Did you know that the primary cause of death in dogs over two years of age is cancer?
It’s true.
In fact, half of all adult dogs will die from cancer. That’s a staggering number. But you can beat the odds for your dog if you know how to prevent cancer in dogs.
And I’ve gather the 5 best tips to help you get started, right now.
The Best Cure For Canine Cancer Is Prevention
Cancer begins when carcinogens damage DNA, then
The good news is your dog’s body has a built-in mechanism to kill cancer cells; a gene called p53. However, exposure to toxins and viruses can damage that gene and limit its ability to protect the body from the spread of cancerous cells.
We all know that treatment options for cancer aren’t all that effective. And that they can weaken your dog’s immune system and do other types of damage to the body.
The best cure for cancer is to just not get it in the first place. Happily, there are easy, actionable steps you can take to prevent cancer in your furry family members. Here is a list that every pet owner should be aware of.
How To Prevent Cancer In Dogs: 5 Simple Steps
#1 Reduce The Use Of Flea And Tick Products
Dr. Dobozy of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) pesticide division states that one of the laboratory effects of fipronil in the popular flea and tick product Frontline, is thyroid cancer and altered thyroid hormones.
The company creates the impression that their product doesn’t migrate into the body … but radiolabeled
But it isn’t just Frontline that’s a problem.
Bio Spot Flea and Tick Control, Defend Exspot Treatment and Zodiac FleaTrol Spot On all contain one or both of the active ingredients Permethrin and/or Pyriproxyfen. Permethrin has been implicated as a carcinogenic insecticide causing lung cancer and liver tumors in laboratory animals. Exposure to a carcinogen typically occurs many years before
Don’t think that the numerous products not mentioned here are safe. According to the Center for Public Integrity, who collected information through the Freedom of Information Act, the “natural” pyrethrins (naturally occurring compounds from the chrysanthemum plant) and pyrethroids (the synthetic counterpart) caused double the fatalities (1,600) from 2002 to 2007 than the non-pyrethroid compounds.
There are natural products that are effective for fleas and ticks. Do your pet a favor and look for safer alternatives. Here is a simple recipe you can make and use at home.
#2 Use Non-toxic Lawn And Garden Products
Lawn chemicals, weed killers and herbicides are just as toxic as flea and tick products. Dogs and cats are low to the ground and are much more susceptible to these toxins.
Studies show a link between lawn chemicals and cancer in dogs. In this study, researchers identified:
- 263 dogs with biopsy-confirmed canine malignant lymphoma (CML)
- 240 dogs with benign tumors
- 230 dogs undergoing surgeries unrelated to cancer
Then, they asked the pet owners to complete a
Scientists found that dogs with malignant lymphoma were 70% more likely to live in a home where professionally applied lawn pesticides had been used.
Dogs with serious malignancy were also 170% more likely to come from homes where owners used chemical insecticides.
For non-toxic lawn nourishment, broadcast one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch of high-quality compost over your lawn using a shovel. Compost nourishes beneficial soil microbes and doesn’t contain harsh salts the way many chemical fertilizers do, and you could see some improvement in just a few days.
#3 Use Pet-safe Detergents, Soaps And Cleansers
Take it upon yourself to research dryer sheets and room deodorizers on the web and you’ll discover their
Even cleaners labeled “safe,” “non-toxic” and “green” can contain hazardous ingredients. There should be a law against bogus claims, but there isn’t. Some companies are willing to bend the truth – because they can. Even citrus and pine-based cleaners can react with trace levels of ozone air pollution to form ultra-fine particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and formaldehyde, which the US
The good news is you can make your own inexpensive green cleaning products. Click here for some great recipes.
#4 If You Must Alter Your Dog, Don’t Do It Too Young
A growing body of research is implicating early spaying and neutering in increasing cancer rates. In a 2002 study, it was established that there was an increased risk of bone sarcoma in both male and female Rottweilers sterilized before the age of one year.
In another study, the risk of bone cancer in sterilized large purebred dogs was twice that of dogs that were not neutered.
Spay and neuter, especially when done before 18 months of age, shouldn’t be an automatic decision. For more information on spay/neuter decisions, click here.
#5 Eliminate Or Minimize Vaccinations As Much As Possible
We saved the most important point for last.
In cats, the Feline Vaccine Associated Sarcoma is an aggressive malignant tumor that appears at vaccine injection sites. What is the veterinary solution for this? To vaccinate cats in the tail so it can easily be removed when fibrosarcoma strikes.
This doesn’t mean dogs don’t get cancer from vaccines. The Journal of Veterinary Medicine, August 2003, shows that vaccines cause cancer in dogs at their injection sites too.
Cancers are found in not only vaccine injection sites, but in other areas of the body not directly in the vicinity of the injection site. Documented cases of lymphoma have resulted in patients developing vaccine injection site fibrosarcomas.
If you must vaccinate, be aware that it only takes one core vaccine to protect a dog or cat for life. There is no need to revaccinate once a dog has responded to a vaccine. How do you know if your dog has responded to a vaccine? You ask your vet to run a titer test, preferably two to three weeks after vaccination. And make sure to detox your dog after as well.
You can learn more about vaccine risks and duration of immunity.
So there you have it! Once you know how to prevent cancer in dogs, you’re a lot closer to keeping . What changes can you make today!
