Nutritional options for your dog
While I am definitely not an expert in nutrition for dogs I have spent the last few months researching this topic on a mission as to why 3 of my 4 dogs have been diagnosed with cancer. While the journey has been a difficult one with many tears it has also made me determined to learn more about ways to a healthy dog. I have been fortunate enough to be in a position where I have been able to treat my dogs to a good diagnosis and very good care from the country’s best oncologists (for dogs). Firstly, let me say ONCOLOGISTS for DOGS exist, as do so many other specialists. If you are uncertain about the diagnosis your vet has given you, ask them about specialists. I have a great vet but like our human GP’s they are not specialists. My eldest dog became unwell and I kept hitting a wall with a diagnosis until one vet said I could take her to the Animal Referral Hospital. I wish I had have done that from the beginning. I was at least able to treat her for the pain, even temporarily reduce the size of the tumors and give her a few good months in which we made the most of every day. Within 12 months 2 of my other dogs were diagnosed with cancer, one a similar kind and the other different. So I questioned everything. The only link the oncologists could provide me was that they had spent too much time in the sun. This is true, they were/are white dogs who loved being in the sun all year round to stay warm. I could only really apply sunscreen to their noses as they licked off the rest. I wish there was a pill for sun protection.
That aside, I started to wonder about the link with food. I was always lucky my dogs ate any kibble I gave them. I didn’t consider the details of the ingredients as long as a good portion of it was protein and that they were not getting fat. I’m not going to preach that all dog food is bad. I don’t know enough. Instead I am going to share with you some links below for a man who has studied dog food and the link to cancer and let you decide for yourself. It is really interesting. The main point I really like is that back in the day dog owners gave their dogs their leftovers which included a diet of meat and vegetables, in the wild dogs eat entire animals which includes what is in that animals’ digestive system and this man is essentially suggesting we try to get as close to that as we can.
For me I am now mainly feeding my dogs chicken, tuna and vegetable mixed with an all-natural kibble to supplement them with all the minerals and so on that I am unlikely to be providing them with. My boy dog who is on a daily chemo pill who should have had his growth return by now is fighting the good fight. It grew back in 12 months and I was told it would grow sooner this time. Is it the diet? I don’t know, but I’m not changing it because I feel like I am on a good thing. I could be delusional too. I know the chemo is helping but he was on that when it grew back the first time. The main change has been the diet in the last 6 months. He’s a happy dog and you wouldn’t know looking at him that he is sick, mainly that he is old. Check it out if you are interested…