Cancer Trumped Raw pet dog Food
cancer as well as raw pet dog food
Today I’m sharing some poor news with you guys. Unfortunately, it appears like the nasty C has discovered its method back into our lives in type of a mast cell tumor on my pet dog Missy’s throat.
For those of you who don’t understand – my Boxer mix Missy was very first diagnosed with cancer in late 2014, at only 3 years of youth. Back then, she had a similar tumor eliminated as well as underwent 4 rounds of preventative chemotherapy treatment, for the grand overall of $7,689.20.
Our medical health problem insurance coverage with family pets finest ended up covering $6,177.18. As the monthly insurance coverage rate has considering that then climbed from $76 to $185, I just just recently scratched the health problem security from our insurance coverage plan (go figure) as well as only kept mishap coverage, which is an inexpensive $20 per month.
How I discovered out about my dog’s cancer
A few days ago, I took Missy to our routine vet for an examination to have 2 lumps inspected out. One is on the ideal side of her throat where the very first tumor was located. The other one is on the left side of her face, ideal below her left ear.
Our vet Dr. Schaller very first looked at the one found on her deal with as well as was positive when specifying that she might take it off at her practice, however the expression on her deal with instantly altered when she felt the lump on Missy’s throat.
It appears to be a grade II mast cell tumor. Those grow below the skin in the subcutaneous tissues.
Referral to oncologist
Our vet explained she would have to refer us back to the Veterinary Specialty healthcare facility (VSH) in Cary, N.C., where Missy had been treated in late 2014/early 2015. She provided Missy a heartfelt kiss on her adorable bit head. Gulp.
After Dr. Schaller made the referral to the VSH, I called to make an visit with one of their oncologists. Missy will be taken a look at Monday afternoon (the day this blog publish goes live) as well as provided a prognosis.
We’ll take it from there, as well as I’ll keep you people updated on our new cancer journey. Paws crossed for somewhat great news.
Cancer as well as raw pet dog food – cancer busted my bubble
Now what does all of this have to make with raw feeding? Well, Missy’s very first cancer diagnosis got me started on our raw feeding journey.
Until then, her as well as her sibling Buzz had been on a kibble/wet food diet, essentially for the very first 3 years of their lives.
So while Missy was doing a fantastic task kicking cancer’s butt with the assist of the oncologist personnel at the VSH, I attempted to comprehend exactly how a 3 year old pet dog might potentially come down with cancer.
Missy after her tumor removal surgery
On WeAreTheCure.org, I discovered that Boxers are genetically predisposed to having the greatest incidence of mast cell tumors, which did, indeed, end up being Missy’s Boxer mom’s death sentence at age 3.
I likewise heard holistic veterinarians such as Dr. Karen Becker, Dr. Dee Blanco, as well as the lots of contributors of Dogs naturally magazine state as well as compose that extremely processed pet dog food may be contributing to the canine cancer epidemic.
The benefits of a raw pet dog food diet
Coincidentally, I kept hearing them talk about an alternate that sounded appealing to me – a fresh, raw food diet plan with the complying with benefits:
severely minimized allergy symptoms
shiny, full coats
white teeth
smaller poop
less doggie smell
strengthened immune system
and, what stuck with me the most, a minimized cancer risk.
So while I undoubtedly couldn’t do anything about my bit puppy woman being part Boxer, I figured I might at least provide this raw food thing a try in buy to keep the cancer at bay for as long as possible. ideally many, lots of years.
Over the program of the past 3 years, I was able to notice lots of of above provided benefits in both pups.
Their coats are gorgeous as well as shiny, their teeth are clean without me having to clean them as well as Buzz no longer has ear infections. Their poop volume has decreased, as well as they genuinely don’t have that normal pet dog smell.
I admit that when the very first two yearly total blood counts showed that Missy (& Buzz) were in fantastic health, I didn’t believe that we’d ever be taking care of cancer again.
Well, the nasty C just verified me wrong. While Missy stayed complimentary of mast cell tumors for 3 years, the darn cancer has caught back up with us as well as busted my bubble, in spite of feeding a species-appropriate, raw meat diet.
Missy during a chemotherapy session
Am I going to continue to feed my dogs raw?
You may be wondering whether I’m going to continue to feed raw? You bet.
And every pet dog who’ll comply with in Missy’s (& her sibling Buzz’s) paw prints will be fed a fresh, nourishing raw meat diet. That’s a pledge you can hold me to.
Although, I don’t believe a raw diet plan can 100% get rid of the cancer threat, particularly in pet dog breeds that are at high danger of being diagnosed with cancer because of their genetics.
I do, however, believe that it contributes tremendously to general health. It strengthens the canine immune system as well as eventually lengthens their life expectancy.
Ask any type of raw feeder who proudly shows off their raw fed pups on social network as well as preaches about the lots of health and wellness benefits. Those countless people have got to be on to something.
Need some inspiration? just do a hashtag browse on Instagram for #RawFeedingCommunity or join a raw feeding Facebook group.
Who knows, perhaps Missy’s cancer would have returned a great deal sooner than it did had I continued feeding her extremely processed, dry pet dog food. perhaps the raw diet plan DID get us 3 extra years with Missy.
Barbara Rivers composes routinely for That Mutt about feeding her two boxer mixes a raw pet dog food diet. She is a blog writer as well as pet dog walker as well as preserves the blog K9s Over Coffee.
Related posts:
When a dear old pet dog has cancer (my mom’s blog, Nancy’s Point)
Benefits of a raw diet plan for cats
Homemade raw pet dog food recipes