From the beginning  of life free radicals in the form of airborne, food and water toxins begin to destroy healthy cells and tissues.     Providing healthy air,  food and water  may require extra work but will greatly reduce toxin and free radical damage.    The most healthy diets are free of toxins,  provide nutrients that support  liver function and detoxification, and avoid nutrients that lead to a leaky gut syndrome.      Broadly speaking dogs and cats should be fed a homemade, rare/raw  meat, no grain diet.     Ideally, the meat should be organic and grass fed while veggies should b e organic, colorful and steamed or grated.   If homemade diets are not an option for you then  feed a high quality commercial diet that is over 40% meat by dry weight and contains a minimum of grain.    It is impossible, even for a veterinarian,  to determine the percent meat in a commercial diet by simply looking at the bag.      You must call the company and ask the nutritionist this question,  “On a dry matter basis, what percent of the food is meat protein”.    Understand that grains and veggies also have protein so the percent protein on the bag does not tell you how much is meat protein.     Finally, adding supplemental digestive enzymes, probiotics, trace minerals and omega fatty acids to either a commercial or homemade diet will plug many of the nutritional holes resulting from poor farming practices and commercial processing of food.  Regretfully, because of space limitations we can not go into all of the other factors that must be considered when choosing the optimal commercial diet.    Therefore, you may want to go to my website Doc4pets.com and click on  the nutrition heading for a much more comprehensive write up on pet diets.

Next to good nutrition regular dental hygiene is the most important thing owners  can perform  in order to provide their  dog or cat a longer healthier life.   Because tartar  is a breeding ground for bacteria, by keeping tartar to a minimum fewer bacterial toxins will get into the blood stream and damage the liver and kidneys.    Daily home dental care combined with a yearly professional dental prophylaxis will make a hug difference in the health of your pet during his or her senior years.  

We all live in a toxic world and as hard as we may try we can’t elimininate them all.   However any effort we make to minimize our pets exposure to environmental toxins will pay off big time in terms of extending their life.   Environmental toxins involve such hazards as household cleaning products, lawn pesticides,  radon, cigarette smoke, paint fumes, fumes from no stick cooking utensils,  automobile fumes, poisonous plants, rat poisons and spilled antifreeze.      Keep in mind that pets are much closer to the ground than we are and therefore more exposed to many environmental  toxins.    Bird owners should know that their feathered friend is much more sensitive to airborne toxins and therefore every effort should be made to keep them away from fumes resulting from paint, no stick cook ware, tobacco smoke,  house hold deodorizers and even fireplace fumes.     If you must apply weed and insect killer to your lawn try to use organic products keeping in mind that if you apply non organic chemicals  than pets that get outside will walk through the grass and then lick the residual chemicals off their feet or ingest these toxin  when they nibble on the grass.   There are now a number of companies that manufacture non toxic home cleaning products that can replace those toxic products you many now be using.   Once again space restraints limit this discussion on environmental toxins so if you have further interest to learn more please visit my website Doc4pets.com  and go to my blog and look through the archive of articles till you find the ones involving environmental  toxins and detoxification.

Avoiding toxins is one thing but getting rid of them once already in the body is a whole different issue.    Toxins accumulate in our pets body slowly and without producing symptoms until the concentration of toxins destroys enough tissue to produce outward disease.   Of course the idea is to be proactive and get rid of these toxins before symptoms become obvious.      The process of detoxification can be accomplished in several ways ie. homeopathy, herbal, and nutritional.      I recommend all my patient go through a homeopathic detox twice yearly.     Most toxins are also free radicals that steel electrons and damage vital tissue.   Adding a number of antioxidants to the daily diet will help neutralize these free radicals, prevent cellular damage and  provide additional years of normal function for important organ systems.     Vitamin C,  Vitamin E,  Selenium, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and resveratrol  are examples of nutritional antioxidants.   Milk Thistle,  Burdock  root,  and            are herbal anti oxidants.

The process of detoxification is enhanced by supporting those organs which are most instrumental in removing toxins from the body.    Of those organs the liver is the most important.     Dimethylglycine, SAM-E, MSM, Detox Kit and liver glandular are a few examples of  nutraceutical which support the liver.

Constant emotional stress can steel years from Excessive emotional stress is truly a toxin in that stress stimulates the sympathetic nervous  system which inturn causes inflammation, tissue damage and free radical damage..   Early obedience training will go along way in reducing emotional stress  because a well behaved dog   is a contribution family whereas a dog that misbehaves, bitesl, barks excessivel or destroys family property  will result in repeated reprimands and in family upsets and discontentment.     If behavior training has failed we can provide homeopathic, herbal , and  nutraceutical s that will calm the dog hopeful end unacceptable behavior.  

Regular exercise is an important part of maintaining good health because it not only helps to main a slim muscular appearance it also relieves boredom and allows the pet to get rid of pent up energy that otherwise might be vented by destructive behavior such as chewing on shoes, furniture or lamp cords.   Walking or jogging with your dog is great for both of you.     Playing fetch the ball or Frizbee  are other  fun activities.   Agility training, hunting and visits to the dog park are additional approachs to getting rid of energy and reducing unwanted behavior.   Exercising with your pet is a great way to strengthen the human animal bond

Chiropractic care is something most pet owners never consider until their pet is lame or injured.    However   semi annual  proactive spinal adjustments are important not only in maintaining a healthy neuromuscular skeletal system but is also very effective in keeping internal organs functioning properly.

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Feed a high quality,  low protein diet prescription kidney diet available from all veterinarians– Or — feed a home made kidney diet by following a receipe that we  make available. The diet will decrease the formation of waste protein toxins, discourage obesity and reduce the work load of the kidney.

 Encourage your dog or cat to drink more by providing lots of fresh water throughout the day or by adding more water directly to the pet’s food.   Doing this will encourage better hydration while at the same time flush the kidneys and reduce accumulating protein waste toxins.    Because pets in kidney failure have kidneys that can not concentrate urine they will eventually become dehydrated unless they drink much more water than normal .    If a pet becomes dehydrated he or she will need to be given subcutaneous or intravenous fluids.   These fluids can be given in the veterinary hospital or the owner can be taught to do this at home.

 Make sure your dog or cat receives a regular dental prophylaxis to reduce oral bacteria  which are injurious to the animal’s kidneys, liver, and heart.  Home dental care is probably more important for dogs and cats than  for their caregivers because pets build tartar much faster and receive much less professional dental care.    Supplement your dog’s or cat’s diet with  veterinary recommended anti-oxidant enzymes, vitamins, minerals,  and glandulars to reduce tissue injury from free radicals and to stimulate natural immunity.  Omega 3 fatty acids are also important supplements that promotes kidney health.    Coenzyme Q10, resveratrol, and  lipoic acid are three  other important nutrients that support kidney function

 Have your veterinarian perform semi annual blood and urine testing to monitor your dog’s or cat’s kidney function and to provide an early warning system for the development of other degenerative disease.  Recently a new urine test, the ERD micro albuminuria test, has become available.  The ERD test requires only a small amount of urine and can detect kidney disease much earlier than blood tests.  Any dog or cat over the age of 6 years old should be routinely tested with an ERD test because not only does it detect kidney disease but  also is a screen for inflammatory disease of  other organs.   Any dog or cat that is found to be drinking or urinating more than normal should have a blood screen and urinalysis performed              

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit Michigan area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, White lake and Toledo

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The present conventional theory of cancer is that both humans and pets are continually producing cancer cells in their body, however, a healthy body will have an efficient immune system which is on constant alert for the development of  cancerous cells and will quickly destroy these cells before they can form as cancerous mass,  more commonly referred to  as a tumor.   Unfortunately,  if we are not in the best of health and our immune system is not receiving the raw materials it needs to fight off emerging threats , the cancer cells will get a foot hold and grow into a tumor that may become life threatening.

