Understanding Canine Cancer
Cancer is a breakdown of the immune system, pure and simple. The main function of our immune systems (and those of our dogs) is to identify and destroy foreign, mutant and imperfect cells found in the body. It does so quietly and efficiently from day one and, it is only when this system is compromised, that cancers can develop.
There seems to be a cruel parallel between the rise in the incidence of Canine Cancers and the same trend in Human Cancers. Cancer in dogs was pretty rare not so long ago. Now Osteosarcoma and Lymphoma are becoming increasingly commonplace followed closely by others more recently including Fibrosarcoma, Melanoma, Thyroid and Anal Gland Carcinoma.

In the case of domesticated dogs, Cancer is on the rise, developmental disorders are commonplace, life expectancy is shortening and domestic dogs are more fragile and more expensive to maintain nowadays, than ever before. There has also been a massive international industry built up around processed dog food, health treatments, and more recently 'snack foods' for our dogs which is in very spooky juxtaposition to the same trends in our own lives.

Horses still eat grass (most of them anyway) and Cats still catch birds (almost all of them).

Dogs nowadays don't get to eat much raw or ripening meat and don't get to eat many bones. They don't get to catch their own prey or scavenge for food. They don't eat the raw stomach contents of dead animals. Nowadays they only ever get to eat (gulp actually) cooked, commercial feeds, table scraps with a little raw meat, if they are lucky.

They are getting sicker and this is no surprise.

I came across the ultimate nonsense, 6 or 7 years ago when I was invited to comment on the new "natural" range of dog products being manufactured by an multi-national company with a factory in my home town in rural Australia. There was the display rack with rows and rows of brightly packaged snack foods for dogs and cats and 90% of them had no English writing on them at all, it was all in Japanese and Korean.

Then, these two bright young technicians tried to tell me that spraying a yoghurt derivative on the outside of a bone shaped object made out of what looked like treated plastic (not ground bone, because it was "too messy on the carpet") was somehow a healthy product innovation.

Neither Cancer nor good health is solely dependent on what we put in our mouths. In fact as humans, we are able to subvert our immune systems and our health in a vast number of different ways including what we eat, drink, inhale, inject, rub on, do, feel, sit in front of, work amongst, transmit as electromagnetic waves etc, the list goes on. We are subverting our dog's environment along with our own, by introducing stress, boredom, snack foods, overeating, poor excercise patterns, artificial lighting and over-medication to name a few.

Our dogs have somewhat less complicated lives than we do and, as scavengers, have an amazing range of feed substances which they can make use of. I do think plastic bones and woody weeks is pushing it though.

Our canine companions 'modern diet' and subverted exercise patterns are the two major factors in the increase of Canine Cancers.

Healthy Natural Diet
My friend, Veterinary Surgeon Dr Ian Billinghurst, has produced two simple and practical books, which have made his peers a little uncomfortable. These books are entitled respectively "Give Your Dog A Bone" and "Grow Your Pups with Bones". They are both based around what he calls the B.A.R.F. diet, which is an acronym for Bones and Raw Food.

I really have nothing much to add to his contentions that commercial dog food along with subverted exercise patterns in our modern dogs lives, is almost completely responsible for the decline in Canine health since the 1930's. This includes increasing incidence of Reproductive and Skeletal problems along with Cancers, Heart and Kidney problems, Arthritis, shortening life spans, poorer health and life quality generally. I can strongly recommend his books to you.

As a Herbalist, I endorse the simple and very practical approach to life that states we were designed within our environment and for the demands of surviving within it. Any time we subvert the support systems built into this environment, we run risks. Mankind, in the second half of the 20th Century, has embarked on a massive and unrestrained experiment in the subversion of almost all aspects of his environment, diet and support systems and is beginning to pay the price. In this experiment he has taken with him his faithful friend the Dog, who is now also now paying the price for all this foolishness.

Become familiar with, and practice the Bones and Raw Food principles of feeding. Re-establish biologically appropriate exercise patterns and see your puppies grow free of reproductive and skeletal problems and your ailing adult dogs, return to good health.

For the benefit of my clients, I carry a stock of Ian's first book "Give Your Dog a Bone" and his companion work "Grow Your Pups on Bones". They are available for $27.50 and $32.50 respectively and I can have them posted to you the same day you send your order.

In his books, Ian suggests a combination of commercial and natural sources of supplements and nutrients along with bones, meat, offal, and a variety of vegetables and grains. I certainly agree with his recommendations regarding Eggs, Garlic and Honey for example and his raw lean meat and vegetable patty recipes. My suggestions below are to be seen as a herbalist's perspective on the same requirements, only really differing in the preference toward natural sources and in the more detailed understanding of the medicinal value of plants and grains as opposed to simply their nutritional value.

As a Herbalist, I don't see the need for a lot of commercial mineral and vitamin supplements. I suggest that natural sources of such things are preferable, usually cheaper, and more easily assimilated than the commercial variety.

Let us consider some of the Vitamins and Minerals one at a time.

Vitamin A: Is found in Eggs, Fish Oil, Carrots and Leafy Green Vegetables and is therefore much better fed as such, rather than as processed supplements.

