By Maggie Linn

Today, dogs and cats are living longer than ever, in part due to the many advances made in veterinary medicine to keep them healthier. Many human procedures and treatment options are available to pets that never were before, making a definite impact in expected lifespan. However, with the lengthening of pet lifespans there has also been an ever-increasing frequency of cancer being diagnosed, and especially dogs.
Above: Cancer cells. Canine treatments for a cancer include agressive and expensive treatments used with people, but many human companions opt for alternative care through supplementation and support of the immune system.

Cancer treatments are yet one more area that human medicine has been applied to canine medicine, and to some extent it has been helpful. But many people today feel that caustic, dangerous and expensive cancer treatments are not the way they want to treat their dogs for these malignancies. It is with this in mind that alternative health care is definitely making its place in the treatment of dogs diagnosed with cancers.

Detoxify the Body and Support the Immune System
Using alternative therapies to treat cancers in dogs is the same as using them in people. The main idea in alternative health care is to cleanse and detoxify the body, to support the immune system as much as possible, and to make the body strong enough to fight off disease processes. This is done through clean, healthy diets, and usually with the use of specific herbal supplements and vitamins. It must be noted however, that as with anything else, every dog (or person, for that matter) will react differently to things like medications, vitamins and supplements. There is a definite right way to administer drugs and supplements, as there is a wrong way. It is important to be aware of this when using alternative health care methods. More is not necessarily better, and can actually be harmful, so it is recommended that all supplements and medications be used as prescribed.

Above: Red Reishi is an alternative therapy herbal option for both humans and canines. It has strong immune boosting properties and has been extensively tested in clinical tests with promising results.

Two herbal supplements that many dog owners and their veterinarians are seeing promise with in treating cancers in dogs through alternative health care are reishi (also called lingzhi), a type of Chinese medicinal mushroom, and astragalus (also called Huang qi), a Chinese herb. Chinese medicine has long-relied on the properties of cleansing foods and herbs to cure disease, and it is helping to kill tumors in some, as well.
Reishi Mushroom—Immune Booster
Reishi is a strong immune system booster that has anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. With a healthy immune system it can be easier to fight off viruses and infections so the body can concentrate on healing the cancers. Also, reishi has been shown to increase production of certain chemical cancer fighters within the body which can help slow the growth of cancer, or even begin to recede it.

Above: Astragalus Root is known as the "cancer killer" and is also an immune booster. It is an ancient Chinese herb used in alternative care of many sicknesses, but is particularly effective with cancers because of it's "pro-oxidant" qualities. It is available as a root, brewed as tea, or in a regulated dosage through herbal pill supplements.

Astragalus—Strong Cancer-Killer
Astragalus, also an immune booster, works in a different sort of way than reishi does. Astragalus apparently causes an increase activity and production of certain types of white blood cells in the body that make antibodies, but it also has strong cancer-killing properties, through oxidation. This plant is high in selenium and, while selenium in low amounts has anti-oxidant properties, when given in higher doses it is toxic, becoming "pro-oxidant". What that means is that the selenium oxidizes cells - including the cancer cells - creates a metabolic reaction in the body, and in this process can actually destroy cancer cells. As cancer cells are destroyed, cancer progression ceases and tumors can actually begin to resolve.
Of course this is a very basic explanation as to how these two herbs can work to aid in the alternative treatment of cancers in dogs. A holistic veterinarian who is experienced with treating canine cancers will be able to explain more.

Other Immune Boosters
There are many other herbal supplements known for their immune system boosting, and cancer reducing or cancer curing abilities, but which ones to use should also be decided on with the help of an experienced holistic veterinarian. Poly-MVA therapy involves the use of lipolic acid and the trace element palladium. Ozone therapy is based on the simple idea that oxygen is required for cells to healthy cells to function, while cancer-causing cells require low levels of oxygen to thrive. These are only a few of the treatments that can be tried on dogs with cancer.

The pattern illustrated here - that making the body healthy enough to fight off disease - is the main key to successful alternative health care, and the main way to fight off cancers in dogs. Unfortunately, no therapy is ever guaranteed to work, or work in a specific animal, but at the least there are more and more ways that we can try to attack cancers to find the therapy that does.

About Maggie Linn
I am a veterinary technician by profession with over 15 years experience, and currently mommy to three canines who are the love of my life.

Information Sources:
Reishi Mushroom

Cancer and Astragalus for Dogs

Selenium-induced apoptosis

Reishi and Dogs

Supplements for Cancer in Pets

Alternative Healthcare zebra99