Any time you notice a lump or swelling on your pet have it promptly checked out by your veterinarian.    Although veterinarians can often make a good guess as to whether the lump is benign or malignant he or she can never be certain without first obtaining a biopsy sample that is then sent to the veterinary pathologist for a definite diagnosis.   The biopsy may be obtained with a needle, key punch device, biopsy forceps or  by excising the whole growth or a portion with a scalpel blade.    When the biopsy is taken with a needle and syringe it is called “an aspiration biopsy”.   Although  aspiration biopsies are perhaps the most common approach to identifying malignancy  they do provide more chance for misdiagnosis because of the small size of the sample.    Any new growth should be biopsied even if it looks like a benign fatty tumor.    Benign fatty tumors (lipomas) can not be  distinguished from malignant mast cell tumors by physical exam alone.    At a recent oncology seminar I attended the speaker made the following very important point:   “Do not wait to see if a mass continues to grow before  biopsying it to determine whether it is malignant.”

Of course there are many cancer growths which can not be seen because they involve internal organs.   Cancers like hemangiosarcomas of the spleen, may get huge before they produce obvious outward symptoms.  Below are what many veterinary sources consider to be possible signs of cancer.:    weight loss for no apparent reason, loss of normal appetite, bleeding from a body opening like the nostril,  a foul odor from the mouth, difficulty eating and swallowing,  difficulty breathing,  non healing wounds,  lameness that persists.

So what can we do to protect ourselves and our pets from cancer and how can we treat them once they are diagnosed with cancer?   Think holistic, holistic, holistic.   Keeping our pets bodies in optimal health by providing them a healthy diet,  healthy environment and life style, and plenty of exercise is the foundation for a strong immune system .   Please visit my website Doc4pets.com for details on how to feed a healthy diet .    As for a healthy environment, this would include minimal exposure to poisonous plants and  chemical toxins on the grass, in the house, and in the garage.   Radon levels in the basement should be checked.   Don’t smoke around your pet.   Second hand smoke has been shown to increase the incidence of cancer in cats.   With regard to a healthy life style,  this  should include plenty of companionship and minimal stress.    Even psychological stress due to isolation can suppress a pet’s immune system and make him or her more susceptible to cancer.   So try not to leave your dog alone in the house for extended periods.   Spend quality time with your pet.  Exercise can be  in the form of jogging, fetching, hiking or competitive sports  such as “fly ball”training or chasing a laser light.   Take your pet to a holistic veterinarian who can serve as  your partner and coach in helping you reduce your pets toxin load, and in supporting his or her immune system.

Conventional treatment of pets diagnosed with cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.   Alternative / holistic  approaches include organic rare meat diets, liver support and detoxification,  antioxidants therapy, herbal  formulas, acupuncture, and immune stimulants,  oxygen therapy,  Neoplasene therapy and life style enhancement.

Cancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth, invasion and destruction of surrounding tissues.  Some cancer remains a localized problem but others spread (metastasize) to other locations via the blood and lymphatics.    Cancer affects people and pets of all ages.   The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer is “oncology”.   Nearly all cancers are caused by abnormalities in the genes of these abnormal cells.   These abnormalities may be due to the effects of carcinogens such as tobacco smoke, radiation, chemicals, and infectious agents (viruses) to name a few.  Other causes of cancer may result from random errors in gene replication or are inheritied and present in all cells since birth.    Conventionally cancer diagnosis is made by the microscopic exam of a biopsy specimen although the initial indications of malignancy may come from radiographic abnormalities.   The progression of many cancers can be slowed down and in rare instances disappear.    The prognosis depends on the type of cancer, the location of the cancer and stage of the cancer.     Upon confirming the diagnosis, cancer is usually treated conventionally with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation.

The following is information on the most commonly diagnosed types of cancer:

Squamous Cell Carcinoma – Cancer that occurs in the mouth, underneath the tongue or along the gums of the middle-aged and older cats. Common signs of squamous cell carcinoma in cats includes difficulty eating, interest in food but not wanting to eat, drooling and odor from the mouth. Osteosarcoma – Osteosarcoma is the most common type of bone tumor in dogs. Osteosarcoma beings in the bone but can spread throughout the bloodstream very early in the course of the disease (metastasis).   The most common areas for this cancer to appear are the wrist, shoulder, knee and hip. The first sign of bone cancer is lameness due to pain from the cancer.   Swelling often occurs at the tumor site. Transitional Cell Carcinoma – Tumors usually form at the bladder opening and can cause blockage and  painful urinartion. Pets often strain while trying to urinate. Transitional Cell Carcinoma can be difficult to diagnose because many of the symptoms such as straining to urinate, blood in the urine or frequent urination are often due to a urinary tract infection. This can delay the discovery of the cancer, especially since antibiotics can often result in some improvement of symptoms. Thus, at the time of diagnosis, bladder cancer can be fairly far advanced and have spread to other parts of the body.    Adenocarcinoma – Anal sac adenocarcinomas are tumors araising from the apocrine glands present on either side of the rectum. These tumors can range greatly in size from a very small mass that can be found only after a rectal examination or a large mass protruding from the rectum. While the tumor appears locally, it is quite common for them to metastasize,  often to the lymph nodes inbetween the spine and colon. Symptoms vary depending upon the gender of the pet and can include increased thirst, weakness, persistent licking at the site, difficulty defecating, decreased appetite.

The incidence of cancer is increasing in both humans and animals     Certain cancers are more prevalent in in certain breeds ie.  Golden retrievers with lymposarcoma, boxers with mastocytoma,  Great Danes with osteosarcoma, German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers with hemangiosarcoma.  Irresponsible  breeding to achieve  nothing more than looks at the expense of health is probably the cause for such breed predispositions.   If you are thinking of purchasing a new pup check out the breed to find out what health issues the breed is proned to.

When a pet or   person is diagnosed with cancer the  question that needs to be asked is, “Why did it happen?”   The present thinking is that we are all developing cancer cells all the time.   If our body is healthy and its immune system is efficient then these renegade cancer cells will be identified and destroyed before a solid tumor results.     When a tumor develops, at some level the immune system failed to perform effectively.    So the question is where and why did the failure occur.   As the overall causes of cancer first you have genetics.   Second you have the affects of diet and thirdly the effects of a toxic environment and life style (which includes psychological stress).

Cancer is not something you or your pet contract it is something that often happens to you slowly, in a step by by step progression.  The unfortunate fact is that cancer  is the all too often  the end result of living in a toxic world.   Environmental  toxins occur as excessive sunlight, chronic electromagnetic field exposure, geopathic stress, sick building syndrome, ionizing radiation, nuclear radiation, pesticide/herbicide residues, industrial toxins, polluted water, chlorinated water, fluoridated water, household cleaners and even possibly vaccines.   Food toxins occur as pesticides, parasitacides, antibiotics, hormone, texturizers, flavor enhancers,  food colorings, and allergens.

Anything that produces a damage to the intestinal lining can results in a leaky gut syndrome where bad bacteria, bacterial toxins,  yeast, and large grain protein molecules  are able to enter the liver’s hepatic circulation and eventually exhaust the livers ability to detoxify.    When toxins enter the body they challenge both the immune system and the detoxification system.     Toxins, which  often act as free radicals  stimulate:   1) the immune system to produce a protective  inflammatory response  and  2) the antioxidants defense system to neutralize the free radicals.     If the immune system is too busy dealing with a heavy toxic load  it may become so overwhelmed that it does not have the time or man power to protect the body from spontaneously occurring cancer cell.   Also, toxins and free radicals can damage cellular DNA and be the cause of many of the spontaneously occurring cancer cells .

Under more optimal environmental circumstances where toxins are not so abundant,  mutated cancer cells are quickly recognized by the immune system such that the cancerous cell’s uncontrollable growth  elicits an immune response which will send  macrophages (phagocytic white blood cells) to the region for cellular phagocytosis and removal of the mutated cells (Walters, 1993).

