Natural methods to keep your dog healthy
Today, I have decided to write on the topic of the big C word – cancer. If you have ever attended a cancer fundraiser, the common suggestion is that we have to ‘fight cancer’ or ‘wipe out cancer.’ I always find it strange when the words of warfare are used in healing and medicine.
Can cancer be fought?
Based on my observation, it appears that the results of ‘fighting cancer’ are similar to the fights happening around the world. The more we fight, the more damage is done.
After years of treating cancer in my practice and also witnessing it when my brother, brother-in-law and father died of cancer under conventional medical care, I have reached the conclusion that cancer cannot be fought but instead has to be understood.
Can cancer miraculously disappear?
Yes, while this is still a relatively rare occurrence, I have treated a few patients where their confirmed malignancies simply disappeared.
These cases only left me determined to learn more. It also led me to believe that the harsh conventional cancer treatments are the dead-end alley of medicine. While they sometimes work, chemotherapy and radiation is a battlefield where only a few ‘soldiers’ survive.
I also dread seeing people and animals going through such treatments because many endure tremendous suffering and gradually fade away. It is hard to be certain what exactly I would do if I was diagnosed with cancer. I just feel that this topic needs to be talked about more openly.
Cancer fundraisers – where does the money go?
I strongly believe that more cancer research needs to be done. I also see that most of the money donated at cancer fundraisers is wasted on drug research that leads nowhere.
Millions of scientists from around the world have been desperately searching for a cancer cure while it couldn’t be clearer that the main answer is PREVENTION.
The current situation in the pharmaceutical industry doesn’t help. In my opinion, the health of our pets has been gambled with in a very lucrative money-making scheme by big Pharma. They have made cancer big business with unaffordable products for many people around the world.
The answer is closer than you think
The irony is that if we all decided to stop our dependency on pharmaceuticals and live a healthier lifestyle, drug revenues would dramatically shrink and the budgets of most countries in the world would be restored. Why are we so gullible that we allow our taxes to be cleverly redirected to the coffers of companies who perceive health care as their golden pig? All of this is done under the cover of modern and progressive health care.
I will ask you a question. If you had a grocery store and a mother with a hungry baby or a senior came in to buy essential food, would you raise the prices? Of course not, but it is no secret that drug companies do exactly that and we allow it.
In a way, there is not much difference between big Pharma and cancer. With a few exceptions, they take over in a ruthless and invasive way and eventually cause the system to collapse.
Biologically, cancer is a form of disharmony that results from a genetic predisposition and a multitude of insults from toxins, vaccines, overuse of suppressive drugs, radiation, chemicals, poor diet, stress and unhappiness. There is never just one cause. Under such pressure, the defense mechanism of the immune system fails to detect and destroy cells that have turned malignant and a tumor starts growing.
Cancer in puppies, kittens and children
You may ask why children get cancer. From the holistic point of view, a child can carry physical, emotional and energetic imprints from many previous generations in their genes and on the energetic level. Cancer is the disease of chaos and decay, where the body cannot maintain order. Even though the growth of defective and potentially cancerous cells occurs in every body, not all individuals end up with cancer. That is why the key to cancer prevention is a balanced body and a strong immune system, which eliminates cancer cells.
A cold may be a natural ‘training method’
Some time ago, I decided those simple colds that we get here and there may, in fact, be the immune system’s training for the really important anti-cancer protection. Because no one can say for sure what triggers cancer growth in each individual, the best way of preventing cancer is to reduce and eliminate toxic substances from our environment and food and provide the body with nutrients and building blocks that are needed for good health.
The topic of ‘toxic worries’
If you catch yourself worrying about your dog, your cat, family member, a friend or yourself getting cancer, pushing these worries aside doesn’t mean that they do not exist. Just stop for a moment, close your eyes and ‘invite’ the fear to come closer. I urge you to face it and not run away. Explore the origin of your fear, turn it around and upside down as if it was an object, a seashell, a rock or a leaf.
If you repeat this exercise whenever your fear appears, it will become less intense and frightening and you will free up energy that the body can use for cancer prevention.
Be nice to yourself
If you have ever blamed yourself for being responsible for your pets’ disease, you’re not alone. I ask you to be kind to yourself because no one can really know what our contribution is. Yes, it is true that in some situations there may be a connection between your health and the health of your pet. People who are happy and aligned with their life purpose definitely get cancer less often and so do their pets. That is why I am so passionate about helping people create a purposeful and happy life because pets definitely benefit.
Surrender to mortality
Whether we like it or not, life is terminal. Perhaps, it is our pets’ shorter lifespan that makes us appreciate them more. Surrendering to mortality is the only answer to enjoying the present moment and worrying less about the future. It is not always easy. I too sometimes catch myself wanting to stop time. My dog Skai is 15-years-old this year. All we can do is our best and try to remind ourselves that worrying doesn’t help.
Food is the best medicine
If your dog or cat is on junky processed food made of poor-quality ingredients, changing your animal friend’s diet is a good way to start. Processed food is definitely not nature’s recipe.
If you want to reduce the chances of cancer, feed natural and wholesome food. If you are unsure how to do it there are many people who can help. You can also sign up here for the raw diet course.
