Questions About A Lab With Lymphoma

I got this question from some folks facing a hard diagnosis and was pleased that they had stumbled on my website for help:

I saw your website and thought I’d email. Our 12 yr old lab was diagnosed w/stage IV or V lymphoma this week. We haven’t decided for sure, but are thinking the price and toll of chemo is too great for the limited benefits (our vet said 6 – 9 months) in return. Still waiting on the details, hopefully tomorrow. We have used SmartPak for our horses for years and are well aware of the power of supplements. Do you have any suggestions for a dog with cancer? I have seen several of the cancer diets for dogs on the internet and plan on implementing those and I know about fish oil (we use Wellpride for the horses). What about other “Smartpak” options for a daily supplement to help her fight this? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I passed along your question to the staff vet at Smartpak, Dr. Lydia Gray, who kindly put together quite a comprehensive answer. I have some comments to add afterwards but must say I think it is admirable that the Smartpak staff vet would take this time to be helpful in your hour of need:

First of all, while chemotherapy can be expensive, it generally takes less of a toll on animals than it does in people. For example, hair loss is common in people but uncommon in animals. So if the side effects of chemotherapy are a sticking point for making the decision to treat, this should relieve some of their anxiety. If they still do not want to pursue chemotherapy, they should not completely stop veterinary care but seek medical attention from a holistic veterinarian who will recommend complementary and alternative therapies. These may not be as effective as conventional treatment, but they may improve quality of life and gain some time. In the meantime, here are my suggestions for diet and supplements:

DIET - Every form of cancer in people and animals is different and has its own chemistry, rate of growing, tissue preference, etc. Fortunately the form of cancer their dog has, lymphoma, has been extensively studied. Research has shown that a diet high in protein, high in fat, and low in carbohydrates “starves” the cancer but feeds the body.

SUPPLEMENTS - Glutamine is another amino acid that is beneficial for dogs with cancer. They already know to feed omega-3 fatty acids, preferably from a fish or algae source that contains DHA and EPA. They should introduce fat to the diet gradually, however, to avoid GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea.

If they decide to try chemotherapy, they may want to provide additional support to their dog with ginger, peppermint or other ingredient for nausea and vomiting. Pre- and probiotics are also good choices to maintain a healthy GI tract. Milk thistle and SAMe support the liver (which is doing the bulk of the chemical detoxifying) while CoQ10 supports other tissues. B-vitamins will encourage the dog to continue eating. All of these supplements are very safe.

There is controversy over the use of antioxidants such as Vitamin E, Se, Vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid and others. When dogs are undergoing chemotherapy, some experts feel these ingredients protect the cancer cells from being killed. So it’s probably okay to supplement during times when the dog is NOT being treated.

I’ve heard that people are also trying garlic, curcumin (turmeric), green tea, aloe vera, mushrooms and many other substances but there’s very little safety or efficacy research on these particular ingredients and are best used only on the advice of a veterinarian knowledgeable in this field.

Lydia F. Gray, DVM, MA
Medical Director/Staff Veterinarian, Smartpak

So Gena – The first thing I would urge you to do is to get a second opinion by contacting the Official Oncologist of my radio shows, Dr Alice Villalobos, who has a whole page on my website. She is in California and if you or your vet arranges with Dr. Alice’s assistant Ronnie to see all your dog’s lab tests, she can help you decide what sort of extended or quality of life you might expect from chemotherapy. That may help you make a more informed decision. As for Dr. Lydia Gray’s advice, I think it is excellent but want to emphasize that a home-cooked high protein (from quality sources) diet is really important. If you insist on giving any dry food I urge you to use Spot’s Stew which has a 33% protein content derived entirely from meat that is “fit for human consumption” along with their canned food which has equally “clean” ingredients. When your dog is fighting cancer he cannot tolerate the highly processed poor ingredients in most commercial foods. As for the omega-3 fatty acids, I recommend to everyone to stick with Nordic Naturals which is a 100% pure fish oil from Norway which is pure and fresh so you will get the most reliable anti-inflammatory effects.

Tracie

The Dog Bible