Besides a toxic environment, nutritional deficiencies may also predispose the body to cancer.   If the raw materials the immune system and the detoxification process requires to do its job are not present then the cancer may not be discovered and or destroyed.    The cells will then grow into a malignant mass.

It starts to become apparent that cancer must be considered a whole body, systemic disease rather than a   localized phenomena.    Conventional medicine treats cancer as a localized disease and recommends  the “cut, slash, and burn” approach to cancer therapy.   That is they treat cancer more as a localized disease that must be either surgically cut out, slashed out by irradiation, or burned out by chemical destruction.   Most conventional oncologists do not emphasize the importance of  the elimination of food and environmental toxins or enhancing overall nutrition.   He or she rarely recommends nutraceuticals to  stimulate the immune system,  support the liver, encourage detoxification,  and remove destructive free radicals.

On the contrary, holistic cancer therapy begins by  emphasing optimal general nutrition consisting of  homemade diets made up of  a wide variety of fresh  organic meats and veggies,  trace minerals,  omega fatty acids.   To this foundation of great general nutrition, the holistic approach adds nutraceuticals providing digestive enzymes, prebiotics, probiotics, mega vitamin and trace mineral therapy, whole food concentrated antioxidants,  immune stimulants,  detoxification and liver support.    Next the  holistic approach commonly adds nutriceuticals that help to change “the biological terrain” to  one that is inhospitable for the  growth of cancer.    Cancer loves sugar and acidity,  but hates oxygen and an alkaline environment.   By changing the bioterrain to one that discourages cancer growth we hope  to prevent  both local growth and metastasis to other sites.   Trace minerals encourage an alkaline bioterrain where stabilized oxygen supplements, dimethylglycine,  and Megahydrate support a highly oxygenated terrain,  both of which discourage the progression of cancer.

Perhaps the most important organ to support in a cancer patient is the liver since it is the major organ of detoxification.    The more overwhelmed and exhaused the liver is the more toxic the body becomes.   The more toxic the body the poorer is its overhall immune system function.   Therefore supporting the livers detoxification capactiy will help cleanse the body and encourgage a better functioning immune system.   Herbs like milk thistle and nutrients like MSM,  n acetylcysteine, alpha lipoic acid, dimethyglycine, SAM-E and selenium all help the liver to better detox the body by stimulating the production of glutathione and glutathione peroxidase which is the most important  antioxidant of the liver.

Nutrients, herbs, and homeopathics that support the immune system include  medicinal mushroom, astragalus, zinc, iodine, selenium thyroid hormones,  thymus extracts, beta glucans, essential carbohydrates, and systemic enzymes etc.

Next there are a number of specific nutrients and herbs that block the progression of cancer at various stages of development.  Resveratrol  is an example.  Finally there are specific herbs and nutrients,  that are lethal to cancer.   These include IV vitamin C, Laetrile, Artemesinin, and hydrogen peroxide.

The big difference between conventional cancer therapy and  the above nutritional, nutraceutical,  and   mega nutrient holistic cancer therapy is that the later does not: damage healthy cells,  produce destructive free radicals, or suppress the immune system.   Since we know that the immune system is instrumental in removing cancerous cells ,  anything that damages its effectiveness would be unwanted.  A final note is that even when the holistic approach does not cure cancer at least it does no harm.   So keeping thinking holistic, holistic, holistic!

There is no one, holistic “right way” to treat  a  cancer patient in humans or pets .   The treatment will depend not only on the type of cancer  but also on the individual patient and caregiver.   It will also depend on how long the cancer has been present and what medical treatment has already been prescribes.   Some cases are so advanced that I don’t recommend much treatment other than nutritional therapy.    In such cases it is usually best to focus on and enjoy the time you have left  together with the patient rather than complicating the patients life with stressful supplement regiments.       No matter what stage of cancer the patient is in they can  benefit from an improved diet loaded with vitamin/antioxidants like Vitamin A, C, and E and the mineral selenium.   Blood cleansing herbs and detoxifiers are usually in order.    So think holistic, holistic, holistic!

Categories of holistic anti cancer supplements

1) Holistic supplements which enhance cellular immunity

Astragalus, Echinacea, Aloe mucopolysaccharides, Omega3, carotenoids,

mushroom and yeast extracts,  Green tea polyphenols,  reduced glutathione,

vitamin C

2) Holistic supplements which minimize oxidative stress and destroy free radicals

Resveratrol, reduced glutathione, green tea, quercitin , curcumin,  megahydrate,

Selenium, vitamin C and E, Lipoic acid, hydrogen peroxide,

3)  Holistic supplements which support the liver and detoxification process .

 Reduced glutathione, N acetylcysteine, Curcumin, Resveratrol, SAM-E, E, milk  Thistle,

4)  Holistic supplements that normalize the clock of the  cell cycle

Resveratrol, , tocotrienols, curcumin, green tea polyphenols, vitamin D,

CoQ10,   reduced glutathione, Quercitin

5)  Holistic supplements that enhance cancer cell differentiation

Vit D3,  caratenoids,  Ganoderma,  Quercitin

6)  Holistic supplements that encourage apoptosis

Green tea polyphenols,  quercitin, CoQ10,  Ganoderma,  Curcumin

7)  Holistic supplements that are anti angiogenic ( inhibit new blood vessel proliferation) supplements

Omega3, Green tea polyphenols,  Aloe Vera, shark cartilage,

8)  Holistic supplements that kill malignant cells by stimulating intercellular production

of  H202

Vitamin C, Artemesinin, H202,

9)   Holistic supplements that create an inhospitable biologic terrain for cancer cells to

live in.  They increase alkalinity, oxygenation, 

Megahydrate, Ultimate pH Balance,  H202, NaHC03 & honey

10)   Holistic supplements blocking cancer cell initiation, promotion and progression

Resveratrol,  Selenium,  garlic, catechins and polyphenols from green tea,

Cruciferous vegetables (Brassica),  quercitin, Ascorbic acid, omega 3 fatty

Acids, vitamin E, proanthocyanidins

11)  Miscellaneous holistic supplements

Glucosinolates from cruciferous veggies, sprouts, cabbage,

homeopathic therapy

The following are a list of terms with definition that are important to know when you are reading or researching cancer:

Tumor:   A swelling, lump, or mass.

Neoplasm:   An abnormal proliferation of genetically altered cell.  A mass formed by an abnormal proliferation of genetically altered cells.  Synonymous with the word tumor

Malignant Neoplasm:  Synonymous with cancer.

Benign Neoplasm/tumor:  A tumor that stops growing by itself, does not invade other tissues and does not spread to other tissue (metastasize).

Pre malignant tumor:  A neoplasm that is not invasive but has the potential to progress to cance

Stage of cancer:   a number on a scale of 4 developed by the oncologists to describe the degree of invasion of the body by the tumor.

Carcinoma: Malignant tumor derived from epithelial cells

Sarcoma:  Malignant tumor derived from connective tissue

Lymphoma and Leukemia:  Malignancies derived from hematopoietic (blood forming) cells.