Unnatural toxic chemicals
The health of your family can be affected by the cleaning products you buy. Many of them contain toxic substances that can wreak havoc in the body. Think about it this way, every chemical competes for locations and receptors with the natural and beneficial substances. It takes energy and resources for the body to detox and cleanse.
There are many natural and healthy cleaning product alternatives and if you’re on a budget, most cleaning can be done with vinegar, soda and natural soap.
PRACTICAL STEPS TO CANCER PREVENTION
1. Detoxify
A cleanse is a very important part of cancer prevention and should be done twice a year in a dog of any age.
My favorite protocol includes a special high concentration chlorophyll supplement and LiverTune. Complete an initial 4 week cleanse with LiverTune and then ongoing for 1 week per month as part of preventive care.
2. Exercise
I see physical activity and fresh air as nature’s way of flushing and purifying the body. Every cell gets more blood and oxygen, which increases cleansing. It is similar to how water gets cleansed and purified in nature. It happens in streams, rapids or surf through oxygenation.
Massage, regular combing and stretching also promotes tissue regeneration and improves energy flow.
3. Supplements
Providing the right building blocks is essential because cancer is a disease of depletion and deficiency. After almost 30 years in practice, I see more clearly how starved our bodies and the bodies of our pets are when it comes to minerals, vitamins and other nutrients.
If you want your dog to be healthy, make sure that you ditch synthetic supplements and switch to all-natural supplements.
The body knows the difference and there is increasing evidence that excessive amounts of synthetic supplements can be detrimental to our health. Did you know that many synthetic supplements are made of crude oil and other chemicals?
The four allies
1. The first important step is to give your dog these essential supplements that I give my dog too:
They are all listed on this page
2. I also suggest testing your dog's hair to see if he or she is deficient and what the heavy and toxic metal levels are.
Here is the link to purchase the HairQ test.
3. There is one more product that deserves extra attention.
ZYFLAMEND is a noteworthy product made by a company called New Chapter Organics. The founders have dedicated their lives to developing supplements that have direct anti-inflammatory/anti-cancer effects, without the harsh side effects of traditional drugs.
I have used this product in dogs and noticed a clear difference when it comes to reducing swelling and inflammation of tumors.
This product can also be given as a preventive to older dogs and my dog Skai gets Zyflamend twice a week.
4. While a specific study on dogs and cats has not been conducted, I see turmeric as one of the most promising superfoods and hope that as time progresses, we will be able to conduct animal-specific studies. I have used it successfully as an anti-inflammatory.
Can homeopathy be used in cancer treatment?
As a veterinarian practicing homeopathy for almost 20 years, I’m used to hearing many positive and also some defamatory statements about homeopathy. Some people are having difficulty grasping the idea that very minute doses of very diluted substances can create a prolific healing reaction in the body.
Here is my point. If you think of the world around us, the physical force of a hammer will have less power than the chemical reaction of dynamite, which will have less power than if we break an atom and cause a nuclear reaction.
There is no doubt that invisible energies play an incredibly powerful role in our bodies and I see homeopathy as one of the ways of neutralizing imbalances in the body.
The recent negative media attention in homeopathy may be attributed to the fact that the big Pharma companies cannot license homeopathic remedies as their own and homeopathic treatments are very inexpensive. In my opinion, we are entitled to the freedom of choice and should be very suspicious about any proposals to restrict the use of homeopathy and other natural modalities.
The spinal column – the body’s energy highway
Over the years, I have become intrigued by the connection between tightness or injury of certain spinal segments and lump and cancer formation. I have always believed that a healthy back is the key to a healthy body and that the back is the energy flow channel that maintains even energy flow throughout the body, tissues and organs.
If there is a back tightness or injury, the energy flow stops, which affects the adjacent skin and organs. It appears to me that there is a direct link between these congested areas and cancer.
How do you recognize a problem area of the spine?
When you massage or touch your pet, you will observe muscle tightness, twitching when they are touched or heat. I recommend consulting an experienced physiotherapist, chiropractor, homeopath or massage therapist to name a few, but these are not the only modalities. I especially like a technique called intramuscular needle stimulation – IMS which resets the spastic muscle by inserting acupuncture needles. This can be compared to a computer that freezes. All you need to do is press RESET.
Surgery – yes or no?
I have done surgery for most of my career and I see it useful in situations like traumas, fractures, lacerations or emergency procedures. I am not a big fan of lumpectomies because when a lump is removed, new and usually more serious ones will most likely crop up.
Do you need a diagnosis?
While some people are against inserting a needle in the tumor, I find a simple fine needle cell aspirate and examination a very useful first step. Most of the time you can determine if a lump is just lipoma (a fat tissue growth) or if we are dealing with a more complex situation. In such cases, I usually send the sample to a histology lab.
I recommend biopsies only when a fine needle aspirate come back as non-diagnostic and a more serious problem is suspected. My rule of thumb is not to remove any lumps that are benign unless they are physically limiting.
You will save hundreds of dollars by avoiding unnecessary surgery and will most likely extend your animal friend’s life. As in anything, there are a few exceptions where cancer patients benefit from surgery, such as bone malignancies.
I sometimes see that people are torn when making medical decisions. Some are afraid of making the wrong decision while others try to please their vet or feel guilty if they decide to do less than what was recommended.
I suggest you get all the options and if unsure, talk to a couple of different practitioners you trust before you make the final decision.
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© Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM
