We Are The Cure Blog | Canine Cancer Information

1.) Cancer is the cause of nearly half the deaths of older dogs (10 years and up), according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

2.) Early detection is vital. You should routinely examine your dog for any physical or behavioral abnormalities and bring your dog in for regular veterinary exams. Things to look out for include: abnormal swellings, lumps under armpits and under the jaw, sores that won’t heal, foul breath, weight loss/poor appetite/difficulty eating, difficulty breathing, or bleeding/unusual discharge from any orifice on your dog’s body.

3.) Mast cell tumors are one of the most common cancers found on and under the skin of dogs. Any breed or mixed breed can get them, but Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Boxers, Boston Terriers, Pugs, and Shar Peis have shown an increased propensity for them, according to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). Between 10 and 15 percent of dogs with a mast cell tumor end up getting more of them throughout their lifetime, the ACVIM reveals.

4.) Not all skin growths and masses on your dog are cancerous. Just like with humans, some tumors are benign (harmless), while others are malignant (harmful). Veterinarians confirm tumors in dogs through x-rays, blood tests and ultrasounds, and diagnose benign or malignant tumors through a biopsy, where a tissue sample is taken from the dog and examined under a microscope.

5.) Spaying and neutering reduces your dog’s risk of certain cancers. This is particularly true of uterine and breast/mammary cancer in females, and testicular cancer in males (if neutered before six months). This is important because breast cancer in dogs is fatal in about 50 percent of cases, according to the ASPCA. And let’s not forget, spaying and neutering helps control the pet population, as well.

6.) Chemotherapy isn’t just for humans. That’s right—this treatment you’ve heard about for human cancer patients is also used to put canine cancer into remission. Chemotherapy can extend the life of a dog with cancer, even canine lymphoma, and in some cases, even pose a cure. Chemotherapy damages rapidly growing cancer cells in dogs, slowing or stopping their growth entirely. The bad news is chemo can produce some rough side effects in your dog, like vomiting and nausea; however, the good news is dogs rarely lose their hair from the treatment like humans do, the ACVIM says.

7.) Cancer treatment for dogs is expensive. This is especially true of advanced treatments. You may want to consider getting a pet insurance policy when you decide to own a dog, especially if you have a high-risk breed. A pet insurance policy can give you peace of mind that you won’t go broke when obtaining the best cancer care for your dog.

This guest post is contributed by Alvina Lopez, who writes on the topics of accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: alvina.lopez@gmail.com.

Congratulations to Halo, Purely for Pets

The National Canine Cancer Foundation Awards Halo, Purely for Pets Its First Award of Excellence.

Phoenix, Arizona – January 20, 2010 – With statistics showing Cancer striking 25% to 30% of our dogs, the National Canine Cancer Foundation feels as part of their commitment to finding cures and new treatments for cancer in dogs, they are rewarding companies and individuals who have gone above and beyond in their desire to consider the complete, holistic well being of pets in the operation of their company and within their products and/or services or with their actions as an individual. Halo , Purely for Pets is the very first company to be awarded the National Canine Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Excellence.

The National Canine Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Excellence is their most coveted award.  The Seal of Excellence will be awarded to only a very select few companies and/or individuals and the award is based on some of the most extensive criteria. A detailed list of the criteria can be found on the NCCF’s website by clicking here.

“I have been a big fan of Halo Pets for years and it’s very appropriate that we awarded them the very first Seal of Excellence, since some of our criteria for the Seal of Excellence was modeled after the operation and business practices of Halo,” according to Gary D. Nice, President of the National Canine Cancer Foundation.

For over two decades, Halo, Purely for Pets® (www.halopets.com) has created holistic pet products of uncompromising quality.  Halo believes nutrition is the single most important factor in the quality of a pet’s life.  Halo produces natural pet food, treats, supplements and grooming products – including the award-winning Halo Spot’s Stew, Dream Coat and Liv-a-Littles treats. Halo products are available at PETCO, Whole Foods, thousands of independent pet specialty and natural food stores, and online at www.halopets.com.

Ellen DeGeneres – a long time Halo customer — became a part-owner of Halo in 2008, saying, “because I think Halo is incredible, I decided to become part owner in hopes that all animals have the chance to be the healthiest they can be.”