Blastoma:   A tumor which resembles an immature or embryonic tissue

Symptoms of cancer may be divided into 3 groups:

1)  Local symptoms= lumps, bumps, or swelling, bleeding, pain,  ulcerations

2) Symptoms of metastasis= enlarged lymph nodes, cough, enlarged liver, bone

pain, fracture of affected bones, neurological symptom

3)  Systemic symptoms = weight loss, poor appetite, fatigue, anemia

The general scenario of cancer development occurs this way

1. “Induction” of genetic instability
2.  Abnormal “Expression” of genes:  too many cancer promoting genes and too few cancer inhibiting  genes
3. Abnormal “Signal Transduction”:  Signals that come from outside the cell and go to the nucleus stimulate proliferation of malignant cells
4. Abnormal “cell to cell communication”:  In cancer cells the mechanisms controlling communication with other cells doesn’t work
5. Induction of “Angiogenesis”:  growth of new capillaries
6. “Invasion and metastaisis”: spread via lymph and blood
7. “Immune  evasion”: cancer cells learn to shield themselves from the immune system

Basic Premises about cancer

1. Failure of immune surveillance to detect cancer due to:
   1. nutritional deficiencies causing hypofunction;   dietary toxins
   2. GI and liver damage which allows toxin into body resulting in immune stress
   3. Exhausted by environmental stress
   4. Exhausted by psychologic or physical stress

2.    Cancer loves sugar

3.    Cancer hates oxygen

4.   Cancer loves an acidic environment.  Toxins are acidic.  Free radicals are acidic

5.   Cancer loves iron

6.   Oncovirus damage DNA

7.   Free radicals damage DNA therefore antioxidants can help prevent cancer.

8.   Cancer is a  result of an energy blockage that orginates in the etheric field — eastern concept

9.   Unlike healthy cells cancer cells can not make the enzyme catalase which is needed to destroy intercellular toxic hydrogen peroxide.   Vitamin C therapy stimulates intercellular hydrogen peroxide.

10.   The liver is the most important organ to support when treating cancer because it is the major organ of detoxification.

A few more remarks on common canine cancers:

Hemangiosarcoma – Most commonly found in the spleen, liver and heart and the prognosis is determined by the location of the disease. The cancer arises from the blood vessels and results in the production of abnormal blood vessels that can be weak and prone to leaking. As the cancer progresses, the cancerous vessels can rupture and results in blood loss. As the spleen is the organ most commonly affected by this type of cancer, rupture can lead to blood loss into the abdomen. This is an emergency situation and can result in weakness and collapse. Many pets with hemangiosarcoma often require a splenectomy.

Mast Cell Tumors – Mast cell tumors are among the most common tumors in dogs and are the most common type of skin cancer found in dogs. The most common location to find mast cell tumors is, by far, the skin, followed by the spleen, liver, and bone marrow. Both normal and cancerous mast cells contain chemicals that can be released into surrounding tissues. When these chemicals (particularly histamine) are released into the normal surrounding body tissues, side effects can include digestive problems (for ex: bleeding ulcers), skin rashes, shortness of breath and other symptoms. Mast cell tumors vary greatly in their size, shape, appearance and texture. The only way to definitely identify them is with a biopsy and pathology report.

Lymphoma – is cancer of the lymphatic tissue. The lymph system is a core part of the body’s immune system. The lymphatic system is an extensive drainage network that defends the body against infections. It is comprised of a network of lymphatic vessels that carry lymph (a clear, watery fluid that contains protein, salts, glucose and other substances) throughout the body. The lymphatic system also serves as a low pressure drainage system that collects interstitial fluid throughout the body and returns it to the bloodstream. The most common sign of lymphoma is a painless enlargement of the lymph nodes.

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Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal,  one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine.  Dr.  Simon is the author  of 4 pet care books and he writes a monthly pet care column in the Mirror newspaper.   He is a past president of the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and a past board member of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit Michigan area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, and Toledo.

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There are number of therapies that can be utilized to help rehabilitate injured or painful pets.  Among them are acupuncture, chiropractic, nutritional and herbal support,  intravenous and transcutaneous lasers therapy  , pulsed magnetic therapy,  infrasonic and ultrasonic therapy,  microcurrent stimulation, underwater treadmill, hydrotherapy,  prolotherapy, range of motion and therapeutic exercise, massage therapy, balance and proprioception equipment.  Other supportive measures we use are systemic enzyme therapy, antioxidant therapy, DMSO, homeopathy, and herbal therapy

The following conditions are just a few we have successfully treated with rehabilitation therapy:   Wobblers and intervertebral disk disease,  arthritis, cruciate ligament tears, post surgical cruciate ligament repairs, lumbo-sacral stenosis,  hip dysplasia,  degenerative myelopathy and any soft tissue injury involving post surgical wounds,   damaged tendons, ligaments, and muscles.

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Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal,  one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine.  Dr.  Simon is the author  of 4 pet care books and he writes a monthly pet care column in the Mirror newspaper.   He is a past president of the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and has served on the board of both the South Eastern Veterinary Medical Association and the American HolisticVeterinary Medical Association. 

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit Michigan area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, and Toledo.

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Almost every dog and cat food sold in pet stores and grocery stores is made primarily of grain and, therefore, termed a “cereal or grain based diet”.  Although these “grain based diets” are capable of keeping pets looking “apparently healthy” and free of nutritional deficiencies, they are very far from the ideal diet a dog or cat needs in order to be in a state of  “optimal health”.    Why dogs and cats should be fed a “meat based” rather than a “grain based” diet is the main subject of this paper.

First, let us look at the dog and cat’s dietary history.  Both have evolved from ancestors that were primarily carnivorous and consumed the prey they caught and killed.  Both dogs and cats have relatively simple, short digestive tracts that are far better suited for digesting meat than grain or plant material.   They both have carnivorous dentition with teeth shaped to tear and pull off flesh and to crack and pulverize bones.   Their teeth have no flat, grinding surfaces capable of cracking open grain, as do the herbivorous animals like the cow and horse.   Dogs and cats also lack enzymes necessary to digest plant material and liberate the nutrients within.  Keep in mind that because most of the prey of the ancestors of dogs and cats were herbivorous and because these carnivores would eat the entire carcass including the stomach, intestines and all their contents they would end up eating “predigested” plant material on a regular basis.   So even though dogs and cats are primarily carnivores they should not be fed exclusively meat, but should also be provided lesser amounts of plant material that has been sufficiently cooked or, better yet, fed raw after being pulverized in a blender or juicer in order to make the plant nutrients more accessible for digestion and absorption.

The more grain present in a dog’s or cat’s diet (even when cooked) the more undigested (partially digested) macro-molecules of grain protein will be found in the upper small intestine.   These unacceptably large protein molecules are viewed by the pet’s immune systems as foreign invaders that should not be there and therefore as a threat to the body.   Consequently, the immune tissue present in the intestinal wall, is stimulated to send out immune cells to destroy these large, partially digested grain protein molecules.  During the act of destroying this foreign protein, injury occurs to the surrounding intestinal lining.   As a result of chronic stimulation of the intestinal immune system, by a grain-based diet, progressive damage is done to the lining of the digestive tract until a problem known as “leaky gut syndrome” results.   A leaky gut allows  infectious and toxic foreign material, including yeast, bacteria, bacterial toxins and poorly digested grain protein molecules to pass out of the gut and into the blood stream where they may ultimately contribute to  the development of allergies, arthritis, immune system suppression, autoimmune disease, and cancer..

We consider a meat based diet to be one where more than 40% of the diet is meat (when measured on a dry weight basis).   These diets provide a source of protein that is much easier for carnivore’s to digest when compared with grain based diets.  Because meat based diets contain grain to a much lesser extent than a grain based diet, the likelihood of a leaky gut syndrome developing and producing disease is greatly minimized.  An additional  advantage of a meat-based diet is that meat provides a nearly complete essential amino acid profile.  To come close to such a complete amino acid profile using plants or grains, in place of meat, would require careful combining of two or more complementary grains, vegetables or legumes.

To determine whether a commercial diet is a meat-based diet begin by checking the ingredient list and see if two of the first three ingredients are meat.  If so then it is  possible that the diet may contain more meat than grain.   However, because manufacturers can be very “creative” and misleading when they develop their ingredient list, it is hard to know from the ingredient list alone whether the diet is truly meat based.  Very few manufacturers can actually claim that when calculated on a dry matter basis their food contains more than 20% meat, even when 2 of the first 3 ingredients are meat.

