, pet food had become a very powerful industry.

If you look at any grocery store dog food label today, not only is there a lot of cheap filler grains but now, thanks to the food scientists, there is also a long list of chemically altered meat-by-products, unidentifiable, chemically formulated binder’s, fillers, artificial flavors and preservatives. Do all of these ingredients cause cancer? Probably not, but if these artificial, chemically altered foods are the only source of nutritional the animal is provided, isn’t it safe to assume that the dog’s health is critically challenged? It’s the subtle, long term damage of these foods that are so insidious. I’ve seen many young dogs appear to thrive on these diets only to become obese and develop chronic allergies by the time they are two years old. Later, as those dogs approach their sixth, seventh or eighth birthday, the degenerative diseases take over. Within a few meager years, the vast majority of these animals will have succumbed to their diseases. How many dogs die of old age anymore?

In the past two decades, there have been several outspoken opponents of the pet food industry. Dr. Richard Pitcairn & Ann Martin are two very well known authors on the subject. Dr. Pitcairn conducted feeding trials on cats fed raw food back in the 80s that is still well circulated in support of the “feed raw” movement. What his study showed was that cat’s fed raw unadulterated food lived longer, had healthier kittens and fewer health issues. His studies went on to show that a cat’s health can demise quickly once it is moved to commercial, high processed food and that it can take as long as three generations to undo the damage of feeding such a diet. It’s a pretty strong argument and a large part of the reason I switched my own cats to raw and later entered the field of pet nutrition. Ann Martin showed how corrupt the pet food industry had become with little to no regulation in place to protect our household pets. She horrified us with stories of rendered cats & dogs making their way back into our pet’s food.

A handful of manufacturers listened and made changes. Some households no longer trusted the pet food industry and began feeding home prepared foods. The natural pet food segment has grown an average of 10% a year over the past 5-10 years and with more and more natural pet food manufacturers joining the movement, many pets are on their way to becoming healthy again. Sadly, with this amount of growth, the industrial commercial pet food industry is trying to carve their way into this space with false and misleading advertising. This industry has in fact, become so large now (approximately 42 billion annually) that it’s practically unstoppable as long as people continue to believe them. The best hope of the holistic pet care providers is that we are able to educate as many pet families as possible to the real facts to prevent the needless pain and suffering of our greatest companion.

Prevention

Simply put, the healthiest thing that anyone can do for their dog to prevent cancer is to feed them a fresh, raw food diet consisting of quality hormone and antibiotic free meats and organic vegetables & fruits. Don’t allow marketing scams to convince you that you need to add a bunch of synthetic supplements. Nature really does know better.

Many experts believe that the immune system is only as strong as the digestive tract is healthy. For that reason, I think that it is to every dog’s benefit to receive a daily dose of quality probiotics, the good bacteria the keep our gut healthy, increase nutrient absorption, and stave off bad bacteria, yeast overgrowth and unhealthy fermentation gases that can lead to bloat, the number 2 cause of death in dogs.

If your dog needs an anti-inflammatory for a joint condition, try natural fish oils that are high in Omega 3s. Always buy human grade oils that are tested for metals and PCBs.

If you have a breed of dog that is at a higher risk of developing cancer, supplement with herbs that are high in antioxidants such as Resveratrol, a component of grape skins. This supplement has received the seal of approval from the National Canine Cancer Foundation. Red Clover is also commonly used as a blood purifier and anti-cancer herb.

Another factor worth consideration in our understanding of cancers in dogs is the effect that spaying and neutering has on them. Historically, there has been a lot of information available on the prevention of mammary cancer in female dogs. Now, we are starting to see a broader picture of the effects that spaying and neutering has with regards to cancer in dogs specific to different age brackets. Click here for more details: http://www.naiaonline.org/pdfs/LongTermHealthEffectsOfSpayNeuterInDogs.pdf

Recovery

It’s never too late to start feeding your dog healthy food; even if it’s simply to keep your ailing dog eating and comfortable in his final days.

