Protect your pet - petcare

Learning that a beloved pet has cancer can be as traumatic as hearing the same news about a relative--but don't despair. There are many alternative therapies and approaches available for pets with cancer, in addition to conventional surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. And new treatments for even the deadliest forms of canine and feline cancers are on the horizon.

For example, anti-angiogenic drugs, first used on humans in 1992, show great promise as cancer treatments for both humans and pets. These drugs contain organic and synthetic molecules that restrict the growth of blood vessels on which tumors rely for nutrients. In some cases, researchers have been able to completely halt the spread of cancer using anti-angiogenic drugs.

A growing number of pet owners are turning to alternative cancer therapies such as the use of herbs, acupuncture, touch therapy, homeopathy and naturopathy. Although there's little scientific data to support these modalities, they can ease pain and provide comfort for your pet.

More importantly, however, there are steps you can take while your pet is still healthy to significantly cut cancer risks.

For starters, spaying and neutering can greatly reduce the risk of cancer in dogs. Female dogs spayed before the first heat cycle have only half the risk of mammary carcinoma of those spayed after the first heat cycle. And neutering male dogs by the time they're a year old virtually eliminates the risk of testicular cancer.

Perhaps one of the best preventative measures is to carefully consider what you feed your pet. Many commercial pet foods contain inferior ingredients, including meat from diseased animals and the dregs of the rendering business. In addition, the ingredients in commercial pet foods are loaded with hormones, antibiotics and chemicals to ensure the products' long shelf life, and many are highly carcinogenic because of them.

If you can, cook for your pet. If you don't have the time, you can feed your pet a high-quality commercial food that contains only human-grade--and preferably organic--ingredients. (See "Bone Appetit," BN August 2002, p. 32.)

vaccination verity

Over-vaccination also contributes to the rise in cancer rates in dogs and cats. In recent years, the prime concern has been the vaccine for feline leukemia virus (FeLV). In 1991, a study concluded that sarcoma at vaccination sites was increasing in cats. James Richards, DVM, director of the Feline Health Center at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York, says, "The adjuvants (chemicals added to a vaccine to increase its effectiveness) may contribute to the likelihood of feline sarcomas developing." Dogs also develop sarcomas at the site of vaccinations, but not to the extent veterinarians have recorded among cats.

Some major veterinary colleges and veterinarians in private practice now vaccinate only every three years, realizing that it is unnecessary--and probably harmful--to continue traditional yearly vaccinations. A simple blood test, called a titer test, will indicate if your pet has sufficient antibodies against specific diseases. Titer tests indicate immunity levels to diseases that a pet was initially vaccinated against for three years or more after the initial vaccination.

Find a good holistic veterinarian, and he or she will most likely offer titer tests for your pets. Also, before vaccinating on a yearly basis, find out if your veterinarian is aware of the three-year vaccination option now recommended by a growing number of experts.

home threat home

Cancer risks for humans are also cancer risks for their pets. In a 2002 study at Tufts University in Boston, researchers found that cats exposed to secondhand smoke in the home are more than twice as likely to develop lymphoma. In two-smoker households, the risk quadrupled.

Other environmental concerns include chemicals from lawn sprays, household cleaners and flea-and-tick preparations--all of which may contain truly cancer-causing agents.

For instance, 2,4 Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), a systemic herbicide used by homeowners and lawn-care companies, is a component of the defoliant Agent Orange. According to the National Cancer Institute, the risk of canine lymphoma doubles when 2,4-D is applied to lawns four or more times a year. Pets sniff the grass, walk and roll on it, then clean themselves afterward, ingesting these toxins.

Pet owners also need to be careful with some pet care products, including flea collars, powders and shampoos. Most chemical manufacturers advise that we wash our hands and try not to breathe the substances we apply to our pets, but these are the same toxic products that our pets are subjected to continually.

Organophosphate insecticides (OPs) are listed on labels as chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, phosmet, tetrachlorvinphos, maled, diazinon and malathion--all of which have been linked to certain types of brain cancer in humans and pets. Alternatives include herbal flea collars or rubbing nutritional yeast into your pet's coat.

If you feed your pets healthful foods, you will also find the flea problem drastically reduced. And rid your home of fleas in carpets by sprinkling and brushing a salt and boric acid compound into carpets. This dehydrates and kills fleas and flea larvae. Most natural product stores carry boric acid as a natural cleanser. Check with your natural products retailer for more information.

Many household cleaners contain formaldehyde, the embalming solution. Phenol, a suspected cancer-causing agent, is found in floor polish and in many disinfectants. Carpet cleaners can contain perchloroethylene (PERC), which is suspect as a human carcinogen. Benzene, a chemical in detergents and oven cleaners, is also known to be a carcinogen.

Fortunately, there are many safe alternatives for cleaning your home--and for tending the landscape. Be sure to read labels before buying household products, for your pet's well being as well as your own.

A healthful diet, a sensible vaccination schedule and a toxic-free environment play major roles in keeping your animal companions healthy and cancer-free. Take the first steps today--you and your pet will be glad you did.

Ann N. Martin is a leading authority on commercial pet foods and related animal-health concerns.

COPYRIGHT 2003 PRIMEDIA Intertec, a PRIMEDIA Company. All Rights Reserved.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group