 What are your choices ?  One choice is to buy a commercial diet that lists meat as the first two ingredients and to this diet add additional fresh meat.  You could also buy a commercial diet that is truly meat based (at least 40% meat by dry weight) and to this diet add fresh meat.   Finally, you could provide a completely home made diet of cooked but preferably raw or rare food.   This home made diet should contain a minimum of 40% meat and dairy, 30% or more steamed vegetables and fruit, and no more than 30%  whole grain.  The greater variety of foods you supply,  from week to week or month to month, the better.  The fresher the food and the more organically grown ingredients in it the healthier the food is for your pets.   The best vegetables to use are the dark green, dark orange and yellow varieties, especially the cruciferous / brassica vegetables (i.e. brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli).  The vegetables should be lightly steamed or better yet pulverized in a blender or juicer to aid in digestion and the grains should be cooked.  Always add some bone meal to a raw meat / raw vegetable diet to insure that enough calcium is present to provide a healthy calcium phosphorous ratio.  Egg shells softened in vinegar are another way to supply calcium.

 When selecting a commercial diet, in addition to making sure it is meat based, there are a number of other important criteria to check out.  For example, what ever grain is present should be “whole grain” rather than “grain fractions or grain by products.”   The fat in the food should be  preserved with natural vitamin E rather than artificial chemical preservatives (ie ethoxyquin).  Chemical flavoring agents, coloring dyes, and texturizures should also be absent.  The quality of the ingredients in the diet is not easily determined from the package information and it may necessitate calling the manufacture and asking their nutritionist certain important questions.  Questions you may want to ask are:  What is the source of the meat and grain in the diet?   —Are they organically grown and are they of a quality fit for human consumption ?   Is the meat “USDA Inspected”?   Was the carcass from where the meat was taken “USDA Approved”?   What form, if any, of meat by-products are included in the diet?   Is the grain tested for the presence of  “mycotoxins”?    What are the quality controls the manufacturer practices ?

 Just as meat based diets are healthier than grain based diets, a raw meat, raw vegetable diet is more nutritious than a cooked meat, cooked vegetable diet.  You may wonder why this is true and you may also have some questions about the safety of feeding uncooked meat, so let me explain.  The  use of  fresh raw meat provides fat, amino acids, and vitamins and minerals in a state undamaged by cooking and is, consequently, much more nutritious.   A raw meat diet also provides beneficial bacteria and active enzymes both of which are destroyed by cooking.   Feeding a raw meat diet provides a much fresher diet that is very low in rancid fat and damaging  free radicals.  Feeding a raw meat, raw vegetable diet even once a week or as a daily addition to a high quality commercial diet, helps keep the bowels healthy by providing natural digestive enzymes and beneficial bacteria which allows a weakened or imbalanced immune system to be revitalized.  If you are concerned that uncooked meat will be a source of  dangerous bacteria and bacterial toxins you should know that a cat or a dog’s stomach is far more acidic than our own and kills most dangerous bacteria that attempt to pass through.   This is why wild dogs and cats can eat several day old carcasses and not suffer any ill effects.  Parasites such as worms or toxoplasmosis are other legitimate concerns.   However, in most cases the  animal’s immune system will see to it that such threats do not develop into a clinical disease.   I do not recommend you feed raw pork because of the prevalence of parasites.   I also do not recommend feeding raw chicken or turkey because of the high prevalence of Salmonellosis in poultry.  Upon returning home the raw meat should be immediately divided into daily portions, put in plastic bags and placed in the freezer.   It has been claimed that freezing meat for 30 days or more will kill most bacteria and parasites.   Searing the raw meat or soaking it in grapefruit seed extract for 30 minutes  is a further precaution you can take to avoid the possibility of bacterial dangers.  If the idea of feeding raw meat is simply unappealing and or the risk of bacterial contamination is unacceptable you may want to consider cooking the meat but leaving it extremely rare.   Remember, feeding a raw meat, parboiled or grated vegetable diet does not require much more work than feeding a commercial diet because there is very little or no cooking involved.  If you do nothing more than adding, to your pets diet, left over meat and vegetables from your table there will be no cooking or preparation time .      Although the benefits of feeding raw meat, far out way any serious dangers posed by bacteria and parasites, these dangers may be unacceptable to the most conservative and cautious pet owners.  For these people I recommend feeding commercial meat based diet (no raw meat) and adding only raw vegetables that have been parboiled, steamed, grated, or preferably macerated in a blender.   For public health concerns, remember to wear plastic gloves whenever you are handling raw meat.   We recommend that you do not feed raw meat if you can not accept the chance that such a feeding practice could, on rare occassions,   result  in a  pet contracting  a serious bacterial or parasitic disease.

If you are going to prepare an all-natural diet from scratch you should know that vegetables and grains can be parboiled together for just a few minutes.   Use root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips and beets as well as cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and garlic in the late fall and early spring.   Use kale, collard and mustard greens, various green and yellow beans and asparagus in late spring and early fall.  Lettuce and garlic are available all year round.

Creating variety in your pet’s diet is an important concept to keep in mind.  Do not feed the same raw meats or vegetables every day.  On the contrary, gradually change the type of meat and vegetables you feed weekly or monthly.  The greater the variety of foods you feed the greater the overall quality of  nutrients you will provide.  Creating variety is also important when using commercial diets, however, you must move gradually from one to the other.  Feed a commercial diet that is chicken based one month and then move to a beef or lamb based diet the next month.  Varying the types of meat, vegetables, and grains not only increases the overall nutrition but also may help to prevent the development of food associated allergies. 

 If you decide to feed a predominantly commercial diets it would be wise to add a comprehensive B vitamin supplement, a chelated trace mineral supplement, a plant based digestive enzyme supplement, an essential fatty acid supplement, a probiotic (good bacteria) supplement and an anti-oxidant supplement.   To a predominantly fresh raw muscle meat steamed vegetable diet it would be wise to, once weekly, add some organ meat (i.e. calves liver).  You would also be well advised to add bone meal, raw soup bones, trace mineral supplements, and anti-oxidants.

When choosing a commercial pet diet here is a summary of  things to consider:

         The first 2 ingredients listed on the package should be meat rather than grain or  vegetables.

         The meat and grain should, ideally, be of a quality fit for human consumption and

         should come from USDA inspected carcasses.

         Of course,  organically grown meat and grain would be ideal.

        No “meat by-products” should present in the ingredient list unless you can be sure

        of exactly what these by-products are.

       “Whole grains” rather than “grain fractions” or grain by-products should be in the  

         ingredient list.

         No artificial chemicals should be used for flavor, coloring, preservation or

         texturizing.   The package should state that the food  is preserved with natural .

        vitamin E and that ethoxyquin should not be on the ingredient list.  

        Of course, if you could find a commercial diet using organically grown meat and

        vegetables then that would eliminate any concerns regarding the presence of   

        antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides.

         The food should be as fresh as possible.  Check the manufacture’s package code

         indicating either the manufacturing date or the expiration date of each package. 

        You may need to call the manufacturer for an explanation of the code. 

         The food should be supplemented with:  vitamins, chelated minerals, essential fatty

         acids, digestive enzymes, iodine and friendly  bacteria.

         The food should contain as few ingredients as possible that have a reputation for

         being allergenic:  i.e. wheat, dairy, corn and soy

         You should call the manufacture and find out what quality control measures are

         taken to prevent contamination of  stored grain.

         The package should state that it is complete and balanced for all life stages and that

         it meets or exceeds the nutritional  requirements as established by AAFCO and the

         National Academy of Science.

         Any steps  that the manufacturer has taken to help the packaging prevent oxidation

         and rancidity is greatly preferred.

         Change commercial diets monthly to provide a variety of meats and grains.  Do so  

         slowly over a 10-day period.   