“So many of us have lost four-legged loved ones to this terrible disease,” according to Halo Vice President of Marketing Communications David Yaskulka. “While we all strive for a cure, health professionals are telling us to eat natural foods, avoid harsh chemicals, and lead active, healthy lives to have the best chance of avoiding cancer. Halo customers try to do exactly that for our pets. Everyone at Halo is deeply honored to be recognized in this way.”

About the National Canine Cancer Foundation.

The National Canine Cancer Foundation (www.wearethecure.org) is a nationwide, contribution funded, 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to eliminating Cancer as a major health issue in dogs by funding grants directly to Cancer researchers who are working to save lives, find cures, better treatments and accurate, cost effective diagnostic methods in dealing with canine Cancer.

Its purpose is to encourage and provide grant support for basic, pre-clinical and clinical research in high impact and innovative cancer research, which is intended to develop innovative approaches to a cure, treatment, diagnosis or prevention of cancers in dogs. The program fosters collaboration between basic and clinical scientists with the intent of enhancing the transfer of basic research findings to clinical usefulness.

I was absolutely taken aback by this stunning revelation that even dogs can contract venereal diseases. Also called TVTs (Transmissible venereal tumors), sticker tumors or infectious sarcomas they usually spread by normal contact during the process of sexual intercourse. However, they can also be transferred through sniffing or contact with the tumor.

Although it can affect any dog, the unsprayed ones are more susceptible. The clinical signs may include genital bleeding in case of females and bleeding from the penis in case of males. The tumors usually develop around the genitals. But other areas that may come under attack include nose, mouth and anus. Initially, these lesions appear as fleshy edematous growths. But they aggravate quickly and the surface soon gets eroded. The tumor then comes out as dark red genital discharge. Bleeding due to the onset of tumor growth can also occur in a spayed female which is very often mistaken for normal bleeding of the heat cycle. In some animals the discharge also has a foul odor.

The physical examinations consist of visual inspection, cytology and biopsy. Due to the locally aggressive nature of these tumors, doctors opt for surgery. After the success of the surgery, vets go for chemotherapy in which vincristine is administered intravenously. The tumor is also responsive to radiation therapy in which a beam of light is projected on the tumor. This results in the local remission of the tumor.

The tumors behave well prognostically. Even in the case of metastasis the cure rate is 90%.

Can you believe there is finally a drug for the treatment of cancer in dogs? Yes, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first drug made specifically to treat mast cell tumors in dogs.

Until recently human oncology medicines were used to treat cancer in dogs.

This is indeed a huge breakthrough. The new drug called Palladia, has been manufactured by Pfizer Animal Health Inc.

It works by killing tumor cells and disrupting blood supply to the tumor. However, the side effects may include diarrhea, loss of appetite, lameness, weight loss and blood in the feces.

For more information on mast cell tumors you can log on to http://www.wearethecure.org/mast-cell-tumors.

It’s an art, communicating in 140 characters.  We’ve all been there, where you type out your tweet, getting the message across just right and it ends up being over the 140 character limit!   Now there’s a choice to be made in the editing, stay true to proper grade school grammar or go with Twitter slang.  It’s so tempting to  change the “for” to 4, “to” to 2.  And let’s not forget “our” to R.

Finally after a few minutes we have managed to fit the tweet into the 140 character limit and the message is complete and understood.  All that work just to get a simple tweet out.  Was it worth it?

Well, what if we made it worth it?

Have you ever dreamed of quitting your job via Twitter?  How about popping the question within 140 characters?  Just how creative have you gotten with your Tweets?  What if, instead of just getting your message across you were able to Tweet for a good cause AND win a MacBook Pro?

The National Canine Cancer Foundation has made that possible!  The NCCF has created a Tweet writing contest to challenge you to “Write the Perfect Tweet” while giving you a chance to win a prize.

The contest has several categories to challenge you to “Write the Perfect Tweet” in relationship to the subject. You pick the category you want to write and then submit it for a chance to win some great prizes and help fund canine Cancer research.

The categories are:

1. Write the Perfect Tweet for quitting your job.
2. Write the Perfect Tweet for raising money for canine Cancer.
3. Write the Perfect Tweet for a marriage proposal.
4. Write the Perfect Tweet for telling your kids there is no Santa.

You can enter as many “Perfect Tweets” as you want. The cost to enter a tweet in the contest is $5.00 for each time you submit a new tweet. The $5.00 goes to the National Canine Cancer Foundation to fund canine Cancer research. Many of the contest partners have also created a way to enter for free also!

