For decades cancer has been the bane of medical practitioners worldwide. The dread of this killer has historically been so pervasive that I recall lay people and doctors alike referring to cancer it as the Big C during the 1960’s. No one wanted to say the word ‘cancer’ in almost superstitious attempt to foil the onset of a disease that has no cure and for many has proven fatal.

Veterinarians treating cancer in dogs as well as practitioners of medicine for our dog’s human counterparts have struggled with cancer diagnoses and treatments that have often been ineffective or debilitating to the patient. These have included chemotherapy, radiation and a variety of nominally effective or ineffective medications.

My mother was a victim of cancer. Our family has a background in medicine and we pursued every avenue approved by the AMA as well as non traditional approaches in medical clinics around the world for more than seven years. Some of these non traditional approaches may have extended her life by a few years and many of the techniques are incorporated by traditional medical practitioners today.

So what has this got to do with our dogs? In a word.. Everything.

Our dogs are more often diagnosed with cancer today than ever before, In fact some studies have suggested that more than 50% of all dogs will contract and/or die of cancer. Whether this increased number of diagnoses is due to a more astute veterinary community that has more resources at it’s disposal or whether there is an underlying cause is up to debate.

It does seem to this writer that many of the potential carcinogenic agents that impact us as dog guardians may mimic themselves and invade the healthy bodies of our best friends. The National Canine Cancer Foundation says that cancer can be attributed to factors such as excessive exposure to carcinogenic agents which include chemicals found in commercial dog food, and medicines

One of the biggest challenges to the immune system and health of your dog is as close as the bag, box or can of dog food that you may be feeding Fido. Commercial dog food often touted as all natural or balanced and is frequently nothing more than industrial waste replete with chemicals and additives that are tantamount to ingesting a bag full of poison on a daily basis. There is very little regulation of the dog food industry and labeling can be deceptive at best. Worse than junk food it is often a chemical laden poison and a contributor to the onset of canine cancer.

Another problem that may have an impact in the suppression of the immune system of our dogs is an over use of vaccines. Veterinarians will frequently recommend up to 16 different vaccines for a dog and the regularly scheduled vaccines that are given as a mater of course every one- three years is now the subject of much dispute among holistic practitioners who believe that that the biggest beneficiary of ‘over vaccination’ is the vaccine manufacturer

The American Animal Hospital Association ( AAHA,) reports that “…there is growing professional and public awareness that vaccine products are not as benign as first believed, and controversy exists as to duration of immunity and frequency of administration. Vaccine administration is a medical procedure with which, as with any medical decision, there are benefits as well as attendant risks”

Dr Donna Starita Mehan in an article posted at the Canine-Health-Concern at canine-health-concern.org.uk, wrote “Routine” vaccination, as it is practiced today, is not always effective…most of the problems involve the immune system. After all, the immune system is what vaccines are designed to stimulate. But they do so in a very unnatural way that can overwhelm and confuse the immune system. This can result in increased susceptibility to acute infections…. or in more degenerative cases, cancer.

Furthermore, in a Purdue University study cited at the Canine Health Concern, Drs. Harm Hogen Esch and Larry T. Glickman noted that “Concern has been growing among owners, breeders, and veterinarians that current vaccines cause immune-mediated diseases in dogs.”

A respected veterinarian, Dr Andrew Jones, recently noted that the vaccinations that he gave his dog as part of a regular protocol may have in fact been a contributing factor, along with dog food and meds in the onset of spleen cancer in his treasured friend.

Another potential cause of cancer in your dog may be attributed to certain medications that are prescriptive such as anti-inflammatory, such as those given for arthritis. These drugs can have a negative impact on your dog’s organs and may contribute to the onslaught of cancer. Other studies have noted a link between the use of certain medication and the onset of liver disease in dogs

So why did your dog get cancer? The answer may not be easy to pinpoint but there is a plethora of evidence that suggests that a number of immunology suppressing factors may be obliterating the natural nutrients and health sustaining capabilities of our dogs, and we may be unwittingly giving them these potentially life shortening culprits.

In an attempt to protect our dogs from disease we are vaccinating them into illness. In a desire to feed them a balanced dog food we are poisoning them with commercially produced garbage. In a desire to alleviate illness we are medicating them to death.

We live in a wonderful time of challenge and opportunity. The technological and medical advances in our world and the that of our dogs offer great promise. The unfortunate part in this is the misuse of many developments for convenience and greed which is lining the pockets of drug companies and unethical dog food manufacturers.

So the responsibility is ours as guardians of our dogs. Research before you buy, ask before you feed and never stop learning. The best question to ask may in fact be How am I keeping my dog from getting cancer, because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure…