How To Know If Your Dog Has Cancer

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Canine cancer is something I hate to write about. But I need to. That’s because it’s an epidemic, at least among dogs living in the United States. If your pet lives to see his 10th birthday, he has a 50 percent chance of being diagnosed with this disease.

The only way to know for sure if your dog has a potentially life-threatening malignancy is to take him to the vet. If it were my pet, I’d bring him to a holistic practitioner, who may recommend a more natural approach to manage the disease.

These professionals are good at offering potential solutions. You’re probably less likely to hear, “There’s nothing more we can do.” Unless your dog is very sick, a vet committed to natural healing should be able to offer suggestions on how to improve your dog’s overall health. The idea is to support the dog’s immune system so he can fight the disease.

(Update: Since I first published this post my elderly dog (he’s now 16) has developed cancer. We’re treating it naturally. with homeopathy, medicinal mushrooms to boost his immune system and other forms of natural healing.)

Would You Know If Your Dog Had Cancer?

I realize that anyone reading this may be scared, and wondering if their dog has cancer. They may fear the worst. So I’m hoping to present information to let you know that holistic vets often take a much different approach than conventional animal health practitioners.

Dog Cancer: The Holistic Answer is written by Dr. Steven Eisen, a chiropractor. He began exploring alternative cancer treatments after his mother died, after suffering through conventional treatments. When his 11-year-old dog was diagnosed, he ignored the grim prognosis. Instead, he began to treat his pet with natural remedies. The story has a very happy ending. His dog recovered and lived to a ripe-old-age, surviving two-and-a-half more years.

Treating Cancer in Dogs Naturally

Holistic Dog Cancer Book

How to Know if Your Dog Has Cancer

If your dog loses weight without warning, this is a sign he or she needs to be evaluated by a vet. It might have a different cause, but cancer is one of the things your dog’s doctor will likely look for. Don’t disregard evidence of appetite loss. Most dogs are voracious and indiscriminate eaters. One who suddenly becomes more “picky” is cause for concern.
As with people, any new lump or bump on your dog needs to be evaluated. It may be nothing, but you won’t know until it’s checked. For me, it would be less frightening to bring my dog to a holistic vet, because I know I’d leave there with tips on restoring him to health again.
Weight loss without a reduction in calories, or an increase in exercise, should be investigated.
Foul smells coming from your dog’s nose or rectum should also be checked. This symptom may also signal more benign causes.
Loss of energy. If your dog no longer runs, jumps and plays, this is a reason to call the vet. With older dogs, this can also be due to arthritis, a very common problem.

Since your dog can’t tell you what’s wrong with him, and oftentimes won’t show signs of illness until he’s very sick, you want to pay close attention to any changes in behavior or feeding patterns. Please remember that I’m not a vet. Just a dog owner who likes to use natural remedies on her 14-year-old pet.

How to Prevent Cancer in Dogs

Hopefully, your dog’s symptoms are nothing to be concerned about. But, if you’re worried, you may want to think about preventing this all-too-prevalent disease. Here is another excellent book written by a holistic vet on preventing and treating cancer in dogs.

Preventing Cancer in Dogs Book