Receiving a cancer diagnosis for your dog or cat can be overwhelming. According to the Veterinary Cancer Society, approximately 6 million pets are diagnosed with cancer annually. While the news is difficult, there are steps you can take to support your pet, explore treatment options, and maintain their quality of life.

Drawing on over 40 years of experience in integrative veterinary care, here are practical tips and insights to help you navigate this journey with your friend.

1. Stay Calm

The initial shock of a diagnosis can cloud your decision-making. Take a moment to breathe deeply—preferably outdoors. Repeating a calming mantra like “Help is on the way” can bring focus. Consider natural remedies like Earth Animal’s Calmness or Bach’s Rescue Remedy.   By the way, Bach’s Rescue remedy also helps people with anxiety.

2. Understand Your Options

Unless emergency treatment is necessary, take time to explore your options. Integrative approaches, which blend traditional and holistic treatments, can be highly beneficial. Holistic veterinarians often specialize in combining therapies tailored to your pet’s unique needs.

💡 Resource: The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association offers a directory of holistic veterinarians.

3. Seek a Second Opinion

It’s wise to consult a holistic veterinarian or integrative veterinary oncologist, particularly if they specialize in cancer or immune-suppressive diseases. Professionals such as Dr. Trina Hazzah, Dr. Kendra Pope or Dr. Betsy Hershey (details below) combine conventional treatments with alternative therapies to improve outcomes.

4. Visualize Wellness

Visualization techniques, popularized by Dr. Bernie Siegel in the 1980s, involve imagining your dog as vibrant and healthy. Creating a mental “picture” of their wellness can promote positive energy and support healing. Repeat this vision throughout the day, especially during moments of worry.

 5. Maintain Appetite

Keeping your dog eating is crucial. Cancer can suppress appetite, so finding palatable and nutritious options is essential.

• Freeze-Dried Diets: Products like Under the Weather offer bland diets with electrolytes.
• Broths: Homemade vegetable or bone broths are rich in minerals and gentle on the stomach.
• Special Recipes: A mix of plain yogurt and flaxseed oil (inspired by Dr. Budwig’s human cancer diet) can be a good option. Mix 2 Tbs of live culture plain yogurt with 1 Tbs of organic flaxseed oil. Start with a tsp for small dogs and cats and up to 3-4 Tbs for large dogs.

💡 Pro Tip: Introduce fresh juices like carrot, celery, and apple for additional vitamins and antioxidants.

6. Support the Immune System

Boosting your pet’s immune response can help their body fight cancer. Start with high-quality vitamins and supplements:

• Earth Animal Immune Support: A blend of herbs to support the immune system and healing.
• Fortitude CSP: A nutrient-dense formula for immune support.
• Medicinal Mushrooms: Products like Rx Coriolus Forte or Fera Pets Mushroom Blend are excellent choices.

💡 Reminder: Always consult your veterinarian before introducing new supplements.

7. Trust Your Intuition

As a pet parent, your instincts matter. Trust your gut when evaluating treatments or making decisions. If a course of action doesn’t feel right, don’t hesitate to seek additional advice and explore alternative therapies.

A cancer diagnosis is not a dead end—it’s a call to action. By staying calm, exploring your options, and supporting your pet holistically, you can provide them with the best possible quality of life.

For further guidance, check out:

• Holistic Cancer Treatment for Dogs
• Finding Hope in a Cancer Diagnosis

❤️ You’re not alone on this journey. – Dr. Bob and Susan Goldstein

Additional Resources

Finding Holistic Support

• Holistic Actions!: A resource hub for integrative pet care. Visit their site.
  • Holistic Actions empowers pet parents by providing guidance, education on alternative approaches, and resources to optimize your pet’s quality of life. Begin by exploring their curated list of Integrative Holistic Veterinarians, including those available for in-person visits or phone consultations: Find a Veterinarian.

• List of Integrative Holistic Veterinary Oncologists
  • Dr Trina Hazzah Long Beach CA
    Veterinary Cannabis Consultations
    https://greennile.org/
  • Kendra Pope – Red Bank NJ
    732-487-3545
    [email protected]
    https://prismvethealth.com/
  • Betsy Hershey Phoenix AZ
    602-841-0626
    [email protected]
    https://ivocancercare.com/

• Cancer Diets
  • KetoPet Sanctuary: Learn how a ketogenic diet can support dogs with cancer. Visit here.
  • Paul’s Custom Pet Food: Custom therapeutic diets. Explore here.

• Supplements for Immune Support
  • Essiac Tea: Renowned for its potential cancer-fighting properties. Learn more.
  • Organic Mushrooms: Coriolus Forte, Fera Pets and Four Leaf Rover offer blends known to support the immune system.

• Therapeutic Options
  • Ozone Therapy: Learn about its benefits.
  • Intravenous Vitamin C: Available at some veterinary hospitals. Find more details.

• Energy Healing
  • Reiki and Qigong: Techniques like Tellington TTouch and Reiki are known to support emotional and physical healing. Explore Reiki for pets.
  • Qigong: https://holisticqigong.com/healing-methods/energy-healing-for-animals/
  • Tellington TTouch: https://ttouch.com/

Click here to read the full, unabridged version of this blog, written by Dr. Bob & Susan Goldstein.