Pet Cancer Awareness
Cancer is the leading disease-related cause of death for domestic dogs and cats across the U.S.. One in four dogs and one and five cats have their life claimed by cancer. No matter what, we are never ready to hear the word “cancer” nor are we ever ready to lose a member of our family, however more than 50% of dogs over the age of 10 are diagnosed every year. And research shows that younger animals are increasingly being diagnosed with Cancer as well. Bringing awareness to pet owners is key in keeping your pets healthy - not just from the dreaded c word, but from multiple other illnesses. The month of November is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month, so we want to help spread the word to educate pet owners about how to best protect their furry family members.
While there are things that are cancer causing like age, genetics, and environmental pollution, there are also things that we can control to reduce the risk. So what are the things we can control and why are they so important?
First and foremost, a fresh, whole food diet is so important. Most commercial pet foods are made with leftovers, unwanted parts from livestock slaughter and processing, and filled with additives and preservatives. Humans and dogs alike thrive when we properly nourish our bodies, and the rule remains the same when we are wanting our bodies to fight off diseases - when we support our body, it will support us in return. Similar to diet, clean and purified water is also essential to the health of our pets. Water is essential in order to reduce/resolve inflammation. Filtered water is the best source of water for our pets, but it is also important to remember that if you are feeding your animals raw whole food that they will absorb most of their daily water intake through their food, making a raw diet even more important.
Outside of diet and what we feed our animals, avoiding toxins is also important to both preventing and treating cancer. If you are able to limit the vaccinations your animals receive, their bodies will thank you. While vaccinations are important and pets should always be kept up to date on the required vaccinations, some of the antibodies produced by vaccines cause inflammation. Even booster shots can perpetuate the inflammation. Talking with your veterinarian on vaccines and what is required for your animals is important. Secondly, reducing pollution and toxins both indoor and outdoor (within your control) is key. Products such as yard chemicals and house cleaners put your animals, and even you, at risk for toxic exposure. These cause over-reactivity of the immune system and inflammation.
Lastly, minimizing stress and increasing exercise will help keep your animals healthy. Luckily these two go hand in hand. Too much distress (not to be confused with eustress’s) can negatively impact the body's immune system and regular physical activity is a natural immune booster and stress reducer. That's why humans enjoy their exercise so much! Also, including mental exercise in your animals day to day life is important too. Read our enrichment blog series for more ways you can exercise your dog's brain and body in a healthy and positive way.
As previously stated, the above prevention information is only what is in our control. There are so many other outliers that we cannot control, no matter how badly we wish we could. The key to treating Cancer in our pets, like our two-legged family members, is early detection. While cancer can present itself in so many ways, there are a number of symptoms that can be considered indicators to take seriously. I would also like to point out that if your pet is experiencing or experiences one of the symptoms below that it is not a hard and fast rule for cancer. Seeking the guidance of your trusted veterinarian is recommended.
Possible symptoms are:
Blood in urine or bleeding from any body opening
Change in behavior
Difficulty breathing or using the bathroom
Loss of appetite
Loss of stamina or reluctance to exercise
Lumps that persist or continue to grow
Sores that do not heal
Unexplained weight loss
While prevention is so important, treatment is equally important when discussing cancer or any illnesses. And truthfully, treatment “ground-rules” are essentially the same as prevention. We want to ensure that the body is as healthy as it can be, both physically and mentally, because only then will our bodies be able to battle. Some other things that you could incorporate into your animals life if being treated for cancer are supplements to support cancer treatment, such as:
Digestive enzymes help to fight inflammation
Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatories and healthy fats are vital to our bodies functions
Antioxidants increase immune function
Medicinal herbs are amazing for their cleansing effect
Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine help to reduce pain that our pets may be experiencing due to cancer
Both prevention and treatment is so important to all of the health needs of our pets. It is always important to continue your education and be aware of what symptoms you should be looking out for. For more information on healthy diets, please read our nutrition blogs!
All information learned has been researched through MedVet and onlynaturalpet.
In the end, we all want our pets to be the healthiest possible and live the longest life possible, and we want to help everyone’s pet stay healthy and happy! The more we study and learn of better avenues, the better their diet, their health, and their overall life will become. Have a topic you'd like us to discuss? Send an email to info@itsallaboutthepaws.org.
