PET CARE

Friends of mine have lost three dogs from cancer even though they take excellent care of them, with health checkups every year, a half hour walk three times a day, all necessary shots recommended by the veterinary, and provide the kind of dog food recommended by him.

A Veterinary oncologist in the US estimates that almost 50 percent of of geriatric dogs and 33 percent of aged cats will die of cancer. "Cancer occurs when a mutation of the DNA happens during normal cellular reproduction," says Doug Knueven, DVM. "Since the body has billions of cells that are continuously reproducing, cancer cells are produced every day. A healthy immune system destroys the deranged cells before they can cause harm. One cause of cancer is an unhealthy immune system that cannot keep up with the normal number of mutations the body produces. When the cells of the body produce an abnormally number of mutations that even a healthy immune system cannot keep up with, they succumb to cancer, says Dr. Knueven.
He says the most important thing we can do to prevent this is to limit their exposure to toxins. An individual can handle a certain level of chemicals in their system, but at some point a threshold is reached, past which the body is adversely affected.

A recent study of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found high levels of industrial toxins in the systems of pets. Dogs were contaminated with 35 chemicals, eleven of them carcinogens, and cats were polluted with 46, including nine carcinogens. "Stain resistant" treatments for furniture and carpets were one source of contamination. A full report can be found at www.ewg.org/reports/pets. Lawn turf, flea and tick sprays, collars, shampoos and topical medications are others. "Vaccines reduce certain infections but do stress the immune system and limiting them is prudent," adds Dr. Knueven.
"A raw-food diet is best, but a recent study showed that adding some shredded vegetables to a dog's diet three times a week can reduce the risk," he adds. Further information can be found at www.BeaverAnimalClinic.com. Dr. Doug Knueven is the author of "Stand By Me, A Holistic Handbook for Animals, People and the Lives They Share," l- 800-333-4499.