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Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal,  one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine.  Dr.  Simon is the author  of 4 pet care books and he writes a monthly pet care column in the Mirror newspaper.    He is a past president of the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and has served on the executive board of both the Southeastern Michigan Veterinary Medical Association and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

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 The two most common causes for the above symptoms and  history  are:   1) a “petit mal”  or “grand mal” seizure  or  2) a syncopal episode.   When most people think of an epileptic seizure they think of a “grand mal” seizure. This is a seizure where the entire body becomes rigid, the neck arches backward, the teeth are clenched shut, and the whole body trembles violently. There is, however, a second type of epileptic seizure which is much quieter and less violent.  This type of seizure is called a “petit mal” seizure and is characterized by a momentry loss of consciousness. The cause of an epileptic seizure, grand or petit,  is the misfiring of neurons in the brain.    Syncopy or a ”syncopal episode” may be mistaken for a ”petit seizure because it causes a momentary loss of consciousness but unlike seizures it is caused by a heart problem producing a momentary loss of blood to the brain.            

Regardless of which of the two above possibilities is the actual cause of the problem it is very important that you take your pet to your veterinarian to have a diagnostic workup performed so that he or she can come to a definite conclusion and treat the specific diagnosis accordingly. Both of the possible causes can develop into life threatening conditions and therefore you should not wait until the problem becomes worse before seeking veterinary care.  Your veterinarian, after performing a detailed physical exam, will most likely want to send a sample of your pet’s blood and urine to the laboratory for  a general diagnostic screen and urinalysis.  He will , no doubt,  also perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) in an attempt to distinguish any heart condition that may be the basis of the problem.  He may even decide to take chest and abdominal radiographs.

If the blood report, urinalysis,  the ECG, and the radiographs all turn out to be normal then your veterinarian will, through a  process of elimination, diagnose your pet with epilepsy.  If the diagnosis actually is epilepsy then oral anticonvulsant will be prescribed.  If the problem turns out to be a heart related problem such as an “arrhythmia” a medication to regulate the heart rate and rhythm will be prescribed.

Because anti-convulsant drugs such as Phenobarbital often cause pets to change personality and appear drugged pet owners often stop the therapy or reduce the dose to below therapeutic levels.  Consequently the seizures are poorly controlled.   Pet owners should know that there are alternative, non drug methods of preventing epilepsy.  Herbal therapy, neuro transmitter therapy and nutritional supplements  can be used alone or in combination with drugs to help control seizures, lower drug dosages and minimize  drug related behavioral effects.   Acupuncture and gold bead implantation in the pets head and ears are additional ways of controlling seizure.

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Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal,  one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine.  Dr.  Simon is the author  of 4 pet care books and he writes a monthly pet care column in the Mirror newspaper.   He is a past president of  the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and has served on the executive board of both the Southeastern Veterinary Medical Association and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit Michigan area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, and Toledo.

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At Woodside Animal Clinic we have been having increasing success managing fearful, aggressive, and destructive behavior with minerals, anti anxiety herbs, homeopathics, flower essences, essential oils, nutritional and dietary changes and especially “neurotransmitter therapy”.   Often several of these supplements are used in combination and then combined with behavior modification techniques.    The use of the neurotransmitter therapy along with dietary modification and nutraceuticals appears to place an animal in a state where they are calmer, less dominant, and less fearful so they are easier to manage and train.

Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals derived from specific amino acid precursors.  The brain produces foue primary neurotransmitters which in turn produce distinctly different brain states.   These different states of mind create a mood which affects the rest of the body thru both nerve pathways and endocrine (hormonal) connections.  Neurotransmitters appear to be the master conductors of the body.    Of course there are other neurotransmitters besides these major four but , for the sake of space, I will limit my discussion to these four.

Communication between the brain and the body, between the various endocrine organs, and between various cells of the body is necessary to maintain balance and have all parts of the body work in harmony.   Think again of an orchestra with its many different instruments playing their distinct parts each of which must harmonize with the whole.    In order for this to happen there must be a conductor to guide the individual orchestral sections.    The conductor not only cues the various instruments he also calls for greater or lesser volume, and maintains the tempo depending on what the music calls for.    Of course the orchestra we call a living body is much more complicated and therefore a   much more sophisticated line of communication is needed. In the paragraphs to follow I will discuss neurotransmitter and how they conduct the bodies vast communication network.

Whether you are a human being or a pet your brain produces 4  major neurotransmitters each of which cause the brain to operate at distinctly different frequencies which in turn produces distinctly different mental  states or moods.  Below is a chart listing  these 4 distinctions as they relate to humans.   Since the  brains  of animals are anatomically similar and produce these same neurotransmitters   we can only assume that they experience similar  mental states.   The basic personality differences we find in young  animals may be a result of excesses or  deficiencies in these chemicals.  ie. shy fear biters or aggressive dominance etc.  As  we learn more about these 4 major neurotransmitters we may be able to adjust or  balance them in  people and pets in order to correct basic personality  disorders.   

Neurochemical      Frequency     Brain wave     Amino acid          Mental state                                                                    Function                                                                                                                                                                                               .                                                                                  

  1) Dopamine       (12-16 hertz)       Delta waves         Tyrosine                     Sleep                       Voltage       

 2) Acetylcholine   (8-12 hertz)        Theta waves       phosphotidylserine

  3) GABA                    (4-8  hertz)         Alpha waves       Glutamine                   Daydreaming       Rhythm

4} Serotonin         (1-4  hertz)             Beta aves        tryptophan                   Thinking               

These brain states,  however, are not limited to the brain,   they affect the  entire body via  their connection to the autonomic nervous system, the endocrine system, and secretion of  information molecules.    Here is where  the body mind  connection is born.

If any one the nutritional precursors (amino acids) used to manufacture these 4 major  neuro chemicals is  deficient then the   associated neurotransmitter will  be deficient and the body’s mental state  will be affected.  Adding one of the above amino  acids to the  diet can help correct a neuro-transmitter deficiency and re establish balance between  these 4 neuro chemicals.    The 4 amino acid precursors tryptophan,  tyrosine,  phosphatidylserine, and glutamine  can be  used to change an animal’s or person’s overall tone and personality.  

Allow me give you a very quick course in neurotransmitters.  The nervous system is made up of individual cells called neurons.   They act more or less as the body’s wiring.   Electrical nerve impulses pass down  this wiring.   When a nerve impulse reaches the end of a neuron it is able to jump over to the next neuron using chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. These neurochemicals are stored in tiny sacs at the end of each neuron.   When the nerve impulse reaches the end  of the neuron it triggers a response which causes these sacs to empty there contents into the gap that separates one nerve from another.   These spaces are known as synapses.     When the secreted neurotransmitters  reach the other side of the synapse they cause the next neuron to fire and the impulses continues down the nerve accordingly.

Now lets talk in more detail about the four major neurotransmitters:

 GABA  (Gamma-Amino Butyric Acid) is the brain’s natural Valium.  It is synthesized in the body from its precursor amino acid Glutamine.  Vitamin B6  and pyridoxine 6 phosphate are also  precursor needed to form GABA.   GABA is involved in the production of endorphins which produces the GABA quality of calmness.     GABA is also the body’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter and the major controller of brain rhythm.  A rhythmic brain creates and receives electricity in a smooth and even flow as contrasted with bursts.   Rhythm determines how we handle life’s stresses.   GABA hinders the transmission of impulses from one neuron to another and slows neuronal transmission.  It has a calming and quieting influence which provide relaxing, anti anxiety and anti convulsive effects.    Inositol enhances the effects of GABA.

Serotonin is the brains natural Prozac.  The body manufactures Serotonin from the precursor amino acid tryptophan.   By increasing the amount of tryptophan in the diet you can elevate the serotonin levels thereby producing the same effect as Prozac.    Balancing the brain means synchronizing the right and left hemispheres.  When our hemispheres are “in sync” we feel peaceful and secure.

