The most common conventional treatments for cancer are surgical excision, radiation and tumor-killing drugs. Choice of method will depend on the type of tumor diagnosed and whether it has metastasized. In addition to the treatment program your Veterinarian prescribes, there are alternative therapies to complement a conventional treatment program and build your pet’s natural immunity.

• Discontinue the use of all pesticides, herbicides, toxic household chemicals
• Give your pet filtered or spring water
• Serve water and food in a ceramic or glass dish (non-plastic)

2. Enhance your pet’s nutritional support:

• Choose an organic food void of chemicals and made with organic ingredients (hormone-free, antibiotic-free, pesticide-free, herbicide-free) or a raw diet (using the whole animal and fresh, organic vegetables)
  

3. Add supplemental support to the diet:

Antioxidants can help to reduce cancer development or progression:

• Add vitamins and antioxidants to your pet’s diet, including therapeutic levels of vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium, beta-carotene, green tea and grape seed extract
• Add omega-3-fatty-acids (flax seed or fish body oil from cold water fish) and coenzyme Q-10

4. Incorporate herbs to enhance organ function and provide additional anti-cancer therapy. Some options are:

• Aloe Vera Juice – used to stop metastases of tumors
• Echinacea – has strong antibiotic and immune-enhancing properties; balances the immune system
• Astragalus – has anti-viral and immune-boosting effects; contains an alkaloid that inhibits the spread of melanoma
• Garlic – contains many sulfur-containing compounds helpful in enhancing the immune system
• Green Tea – an antioxidant, astringent, a powerful immune system booster
• Siberian Ginseng – has been linked to inhibited tumor growth; a powerful immune system enhancer
• Pau d’Arco – a tea made from the inner bark of a tree found in the South American rain forests, has been reported to induce strong biological activity to cancer
• Essiac/Floressence Tea – Thousands claim this product to have effectively treated cancers, including in some canine cases. Contains burdock root, Chinese rhubarb, sorrel and slippery elm
• Reishi and Maitake Mushroom – stimulates immune system; activates cells that attacks tumor cells
• Milk Thistle – protects the liver from toxic damage
• Shark Cartilage – some evidence suggests that shark cartilage contains properties that reduce blood vessel development into tumors
  Disclaimer: The information presented here is for educational purposes only. Please discuss any treatment program and natural alternatives with your veterinarian before administering to your pet.

Holistic pet care is a comprehensive approach to wellness that focuses on preventing disease and increasing quality of life for our animals. Holistic care looks at trying to heal the entire pet by strengthening the immune system. The underlying philosophy behind holistic care is that what an animal eats, the quality of nutrients and proper supplementation, as well as the purity of his environment, is the foundation for health and longevity.

The majority of pets today are fed highly processed and artificial foods, comprised of unnatural ingredients, such as soy meal, sugars, artificial colorings and flavorings, as well as harmful chemicals and preservatives. The meat content and the quality of ingredients in these grocery diets is often anything that is considered not fit for human consumption. When you improve the quality of a pet’s diet by seeking out a truly natural pet food comprised of high quality proteins that are free from harsh chemicals and have bio-available vitamin/mineral packages, you will be taking the first step towards a holistic approach to pet care.

Many people are not aware that holistic veterinary care for animals is available or that such care can improve the quality of their pet’s life significantly. Animals that are treated holistically tend to look better. They have more energy, sleek coats, bright eyes and great muscle tone. They also tend to suffer from less disease. Holistic veterinary medicine is a comprehensive approach to animal care involving both alternative and conventional treatments. Some of the forms of treatment include acupuncture, homeopathy, Chinese medicine, physical therapy, massage therapy, chiropractic care, conventional medicine and surgery.

A truly holistic approach to pet care looks at trying to heal the entire pet, and not just treating or masking symptoms. A truly holistic approach treats each pet according to what's best for the individual pet, trying to give the pet relief while minimizing side effects. Ideally, a holistic approach focuses on preventing disease, which lowers the cost of veterinary care for the pet owner and increases the pet's overall health.

