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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Let us start by considering the source of dietary inadequacies. Poor farming practices rape our soil depleting it of the essential minerals we, our pets, and our food animals need to live healthy lives. Consequently, even when we provide our pets what appear to be a balanced diet some very important ingredients are often missing. To add to the problem most commercial dog and cat pet foods are what I term “grain based”. They are inappropriate for carnivores and difficult for them to digest. Feeding such grained based diets will result in a “leaky gut” that over and extended time results in such chronic diseases as arthritis, allergy, auto immune disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. Furthermore, the processing of commercial pet diets tends to destroy many of the nutrients originally present and eventually leads to a nutritional deficiency unless supplements are provided .

Next, be aware that our food supply whether plant or animal has become polluted by food production practices that add toxins to both our pets and our own already nutrient deficient food supply. These toxins get into both our food and our pet’s food in the form plant insecticides, plant fungicides and as hormones, antibiotics and parasites that are fed to our food animals. To add insult to injury manufacturers then add other potentially dangerous chemicals to our food in the form of coloring dyes, chemical flavorings and preservative. Finally, commercial pet diets that sit too long in the warehouse develop toxins in the form of rancid fat. Water pollution is a source of additional toxins that result from industry contamination and attempts at water purification. The air our pets breath and the soil our pets walk on are sources of additional toxins. Airborne toxins can be a result of car and industry exhaust, cigarette smoke, out gassing from new carpeting or photocopiers. Plant, grass, weed, tree pollens, and biting insects can also be classified as toxins. The pets yard may become another source of toxins if lawn chemicals are used.

Worm eggs, fleas, ticks and dangerous bacteria are somewhat different types of toxins that can be found in the yard or dog parks. Finally, we should not forget about household toxins such as those found in the trash can, garage floor, under the sink, or in the basement. Even drugs and vaccines may be consider a source of toxins if the pet is over immunized or develops a reaction to a medication.

Psychological and physical stress can be looked at as a different form of toxin. . Excessive stress suppresses the animal immune system and can exhaust the adrenal glands. Psychological stress can result from abuse and punishment, lack of human companionship, and lack of training resulting in an adversary relationship with their owner. Stress also results from loud noises such as fireworks, lack of sunlight, lack of shade and ventilation with heat stress as a possible outcome, and lack of warm housing during the winter. Asking a dog to hold its urine for an excessively time is very stressful. It may surprise you that not providing your pet an opportunity for exercise is also a form of stress.

The final cause of disease is a genetic defect which can show up as physical birth defects, congenital organ disease, allergies, immune deficiencies and autoimmune disease to name just a few. The health of our genes and immune system determines how successful our pets will be at dealing with nutritional and environmental toxins and with stress.

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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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