Dopamine is the 3rd major neurotransmitters.   Dopamine manages brain voltage .  The nervous system manufactures dopamine from the amino acid precursor Tyrosine.  Tyrosine is converted to L Dopa and then to Dopamine.   Dopamine has many important roles in behavior including sleep, mood, attention and learning.  It is associated with stimulation of the  pleasure centers of the brain .  Deficient dopamine is linked to attention deficit disorders  and loss of creativity in humans.  Dopamine has been associated with the processing of pain such that decreased levels of dopamine encourage painful conditions such as fibromyalgia in people.  Insufficient dopamine can cause  Parkinsons , in which the body loose its ability to execute smooth controlled movements.   It is important to point out that we must always balance Serotonin with Dopamine.   If we just add tryptophan with out tyrosine to the diet we will drive down the dopamine neurotransmitters and loose brain voltage. 

Acetylcholine  is the  4th major neurotransmitter.   Acetylcholine  works primarily at the synapse and allows for the transmission of nerve impulses across the synapse or space between two nerves or at the neuromuscular junction.    If too little of the amino acid precursor, phosphatidlyserine , is present in the diet there will eventually develop a deficiency of acetylcholine.  Such a deficiency will cause nerve transmission to slow down and consequently communication between different parts of the brain and body will be affected   Providing   increased levels of either choline or phosphatidylserine  in the diet will stimulate the production of acetycholine in Alzheimers patients and dogs with cognitive disorders..   It  helps them to think more clearly.  Choline loading has been used with senior pets to help them remain more aware, reduce urinary incontinence and help prevent seizures. This form of therapy is known as “choline loading.”  We have had good success treating urinary incontinence and senility in dogs and cats by stimulating acetylcholine production.

Anxiety and depression problems can be treated with neurotransmitter therapy combined with one or more of the following supplements:  B vitamins especially niacinamide;  Minerals primarily magnesium;   Herbs such as valerian, St Johns Wart, kava kava, and chamomile;   Essential oils such as Lavender;  flower essences and homeopathics; laser therapy, electro crystal rebalancing and acupuncture.

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Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal,  one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine.  Dr.  Simon is the author  of 4 pet care books and he writes a bi monthly pet care column in the Natural Awakening magazine.   He is a past president of the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and has served on the executive board of both the Southeastern Veterinary Medical Association and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit Michigan area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, and Toledo.

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Just as with people, dogs and cats itch and scratch for many reason.    Discovering the cause of the itching and scratching can be a difficult and time consuming process.     Careful attention must be paid to history, clinical examination, and laboratory findings.    The most common diseases that can cause itching and scratching include bacterial infections, allergies, food hypersensitivities,  sarcoptic mange mites, demodectic mange mites, fleas, yeast, ringworm infections,   autoimmune diseases, and hormonal and metabolic  disorders. Sometimes it is easy for the veterinarian to diagnose the cause of itching and scratching , for example,  when a pet has fleas crawling all over his or her body    At other times,   as with allergies,  the diagnosis can be much more difficult to arrive at .  Consequently, pet owners should understand that their veterinarian may not always be  able to diagnose and prescribe  the  total treatment for the pet’s itching and scratching on the initial visit.   

 One of the major reasons the  diagnosis of a pet’s itching and scratching can be difficult is because more than one cause of itching and scratching can be present at the same time.      For example,  a dog or cat may have a primary allergy infection  that  allows a secondary bacterial or yeast infection to develop.    Unless both the primary and secondary causes of itching are diagnosed and treated, the scratching may lessen but it will not stop completely.  

To help sort out all the possible causes of a dog or cat’s itchy skin one or more laboratory tests are often needed.   One of the most common tests performed on a pet with itchy skin is a “skin scraping”.   The skin scraping is placed under the microscope and examined for the presence of mites and fungus.    Another test called an “impression smear” is performed by pushing a glass slide firmly against the affected skin, staining it with a dye, and examining it under the microscope for bacteria, white blood cells,  yeast and mites.    A third test called a “trichogram” requires plucking hairs and examining them under the microscope for fungus and mites.    If a fungus is suspected as a cause of the scratching, a ”fungal culture” is performed on hairs harvested from affected areas.   If fungal elements are present they will grow in the culture within 3 weeks.    For the very difficult cases, diagnosis may necessitate surgical removal of a small core of skin so that it can be sent to the pathologist for microscopic exam.   This surgical procedure is known as a “key punch biopsy”.     If a food allergy is suspected as cause of a pet’s scratching,  a “limited ingredient diet” should be fed for several weeks to see if it results in relief from the itching.    If airborne allergens are suspected blood or skin testing should be performed in an attempt to discover  the specific offending allergen.  Unfortunately both airborne and food borne allergies are often  present at the same time.    

To further complicate diagnostic efforts, understand that yeast and bacterial infections may be either a primary or secondary cause of a pet’s scratching, whereas allergies, mites or fleas are usually the primary cause.     The reader should understand that getting rid of the most primary cause will not always stop the itching if the secondary cause is not addressed and eliminated.    Furthermore,    it is not always possible to find a flea on a dog with fleas or a mite on a dog with mites.   If this is the case then “therapeutic testing “is necessary to make the diagnostic connection.   For example, if giving a mite dip or flea medicine stops the pets itching then a diagnosis of fleas or mites is made by association.  However, if the pet with fleas or mites has a secondary bacterial infection the scratching may only be reduced but  not disappear. 

 When treating mites or bacterial infections the veterinarian must always consider the possibility of an underlying immune deficiency predisposing the animal to such infections.     Consequently, a thyroid test should be run to see if a “hypothyroid” condition could be suppressing immunity.     Also, consider that nutritional deficiencies could be producing an immune deficiency, so evaluating the pet’s diet is very mportant. 

Besides the above more common causes of scratching there are a number of less common causes that include hyperadrenalcorticism, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, liver disease, Mast cell tumors, Cutaneous lymphoma,  Inflammatory Mammary Carcinoma,  and maldigestion. 

Of course the treatment for pruritis (itching) depends on the diagnosis, however improving nutrition and reducing toxins will be beneficial regardless of the diagnosis.   Along this line, feeding food with a minimal amount of grain will reduce the likelihood of the pet developing a leaky gut syndrome.   A leaky gut will allow intestinal toxins and allergens to enter the liver circulation, overwhelm the livers detoxification capabilities and consequently enter systemic circulation.   This will overstimulate the immune system and make allergic response more likely .   

I addition to eliminating dietary grain, food trials that begin by feeding a limited ingredient diet consisting only of a single novel protein and single novel carbohydrate will help greatly in minimizing allergic skin disease.   Feeding a limited ingredient diet will make it  less likely for food allergens to be  present.   Once the allergy symptoms are controlled by this limited diet other food ingredients should be added one by onei n an attempt to identify what foods are allergenic and which are safe.  This approach to treating allergic itching and scratching is know as a “food trial”.  Once the allergenic foods have been identified a healthier diet can be formulated  and  used in place of the limited ingredient diet.   For those not wanting to go through  the above food elimination process  predigested food are commercially available.  By predigesting the food the protein molecules are broken down into much smaller molecules which are then no longer allergenic. 

In order to identify airborne and environmental allergens a sample of the pet’s blood can be sent to a laboratory that performs allergy testing.     In about 2 weeks the laboratory will send back a report on what environmental allergens the pet is sensitive too.   This same company can prepare  a hyposensitizing serum containing all of the identified allergens.    This serum will then be used to perform hyposensitizing therapy on the allergic animal.   Such serums are injected according a predesigned  schedule .     The protocol provides continually higher doses  be given.    At first the injections are given every few days but eventually they may only be given monthly.   Unfortunately hyposensitizing injections are not always the solution and it may take up to 9 months to see if the the therapy is effective.     