For those that are fortunate enough to receive successful treatment for their cancer early, it’s more important than ever to adopt a good healthy diet & lifestyle.

Dogs are social creatures. They need fresh air and walks beyond their own property lines to appreciate the value of living. The power of positive thought exists with all living, thinking beings.

The appropriate fresh food diet for a dog recovering from cancer depends on the status of their treatment. A dog that is undergoing chemotherapy would be wise to eat gently cooked foods verses raw to avoid possible bacterial contamination. If raw is preferred, then extra caution should be taken to ensure that the food is made by a reputable manufacturer. Their immune system will be very delicate during treatment so extra precautions in all areas (i.e. what they eat, where they walk and who they play with) are valid considerations. It is also not advised to supplement your dog with antioxidants during chemotherapy as it may negatively affect the outcome of those treatments.

In all cases, the recommendations for a dog being treated for or recovering from cancer is to feed a high protein, moderate fat, low carb diet. Carbohydrates convert to sugar which in turn feeds the increased metabolic needs of cancer cells. Alternatively, proteins and fats are more readily utilized by normal healthy cells. We typically recommend a 70/30 mix of organic meat to organic low starch, low sugar veggies (i.e. broccoli, zucchini, kale).

Below is a list of some of the more common antioxidants, herbs and supplements that are thought to support the immune system, build healthy cells and prolong remission times in dogs recovering from cancer.

Antioxidants (A,E,C & Selenium)

Vivo Animals ZeoComplete Recovery Complex – Excellent combination of herbs to detoxify the body and support proper immune function

Contains: organic food grade zeolite, organic reishi, organic cordyceps, wildcrafted mangosteen, vitamin C, glutathione, quercetin, alpha lipoic acid, organic seabed minerals, polycil fulvic / humic acid, organic chestnut seed extract, organic cinnamon, organic turmeric, organic raw cane sugar, aquamin, algae extract and wildcrafted papaya

Red Clover – restricts blood flow to tumors & cleanses the blood

Organic Greens Supplement – The phyto-nutrients found in green foods are full of vital anti-oxidants and plant-based vitamins and minerals. Green leafy foods increase the alkalinity of the body resulting in a lower inflammatory response. Many include an array of beneficial bacteria (probiotics), fructo-oligosacaccharides (prebiotics) and digestive enzymes.
CoQ10 – immune support.

Dandelion – Used to support digestion, liver function and as an anti-inflammatory.

Garlic- in small daily doses, it can be used at a health tonic to support proper cellular metabolism. Also used as a natural antibacterial / antifungal.

l-Arginine – has shown to increase remission duration times in some types of cancer

Cystine & Glutamine – amino acids that support the immune system

Omega 3 Fatty Acids – Transports fat soluble vitamins to cells to help support healthy cell growth.

Echinacea – immune support

Astragalus – antiviral immune booster

Cat’s Claw – antitumor properties for cancers of the nervous system and brain.

Pau D Arco – anti cancer and anti-inflammatory

Milk Thistle – supports the liver during chemotherapy

Shark Cartilage – restrict blood flow to tumors

Cure

I sincerely hope that one day in my life time I can look back at cancer as a thing of the past in both humans and dogs. At times, I feel that we are so close and yet I am constantly reminded of the other contributing factors that must come into alignment in order to make this hope a reality. Awareness really is the key. We can frown on puppy breeding mills and commercial pet foods but unless we make it our business to really understand the concerns behind these practices we are likely to inadvertently support them. We can live in fear of disease or we can take charge of what we put into our bodies and the bodies of our family members. Learn all you can and tell your friends. Support your local farmers by buying organic and sustainably raised foods. Learn to make your dogs food or find someone reputable that will. Learn to read labels. Research your dogs breed so that you can understand what cancer risks may be predominate in that breed. Quit spaying and neutering immature animals. Stop applying chemicals to your yards where your dogs and children play. Donate money to research a cure.