Vitamin B: Is found in all grains, and the idea of giving Vitamin B supplements to animals which have grain in their diet is complete nonsense. Vitamin B12 is a specific cancer preventative and is best found in the herb Comfrey. This can be included occasionally and in small quantities in a green feed as a valuable supplement.

Bioflavinoids: Can be supplied with a little Buckwheat to provide Rutin especially for healthy blood vessels.

Calcium and Silica: Are found in Bones, Cereals and Leafy Greens. I contend that diets high in dairy food and calcium supplements are inappropriate and detrimental for pups and for adult dogs. This mostly because the balance between Calcium , other minerals and fat found in cows milk, while suitable to growing calves, is not suitable for dogs.

Carbohydrates: The specific cereals I strongly recommend be included in all dog diets are freshly ground Millet and Linseed to which can be added some Buckwheat and fresh Wheat Germ. All grains are high in carbohydrates and the Calcium:Silica balance found in Millet and Linseed is absolutely perfect for the growth, health and strength of bones and for the elasticity of ligaments. Buckwheat is high in Rutin and Wheat Germ in Vitamins E and B. In other words this simple cereal combination does it all.

Vitamin C: Is found in fresh greens in abundance. At times of illness, shock or unusual physical stress, a few Rosehips Tea Bags steeped in boiling water and allowed to cool will provide massive extra amounts of Vitamin C and Iron to aid in recovery from such an episode.

Choline: Is found in bitter vegetables and the leaves of Dandelions and is critical for effective liver function. A dandelion leaf can be included sometimes in the vegetable component of the raw food diet. Otherwise let a few dandelions and other weeds and grasses grow around the yard and watch your dog seek them out for liver support, occasionally.

Vitamin D: Is synthesised by the action of Sunlight on Skin and found in Fish Oils. Not needed so much for the working dog living outside, but could well be important for the house pet waiting inside all day for its owners return. Cod Liver Oil provides the entire Vitamin A and D requirement.

Vitamin E: Is found in fresh wheat germ along with the whole range of Vitamin B's and is the commercial source of both E's and B's. A little fresh wheat germ included with the cereal components of the raw food diet is all that is required. Anything more expensive or more processed is a nonsense.

Iron: Is found in Meat, Wheat Germ and in Green Vegetables especially Parsley and Nettle. Dogs being fed raw meat will never need Iron supplements.

Trace Elements: Are all found in Kelp.

It all boils down to Meat, Offal and Bones, Eggs, Millet and Linseed, Green and Root Vegetables, Wheat Germ, Cod Liver Oil, Kelp and a small amount of table scraps. To this I would add Garlic as a protection against infection and a sulphur source, the odd weed like Dandelion and Comfrey and the odd exposure to Rosehips.

My Treatment Approach:
I base my treatments around the twin approach of providing the extraordinarily powerful antioxidant properties from the Maritime Pine Bark in extract form, along with a combination of other herbal ingredients in support of the immune systems' particular area of weakness.

The whole thrust of my treatment programs is to assist the body to reverse the process of cancer altogether and to act as both support and stand-alone treatment.

In addition to cancer specific formulations, I have developed mixtures supporting recovery from surgery and for recovery and damage minimisation from radio and chemotherapy protocols.

Many dog owners and their Vets, prefer to retain some aspects of their orthodox treatments whether it be surgery and/or radio or chemotherapy. There is no conflict in combining orthodox and herbal treatment programs although, after I have demonstrated a remission or a reversal, I strongly recommend ceasing ongoing or follow-up chemo or radiotherapy, as these treatments are so destructive to the immune system itself.

My experience with treating Canine Osteosarcoma and after following up on each individual case over the past 5 or 6 years is, that I expect to produce remission conditions often for many months with the absence of pain and a return of vitality. Dogs seem to respond quickly to these programs are remain able to sustain this improved life quality for 6 to 12 months or more in most cases. Quite often then, they seem to deteriorate rapidly although I do have a significant number of cases, which appear to have been totally cured.

My success rate in treating Canine Lymphoma appears so far, to be better than for the Osteosarcoma program. This is probably due to two factors;

• Firstly; the cell replacement rate in soft tissue and the lymphatic system within the body is much faster than it is in bone tissue, thereby allowing a more rapid response within the body.
  
  
• Secondly; unlike with my human patients, I am able to stimulate the lymphatic system and clear toxins more aggressively with my canine patients. The risk in humans is that being so aggressive could spread the cancer cells more widely in the early part of the treatment. This runs the risk of my being held legally responsible for a worsening of the prognosis in some instances. My canine patients seem to be able to cope with the more aggressive lymphatic tonics.

My Guest book and Discussion Forum:
Canine Cancer is rapidly becoming a very serious issue for so many dog owners and I have found it very helpful to my own patients to put them in touch with others in similar situations.

For this reason, I have included a guest book facility for your use to get in touch with others with similar problems, to exchange ideas and to give one another support.
I will monitor the site, offer personal support where required myself, and learn from all of you how better to serve you.