Reproduced with the kind permission of Shawn Messonnier DVM, author of The Arthritis Solution for Dogs,
The Allergy Solution for Dogs, and the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats.
Check out Dr. Shawn's Holistic Pet column each week in your local newspaper, distributed by Knight Ridder News Service
CURING CANCER MAYBE A MOUTHFUL AWAY
The diagnosis of cancer is something all pet owners fear. Because of the emotions invoked by the mere mention of the term, I try to ease it into any discussion I have with a pet owner, knowing that once the word is spoken, anything I might say will be ignored as the owner becomes paralyzed with fear. While it's true that the diagnosis of cancer can be a certain and sudden death sentence for some pets, for others it represents an opportunity to be as holistic as possible in our approach to treatment, doing our best to make the pet comfortable and resume some semblance of a normal life while battling this dreaded affliction.
It is common for many pet owners to fear the treatment more than the disease itself. As a result, many holistic veterinarians are called upon to offer something different than chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Dr. Greg Ogilvie, a renowned oncologist, presented data on incorporating nutrition to prevent and treat cancer at a prior meeting of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. In my opinion, nutrition is often overlooked when treating most diseases in pets. However, cancer can have profound effects on our patients, causing deranged metabolism. We must always incorporate sound nutrition when treating the cancer patient to improve the chance of survival and decrease side effects of conventional therapies.
Studies demonstrate that both people and pets with inadequate nutrition cannot metabolize chemotherapy drugs adequately which predisposes to toxicity and poor therapeutic response. This makes proper diet and nutritional supplementation an important part of cancer therapy. While most of the information available comes from studies on dogs, no doubt much of it will be applicable to our feline patients as well.
There are several metabolic derangements common in the cancer patient. First, pets with cancer often have excess lactate in their blood streams, causing acidosis. This is even more pronounced when these pets are administered fluids containing lactate, a common practice in veterinary hospitals. It is suggested that cancer patients would do better with non-lactate containing fluids when fluids are needed in times of illness and to correct dehydration. Additionally, since metabolism of simple carbohydrates produces lactate, a diet with a minimum of these carbohydrates might be preferred.
Regarding dietary protein, Dr. Ogilvie notes a pronounced decrease in certain amino acids including arginine in the plasma of cancer patients. If left uncorrected, the amino acid deficiencies seen in cancer patients could result in additional health risks to the patient. Supplementation with the deficient amino acids might improve immune function and positively affect treatment and survival rates.
Most of the weight loss seen in cancer patients experiencing cancer cachexia (wasting) occurs as a result of depleted body fat stores. Tumor cells, unlike normal healthy cells, have difficulty utilizing lipids for energy. Dogs with lymphoma fed diets high in fat had longer remission periods than dogs fed high carbohydrate diets.
The use of omega-3 fatty acids, often used to treat arthritis and allergic diseases, can promote weight gain and may have anti-cancer effects and warrants special mention. In studies in people, the use of omega-3 fatty acids, (cold water fish oils), improve the immune system, improve metabolism, and result in improved clinical outcomes of cancer patients. These supplements also decrease the duration of hospitalization and complication rates in people with gastrointestinal cancer. In animals, the omega-3 fatty acids inhibit the formation of tumors and metastasis. Finally, in addition to having anti-cachetic effects, the omega-3 fatty acids can reduce radiation damage to skin. More research will be needed to determine the best amount to use to get maximum results in our cancer patients.
While there are often many treatment options for the various malignancies experienced by our patients, owners and doctors often forget about the importance of proper nutrition. In the coming years, prevention and treatment will most likely include a focus on nutrition in veterinary medicine, just as our human counterparts are now doing in the human medical field. The evidence is pretty convincing: cancer patients have deranged nutrient metabolism that can negatively affect the outcome of conventional therapies. Additions of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidant vitamins and minerals, and other supplements to the diet of cancer patients may help improve survival and possibly decrease the chances of pets contracting cancer in those who are currently cancer-free. Because cancer can be a serious problem, early diagnosis, aggressive treatment, supplementation with sound nutritional products, and prevention where possible are critical in helping our pets.
Reference:
Ogilvie G. Nutrition and Cancer: Frontiers for Cure! Proceedings of Am Hol Vet Med Assoc., 1998, 69-73.
Veterinarian Dr. Shawn Messonnier, author of The Natural Vet series (Prima/Random House,) has just been awarded the Better Health for Life Award by the Cat Writer's Association (CWA) for his latest book in The Natural Vet series, The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. This award, presented by the CWA and peerlesshealth.com, recognizes one book each year which best reflects and promotes a complementary or integrated approach to a cat's emotional or physical needs.
The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats was chosen from a large field of entries of pet health books published in 2001. According to Dr. Messonnier, "I am honored that my book was chosen for this distinguished award. In my practice in Plano, Tx, each day I see many positive benefits of integrative medicine holds for my patients. I hope that as veterinarians and pet owners read The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats, many more pet lives will be improved and saved by using the proven therapies I discuss in the book."
What are the holistic treatment options available through my vet, for the management of cancer?
Acupuncture can be extremely useful in helping to combat nausea caused by chemotherapy drugs, and to enhance the immune system, opening up the flow of energy (Qi) through the body and creating an environment that is conducive to healing.
Herbal therapies, including Chinese remedies offer excellent options for helping to boost immunity, alter ‘stasis', stimulate healing and even help to eliminate nausea, as well as stimulate appetite.
Chiropractic & Massage treatments can help to create alignment in the spinal column and other joints as well as relieve tension in muscles, which is especially important in cancers such as osteosarcoma that result in lameness (or in many cases, amputation to remove an affected limb) and cause compensatory misalignment and pain in other areas of the body.
Home Care For Cancer Recovery What Can I do at home, to help with my pet's cancer recovery?
Nutritional therapy involves amending the diet to lower carbohydrate intake; tumors grow most rapidly with carbs as fuel, so a diet that is higher in fat and protein, rather than carbs and sugars, will help to slow the growth.
Antioxidants are quite widely used to help combat free radicals which are prevalent in cancer. There has been some recent research to indicate that massive dosages of antioxidants are not always advisable during cancer recovery, as some antioxidants may be pro-cancer in very large mega-dosages. Examples would be the fat-soluble vitamins. Consult your vet for guidance.
More than at any other time, cancer recovery calls for a diet that is free of toxins, chemicals and other ingredients that are harmful to the body as a whole. When cancer has been diagnosed, a switch to organic meats and vegetables where available, can have a positive impact on total health.
Ingredients which have a cleansing or tonic effect on the blood are also beneficial during cancer treatment and recovery; sardines, as well as eggs, apricots, parsley, carrots and beef, all norish the blood according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Ingredients that tonify Qi, the flow of energy in the body, include, beef and chicken, herring, mackerel, oats, brown rice, millet, pumpkin, squash, figs, sweet potatoes and yams. A Qi deficiency may occur during cancer and its subsequent treatment.
Acupressure: A point located behind the front ankle, above the secondary pad on the back of the front leg, can be massaged to relieve nausea.
Add to this, a point located on the inside of the hind paw just in front of the ankle to increase the absorption of foods.
One of the most important things you can do, is provide your animal companion with lots of extra love and attention. Cuddles, massages, stroking and gentle brushing are welcomed by most pets.
_____________________________The information presented at HappyTalesPets.com is for informational use only. It is not intended to replace the services of a health practitioner licensed in the diagnosis or treatment of illness or disease. Any application of the material in this text is at the reader’s discretion and sole responsibility. If you have a persistent medical condition or your symptoms are severe please consult a physician. Statements on this web site about health conditions and remedies have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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