Get creative and go to www.perfecttweet.com!

The National Canine Cancer Foundation is a nationwide, contribution funded, non-profit corporation dedicated to eliminating Cancer as a major health problem in dogs by funding grants for the scientific efforts of Cancer researchers who are working to save lives, find a cure, find better treatments, find more accurate, cost effective, diagnostic methods in dealing with Cancer, and diminishing dogs’ suffering from Cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service.  Find out more about the Foundation on www.wearethecure.org.

Here’s the deal: rawhide is literally the outside of a cow – the skin. Rawhide is not regulated in any way. Some imported brands (China, Philippines) have been reported as soaked in formaldehyde or contaminated with arsenic. These foreign hides may also contain other detrimental things such as antibiotics, insecticides, or lead- things you’d never knowingly want to ingest.

Also, choking is a hazard, and rawhide can cause canine gastric irritation when chewed on often, which can lead to vomiting and extreme discomfort.

Now the good news: there are great alternatives for purchase online. Or, thick pieces of dehydrated organic sweet potato is nutritious, delicious, and cheap if you have a food dehydrator. At the very least, buy a brand that is made in the USA and says something on the label about being natural. Good chewing!

This blog is contributed by Nadine M. Rosin, author of The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood http://www.TheHealingArtOfPetParenthood.com

As often is the case, we will have the horrible knowledge that it is just a matter of time before we have to make the choice of putting our pets to sleep. It is both a blessing and a curse. The one good thing is that we can really focus on quality time. We get a chance to say goodbye. We get to really connect.

Yet for anyone who does not get that chance, you must remember that they already know how much you love them. That is why they loved you so much.

If you lose your pet after you had to give them a shorter walk than usual, after you had to rush of to work without giving them the attention they deserved that day, remember, that is just life. There is no guilt meant to exist there. Think of your long term love, not just a moment you weren’t perfect. Your dedication, your love, your being loved, is what counts.

And, before we are put in the position of saying our last minute loving goodbyes, when we are in daily life with our healthy and happy pets, let’s make sure they know we love them.

This blog is contributed by Alex in Welderland from www.custompeturns.com. His Twitter contact is @CustomPetUrns.

Are you using one of the popular, ‘applied monthly’ flea products? Think about it…it can kill fleas because it is a form of poison. Some products contain strychnine. Others have the active ingredient, imidacloprid a nicotine-like substance which is rated as “moderately toxic” acutely by the WHO and the EPA and which causes thyroid lesions in rats. Is that really something you want to apply to your dog between his/her shoulders once a month to be absorbed by his/her skin until it’s able to also poison every flea that comes into contact with him/her?

There are wonderful, affordable essential oil combinations made especially for repelling fleas. Most contain oil of lemon and eucalyptus- very pleasant smelling.

If your dog does pick up fleas from another animal, a simple decoction of lemon peel poured over the dog will kill the fleas instantly. I love that solution! I mean, I’m not a scientist, but my sense is that lemon peel probably doesn’t cause cancer!

Diatomaceous earth and cedar chips are inexpensive, natural remedies for flea infested areas of the home or yard. Both can be found online.

This blog is contributed by Nadine M. Rosin, author of The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood http://www.TheHealingArtOfPetParenthood.com

We often forget, or we simply ignore, the stress that the loss of a beloved pet puts on us. Our hearts, our minds, and our spirits take a hard hit, and there remain a bruise left where that pain struck. We may not be able to see it, but we can definitely feel it.

To heal, we need to restore our souls back to that good place where it once was. Yes, we do heal on our own, and time greatly helps the journey, of course. But sometimes things get hidden, like splinters that have worked their way in and we don’t really realize they are there, we just feel the discomfort.

We can be the healthiest if we take action. After the grief, we need to give time and space for recovery. We can treat ourselves without asking why.

We need to shine a light on what has happened, allow ourselves to feel the pain, and then allow ourselves the time we need to heal it. This way, we can, and should, help ourselves through it, owing it to our loved ones, our own hearts and spirits, our mind and our other pets.

This blog is contributed by Alex in Welderland from www.custompeturns.com. His Twitter contact is @CustomPetUrns.

Guest blogging for the National Canine Cancer Foundation is a real honor – and a great way for dog lovers to share stories and information. Thanks to the National Canine Cancer Foundation, work for a cure is supported. People who have lost beloved friends or whose dogs are living with cancer have a place to go to find hope and strength. But I want more.