Holistic care means keeping an open mind and exploring all of the possibilities that can help keep your pet healthy. Holistic pet care has two goals – increasing our pet’s quality of life and longevity while trying to save pet owners some of the expenses associated with pet health care. By preventing disease, you'll not only do all you can to keep your pet healthy, but you'll reduce your veterinary expenses by reducing the number of sick visits to your pet's doctor!

“B.A.R.F.” is an acronym for “biologically appropriate raw food” or “bones and raw food” and it is considered the ultimate in a natural diet for your pets.

Many Veterinarians and pet owners are beginning to see the benefits of raw diets for pets. The number of dogs and cats being treated for auto-immune and degenerative diseases in Veterinary offices today is growing. From allergies to cancer, the rate of illness in our pets is out of proportion to what should be expected. Many believe that the reason for this deterioration in our pet’s health is in part due to poor nutrition and nutrient bio-availability. Many skin and allergy problems are a direct result of a lack of raw animal fat in the diet. Feeding your pet a raw diet that closely resembles what they would eat in the wild may help to strengthen their immune system and reduce the rates of disease. The combination of raw meat, internal organs and vegetation provides a diet rich in high quality protein, enzymes and vitamins. Raw foods also help your pet maintain a healthy PH and enzyme level in their digestive system, which helps your pet to maintain a strong immune system and prevents degenerative diseases.

Dogs are natural carnivores and cats are true carnivores. A carnivore’s system has actually been designed to derive its required nutrients from raw food. Cooking changes the molecular structure of food, making it more difficult to digest, particularly for our domestic pets who have very simple, short digestive tracts. Cooking food also destroys essential enzymes and antioxidants. A lack of essential enzymes and antioxidants in the diet puts stress on your pet’s vital organs as the system works harder to digest food than it is designed to.

Carbohydrates from grains are not required by dogs and cats and may strain organs such as the pancreas. Grains break down into sugar and can lead to yeast overgrowth. Yeast overgrowth may lead to health problems such as allergies, skin and coat problems, ear infections and joint problems.

A properly-sourced raw diet will use antibiotic-free, steroid-free and hormone-free meats and fresh plant and vegetable ingredients to ensure your pet is not exposed to harmful chemicals or preservatives. Feeding raw has become much more convenient, as raw manufacturing companies evolve towards producing high quality frozen diets that are readily available to consumers. Look for whole animal ingredients, preferably free-range and containing no harmful antibiotics or growth hormones. Also ensure the company follows strict human-standard meat processing procedures. Note that dogs and cats do not get salmonella poisoning because their digestive system is so acidic that it actually kills bacteria and parasites.

“Generally, how long do your dogs live and what have been the circumstances surrounding recent deaths?” When researching your next dog, this is a question that must be asked of a responsible breeder. Unfortunately, the incidence of certain inherited defects and auto-immune diseases in some breeds is unacceptably high. While there are many reasons for early deterioration of health in dogs, one area that warrants some discussion and research is the various breeding philosophies practiced by many purebred breeders.

In-Breeding – the mating of two animals that are closely and immediately related. This includes brother-to-sister, father-to-daughter or mother-to-son.

Line-Breeding – the mating of two animals that are two or three generations apart. This includes uncle-to-niece, half-brother-to-half-sister or grandmother-to-grandson. Line-Breeding attempts to maintain certain desired traits to produce consistent champions.

Out-Crossing – the mating of two animals of the same breed that are sufficiently unrelated. The “IC” (Inbreeding Coefficient) of the progeny is lower than the average of the parents.

In-Breeding Coefficient – a mathematical model for the definition of the level of inbreeding in a dog, developed in 1922.

In-breeding and line-breeding are known to gain rapid results when breeding for a certain desired trait. However, when you double up on the genes to gain good traits, you are also doubling up on the genes that produce bad traits. These bad traits are usually unseen genetic defects that have not been tested for. When two bad genes are doubled up, they suddenly become a dominant trait that will possibly produce ill effects for the dog. There is considerable debate on what those ill effects may be, but it is becoming apparent to many around the world that the high rates of cancer, diabetes, allergies, epilepsy and other diseases may be a result of certain breeding practices.

Line-breeding is the favoured approach for breeders in North America, but not necessarily so in other parts of the world where many kennel clubs have opted to ban in-breeding and line-breeding.