Up to this point most of  the recommendations and therapies discussed have been entirely conventional.   I will now discuss more alternative therapies.   To begin with, providing digestive enzymes to a meat based low grain diet will help minimize allergens.  Then providing nutraceuticals to heal any damaged areas of the intestine and  support liver function  will help the pet repair his or he leaky gut.   Systemic enzymes should be given on an empty stomach so that they will be absorbed into the blood stream and circulate in the blood and act as a blood cleanser thereby destroying  circulating immune complexes.  Omega 3 fatty acids are important for overall skin health and to provide anti inflammatory support.  Next anti inflammatory herbs and antioxidants nutrients can be given to further reduce inflammation and minimize itching and scratching.   Natural cleansing shampoos should be given at least weekly to remove airborne allergens on the pet’s skin.   These shampoos should be followed with a cream rinse that contains a local skin anesthetic, colloidal oatmeal, and skin moisturizer.   Skin sprays containing aloe, calendula, tea tree oil, and oil of lavender are very soothing and easy to apply.    Several homotoxicological remedies are helpful with allergic skin problems.   If the pet is terribly itchy and the chewing and scratching is causing self trauma then oral natural hydrocortisone can be given for a limited period of time to reduce inflammation and calm the skin down  until the other approaches kick in.   Natural hydrocortisone is cortisone that has been harvested from the Yam plant and appears to have fewer side effects when compared to laboratory manufactured prednisone or prednisolone.   Furthermore, the herb Yucca has a strong anti inflammatory, anti itch  activity as does the plant sterol betasitosterol. 

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Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal,  one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine.  Dr.  Simon is the author  of 4 pet care books and he writes a bi -monthly pet care column in the Natural Awakenings.   He is a past president of the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and has served on the board of both the Southeastern Veterinary Medical Association and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. 

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, and Toledo. 

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Some factors that may influence the onset of cancer include genetic defects, toxic exposure, chronic inflammation, mal nutrition, poor detoxification, radiation exposure,  .   However, underneath it all the bottom line is that cancer develops  when the pet’s immune system is unable to respond vigorously enough to eliminate the diseased cells.  So let us take a look at what we can do to prevent cancer in our pets by supporting their   immune system.   Apart from hereditary defects which we have no  control over there are a number of  steps we may take to help our pet’s immune system do its job more effectively.

Let us start out by discussing how to nutritional support of our pet’s immune system.  We must feed our pets a complete and balanced diet, a diet that provides a host of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids in adequate quantities and proper proportions.  A deficiency in any of these can weaken the immune system and allow cancer cells to get a foot hold.  Because poor farming practices have left the soil deficient in important trace minerals and because poor manufacturing practices  destroy health giving nutrients,   pet owners must    fortify their pet’s diet with  supplements that include trace minerals, essential  fatty acids,  B vitamins, digestive enzymes, antioxidants and beneficial bacteria. 

Next, the diets we feed our pets are frequently out of balance when it comes to Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.   There are far too many inflammatory Omega 6’s in our pet’s diet and proportionately too few Omega 3’s.   The consequence of this imbalance is that our pet’s immune system cannot effectively control inflammation and this may eventually  lead to cancer.    Dog and cat diets are usually deficient in  antioxidants which function to reduce  the build up of toxic free radicals that can cause  inflammation and lead to cancer.    Supplementing our pet’s diet with omega 3 fatty acids and an abundance of antioxidants will go along way in supporting their immune system.

Food and environmental toxins are becoming more and more of a stress to our pet’s immune system.  Many pet foods contain an abundance of toxins in the form of chemical preservatives, texturizures, coloring agents, favoring agents, and pesticides to name just a few.   These food toxins further stress an immune system that is already working hard to remove many other environmental toxins.    Next,  feeding carnivorous animals like dogs and cats a grain based diet that they can not properly digest often leads to an inflammatory condition of the bowel that holistic veterinarians refer to as “leaky gut syndrome.”   The leaky gut lets toxins, which would normally  remain in the bowel, leak out into the blood stream where they put an extra work load on  liver detoxification and the immune system.     The high heat processing and prolonged warehousing of commercial diets can cause fats to become toxic.   Feeding our pets a commercial diet that uses natural ingredients rather than artificial chemical that are meat based with few grains, that are processed under low heat and that are stored for only a short time in warehouses will reduce stress on the immune system.

 Of course poor nutrition is not the only predisposing cause of cancer.   Reducing environmental toxins such as radon, lawn pesticides, intestinal parasites, and cigarette smoke will help reduce stress on the pet’s immune system.   Using non toxic house hold cleaning products will also reduce the immune systems toxic load.   

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Dr. Simon is the owner of the Woodside Animal Clinic in Royal Oak Michigan where he has been healingdogs, cats, birds, rabbits, ferrets, rodents, and iguanas with both alternative and conventional medicine for over 30 years.   He is the author of 4 pet care books and writes a monthly column is the Mirror newspaper.

Woodside Animal Clinic  sees pets from all over the greater Detroit area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo,  Windsor, and Toledo.

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As arthritis progresses there is a steady degeneration of the dog’s joint cartilage.  This cartilage is a cushion in the dog’s elbow, knee, ankle, shoulder, or hip.  Cartilage gives the dog the mobility to run and play.   As this cartilage begins to be rubbed thin,  the bones will begin to grind against each other, causing excruciating pain.

Dogs in the earlier stages of arthritis may have mild pain and lose as much as 20% of their joints range of motion.  Consequently, they appear stiff when they get up and walk.  As their arthritis progresses, as much as 50% of their joint’s range of motion may be lost.  Because they are often in severe pain they will be reluctant to move and the less they move the more weight they gain.  This added weight puts additional stress on their joints.    Lack of movement and reduced exercise results in weaken musculature.   Pain, added weight and weakened muscles are all part of a vicious cycle that leads to less and less movement until the pet can no longer get up and must be carried out to go to the bathroom.   If the pet is large and can not be easily carried, euthanasia can sadly become the only alternative.

 In addition to making walking difficult, severe arthritis often results in personality and behavioral changes.  A dog’s pain may cause them to withdraw from the family and seek secluded places.   Because rising may be very painful arthritic pets may soil the rug where they lie rather than ask to go out.    Because squatting is painful arthritic pets often become constipated.   Dogs and cats in pain can become aggressive and ornery and start to bite.   Dogs that were once friendly will not want to be touched by anyone including trusted family members.

So what’s the solution?   Conventional medicine attempts to solve the problem with laboratory manufactured corticosteroids or non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs.  Both these products are usually effective in reducing inflammation and pain but ultimately result in further joint deterioration and can damage other organs such as the stomach, liver, and kidney.  

On the other hand the alternative medical approach is to use nutritional joint support substances, weight loss, medicinal herbs, anti- oxidants, mega vitamin and mineral therapy, omega 3 fatty acids, chiropractic care, physical therapy, and   acupuncture to reduce pain and inflammation and to support joint health rather than simply removing the symptoms.    A special injection combining nutritionals Adequin and Legend has worked remarkably well at rehabilitating a joints.  This approach is much gentler on the body and rarely results in any serious side effects.  

Of course it is not necessary to wait until your dog is lame before you take steps to help your pet.   Being proactive makes much more sense.   Feeding your healthy dog or cat a high quality, free range, meat based diet and supplementing with raw vegetables, digestive enzymes, and omega 3 fatty acids will go along toward preventing the onset of arthritis.   A special combination injection of Adequin and Legend we

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Woodside Animal Clinic is a unique, very personal,  one doctor practice where, for over 35 years, Dr. Simon has been healing dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles with both conventional and alternative medicine.  Dr.  Simon is the author  of 4 pet care books and he writes a monthly pet care column in the Mirror newspaper.

Woodside Animal Clinic sees pets from all over the greater Detroit area including Royal Oak, Berkley, Huntington Woods, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Warren, Centerline, Clawson,  Troy, Sterling Heights, Southfield, Birmingham, Bingham Farms, Franklin, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Novi, Wixom, Brighton, Livonia, Plymouth, Commerce, Ann Arbor, Ortonville, Waterford, Union Lake,  Rochester,  Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Utica,   Romeo and Flint..

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