I want all guest bloggers here to share their posts on the National Canine Cancer Foundation’s blog across the dog-blogosphere, so we can get the word about Canine Cancer where it badly needs to go – to people whose dogs are healthy. Let’s face it; people don’t want to hear about cancer if it’s not in their lives. It’s too frightening. But, if we are able to spread information that can help people take real action to promote wellness in their dogs, we can make the National Canine Cancer Foundation’s job a little bit easier.

I started thinking about canine cancer as my dogs got older, (they’ll be 7 and 9 this year) and as I heard about so many pets, both dogs and cats, who were dying from cancer. On one street not far from where I live, the cancer rate for both people and pets seems extraordinarily high. Is it because the planes landing at the airport empty their gas tanks over that area? (The tops of trees in the arboretum there are surely showing signs of damage.) Is the cancer rate due to poor diet? Heredity? Lawn chemicals? Coincidence? More frightening is the possibility that this street is not an anomaly.

When it comes to animal companions, pet owners turn to the experts for help. After all, everyone wants to be sure they’re doing the best they can to keep their pets healthy. What, then, has gone so terribly wrong? Well, sometimes, people choose the wrong experts to listen to, for instance, unscrupulous advertising agencies, who push foods that aren’t really very nutritious for animals, or more subversively, splash images of happy dogs in their ads and on the trucks of lawn care services, who use toxic chemicals.

People need to realize that they are capable of becoming the experts themselves, and more than that, they need to become the experts themselves to effectively advocate for the health and well being of their animal companions. To do this, they must read everything they can get their hands on and question, question, question – Is this food, vaccine, medication, procedure, training protocol, you fill in the blank, what’s right and healthy for my dog?- even if it means an uncomfortable conversation with the vet.

Many pet owners are not aware, for instance, of the danger vaccines pose to pets, including their contribution to incidences of immune disorders, elevated liver enzymes, kidney failure, seizures, hypothyroidism, and cancer, among others. Dr. Jean Dodds, an internationally recognized authority on thyroid issues in dogs and blood diseases in animals, has done extensive research on vaccines, and asserts “In veterinary medicine, evidence implicating vaccines in triggering immune-mediated and other chronic disorders (vaccinosis) is compelling.” She is currently working toward reducing the number of rabies vaccines dogs receive by extending the vaccination requirements to five, and then seven years.

In short, pet lovers need to read the about vaccination issues so that they can make an educated decision about which vaccines and how many their pet really needs, (within legal guidelines, of course) no matter what that postcard from the vet says.

People also need to be open to new ideas and to pay attention to evidence amassed from years of research when it comes to the health of their pets – especially when the results challenge their belief systems about medical care. People often fall into the mindset of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” In the case of canine cancer, however, something in the healthcare system for animals is terribly broken, and both pet owners and the medical community need to look beyond what they’re doing now into new options with an emphasis on wellness, rather than fearing change, in order to remedy the situation.

Dr. Terry Shirvani, a Naturopathic physician and owner of cats, suggests that we can (and should!) take for the most part, concepts of holistic health for humans, which are based on wellness, and extend them to our animal friends. The holistic approach takes into account the health of the whole being, and as Terry emphasizes, animals are beings, just as much as humans are. Holism looks at each animal as an individual.

Just like people, all animals are unique in their health and emotional requirements. There is no one-size-fits-all food for dogs, and providing them with the best food we can may mean preparing their meals by hand, rather than picking up a bag of kibble at the supermarket. Sound ridiculous? Consider then, the health and lifespan of dogs before the introduction of kibble. Terry also points out how stress in owners’ lives can affect their pets who are extremely sensitive to what’s going on with their human guardians. By looking at ways to improve pets’ quality of life, their owners may be surprised to find ways in which it’s critical to improve their own.

The path to wellness is not difficult. The difficulty lies in people’s resistance to change. Looking up information on the Internet is not hard. Changing dog food is not hard. Vaccinating less is not hard (and saves money!) Trying a more natural approach to wellness instead of patching symptoms may require finding a different vet, but that’s not really so hard, either. Small changes can make a world of difference. Let’s make that world one that’s canine cancer free.

Contributed by Beth Lowell, Animal Reiki Practitioner, www.bethlowell.com