For decades, cancer has been the bane of doctors around the world. Historically, fear of this killer has been so pervasive that I remember laymen and doctors alike referring to cancer as the Big C during the 1960s. Nobody wanted to utter the word ‘cancer’ in an almost superstitious attempt to thwart the appearance of a disease that has no cure and that for many has been fatal.

Veterinarians who treat cancer in dogs, as well as medical professionals for our dogs’ human counterparts, have struggled with cancer diagnoses and treatments that have often been ineffective or debilitating for the patient. These have included chemotherapy, radiation, and a variety of nominally effective or ineffective drugs.

My mother was a victim of cancer. Our family has a background in medicine and we have been pursuing all AMA approved pathways as well as non-traditional approaches in medical clinics around the world for over seven years. Some of these non-traditional approaches may have extended your life by a few years and many of the techniques are incorporated by traditional practitioners today.

So what does this have to do with our dogs? In a word… everything.

Our dogs are diagnosed with cancer today more than ever. In fact, some studies have suggested that more than 50% of all dogs will get and/or die from cancer. Whether this increase in the number of diagnoses is due to a more astute veterinary community that has more resources at its disposal or if there is an underlying cause is up for debate.

It seems to this writer that many of the potential carcinogens that affect us as dog guardians can mimic themselves and invade the healthy bodies of our best friends. The National Canine Cancer Foundation says that cancer can be attributed to factors such as overexposure to carcinogens, which include chemicals found in commercial dog foods and medications

One of the biggest challenges to your dog’s immune system and health is as close as the bag, box, or can of dog food you may be feeding Fido. Commercial dog foods are often promoted as all-natural or balanced, and are often nothing more than industrial waste laden with chemicals and additives that is the equivalent of ingesting a bag full of poison every day. There is very little regulation of the dog food industry and the labeling can be misleading at best. Worse than junk food, it’s often a chemical-laden poison and a contributor to canine cancer.

Another problem that can have an impact on the suppression of the immune system of our dogs is the excessive use of vaccines. Veterinarians will frequently recommend up to 16 different vaccinations for a dog and the regularly scheduled vaccinations that are routinely given every one to three years are now the subject of much dispute among holistic practitioners who believe that the biggest beneficiary of ‘over-vaccination’ is the dog. vaccine manufacturer

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) reports that “…there is a growing public and professional awareness that vaccine products are not as benign as first believed, and there is controversy in in terms of the duration of immunity and the frequency of administration. The administration of vaccines is a medical procedure with which, as with any medical decision, there are concomitant benefits and risks.”

Dr. Donna Starita Mehan in an article published in Canine-Health-Concern at canine-health-concern.org.uk, wrote that “routine” vaccination, as practiced today, is not always effective… most problems involve the immune system. After all, the immune system is what vaccines are designed to stimulate. But they do it in a very unnatural way that can overwhelm and confuse the immune system. This can result in increased susceptibility to acute infections…or in more degenerative cases, cancer.

Additionally, in a Purdue University study cited in Canine Health Concern, Drs. Harm Hogen Esch and Larry T. Glickman noted that “concern has increased among owners, breeders, and veterinarians that current vaccines cause immune-mediated disease in dogs.”

A respected veterinarian, Dr. Andrew Jones, recently noted that vaccinations he gave his dog as part of a regular protocol may have been a contributing factor, along with dog food and medications, in the development of breast cancer. spleen on your precious friend.

Another possible cause of cancer in your dog can be attributed to certain prescription medications, such as anti-inflammatories, such as those given for arthritis. These medications can have a negative impact on your dog’s organs and may contribute to the attack of cancer. Other studies have noted a link between the use of certain medications and the development of liver disease in dogs

So why did your dog get cancer? The answer may not be easy to pinpoint, but there is a great deal of evidence to suggest that a number of immune suppressive factors may be robbing our dogs of natural nutrients and health maintenance capabilities, and it is possible that, we are unknowingly giving them these potentially life-shortening culprits. .

In an attempt to protect our dogs from disease, we are vaccinating them against disease. In a desire to feed them a balanced dog food, we are poisoning them with commercially produced garbage. In a desire to alleviate the disease, we are medicating them to death.

We live in a wonderful time of challenges and opportunities. Technological and medical advances in our world and that of our dogs offer great promise. The unfortunate part of this is the misuse of many developments for convenience and greed that is lining the pockets of pharmaceutical companies and unethical dog food manufacturers.

So the responsibility is ours as guardians of our dogs. Research before you buy, ask before you feed, and never stop learning. In fact, the best question to ask yourself may be, How can I prevent my dog ​​from getting cancer? Because an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure…