A Path With Paws

Cats, yes let me talk about the cats. I have four of them myself who share my home and they are wonderful lovely beings. This is not an article about how to treat specific cancers in cats – for that see my book Integrative and Alternative Methods for treating cancer in cats and dogs. This is an article about things we need to consider in cats and how they really are not just small dogs.

When it comes to cancer in cats they are a lot harder to treat than the dogs. There are a couple reasons for this. One is that I think cats hide their cancer more than dogs do. They really don’t let you know they are sick until it is pretty involved. And cancer is harder to treat when it is advanced.

However I think the largest reason they are hard to work with is that most cats hate medications. They spit them out, they run away from you and they know if you put something in their food! Ok so yes I have worked with some cats that you can put things in their food and they will still eat but most will not, especially if they feel sick. I have had people in tears in my office because their cats have decided that they hate them because they are trying to put all these things down their throats.

Because of this sometimes we make the decision to not treat them with anything or just with acupuncture. It really comes down to quality of life. It is important that we don’t make the end of their life miserable.

• I have found that in most cats I get, at most, three things I can give orally. More than that and I find you start getting reactions and cats spitting things out and hating their people. There are some cats that can do more than three but not that many.

  Because of this I really hate to see folks surfing the internet and buying up every herbal in sight and trying to give them. Yes, yes I know that is how you got here and I appreciate you being here but if I can give you one piece of advice it would be to find a holistic vet to work with who can help direct you to the one or two or three things that will work the best for your cat, not someone else’s cat.

  The other thing I have found is that if I can either use glycerine tinctures and combine herbals so that there is only one thing to give or figure out what is going to work the very best that can really help. Sometimes this ends up being a western drug, sometimes an herbal. Sometimes we can do both.

  Above all else I don’t want cats to be in pain so sometimes this is a pain drug. Sometimes it is possible to give them injections, even better. Many people think they can’t give injections to their cats but really most cats do fine for injections and it is so much easier than getting something down their throat.

  Some medications can also be made into a form that can be applied to the ear and is absorbed through the skin. This can also be an excellent option for cats.

• Fluids can go a long way in making cats feel better, if they are not drinking or eating well. These are given under the skin with a rather large needle but once again most cats don’t mind. They can help to increase energy, help them to eat better and help them feel better overall if there is a dehydration issue.
• Acupuncture can be a wonderful therapy for cats. Most casts like it and most importantly it does not have to go down their throat. Acupuncture can help slow cancer down and help with pain, appetite and energy.
• Eating is also very important. Many cats that are sick are quite picky with food. I love to see these guys on a homemade or high protein canned but really I want them to eat. So if they aren’t eating, a little tuna, a little salmon, baby food, whatever it takes. Get them eating. They will not feel well if they don’t. Sometimes we use appetite stimulants if they will not eat.
• Last let me say a few words about surgery and chemo and radiation.

  First surgery. Cats don’t always do as well as dogs with it, if you are doing surgery internally. They usually do quite well with surgeries to remove cancer on the surface and also do very well with amputations. Bone cancer and fibrosarcomas need to be removed if possible. With abdominal and especially with thoracic surgeries, really weigh the pros and cons and ask a lot of questions about recovery.

  Chemotherapy and radiation. Once again I feel like these are harder on cats. Chemo can be very effective for some lymphoma cases and often 1-3 treatments can put them in remission. Radiation can be very effective for certain surface tumors. Other than that. I really do believe that if the prognosis is not glowing or if they will need many, many treatments they do not do well.

Cats often have a sense of their own mortality. They may decide they don’t want extensive medical intervention. I really think that is ok. It saddens me to see the animals I work with die but I do believe that cats often times know when their time is close and are at peace with that.

I think more than anything, when it comes to the kitties, the most important thing is to look deep into your heart and do what is right for them. Not what the doctors say, not what is right for you, not what anyone says on their website or in their book. Sometimes they are ready to fight and live and sometimes it is time to keep them as comfortable as possible for what time they have here with us and then help them peacefully pass on.

The main focus of Chinese medicine is on treating the animal, the cancer is secondary.

Why did the cancer get there is in first place? Because of a longstanding imbalance in the body. In western medicine we would say that the immune system malfunctioned.

Why? Usually because of diet, genetics or environmental factors.

The job of the practitioner is to look at an animal as a whole being. I usually take about 30-60 minutes just to get a full history on my animals I treat for cancer. With the whole history I am treating the whole animal and not just the cancer. This is why the animals I treat often times feel better than before their cancer diagnosis after we start treatment

So why do I write articles that look like cook book recipes?
Many times the same cancers come from the same deficiencies. For example squamous cell carcinoma is almost always going to come from an animal who is having dampness/inflammation issues. Mast cell tumors almost always are in animals who have blood deficiencies. So you can cook book some of these cancers and get it right most of the time.

However the best is to find a veterinarian with training in Chinese medicine who can look at your animal and guild you to what is the best protocol for them. Them and not their cancer. I realized that some of you live in places that it is not a possibility in which case I am hoping you can use my guilds with your animal’s primary vet to come up with a treatment protocol.

So on to the Chinese Medicine!

Traditional Chinese medicine also known as TCM uses a system of metaphors to describe disease and come up with treatment methods. As odd as it can seem to a newcomer to this art, the system works.

This system was developed long before anatomy was known as well as it is today. In fact when TCM was first developed there was a ban on dissection and most of what was known about anatomy was learned on the battlefield by those who treated the wounded. Because of this many of the Chinese organ systems are different then the western ones. For example in TCM the spleen is considered the main organ of digestion even though we know today that the spleen really has very little to do with digestion. Even so the points in acupuncture, which correspond to the spleen, often treat digestive disorders and the herbs for digestion are often considered spleen tonics.

It would be really easy for me to give you 1000 pages or more on Traditional Chinese Medicine but really I want to talk about cancer and how it related to Chinese medicine and how you use Chinese diagnosis to figure out what herbs and supplements to give an animal.

The two most common Chinese diagnosises for cancer are.

Phlegm nodules/dampness and blood stagnation.

In addition you can have cancers that get into the realm of triple burner obstruction and blood heat but those both end up connected to one of the first categories. Blood heat is when the blood congeals and produces toxic heat and triple burner obstruction often is related to both phlegm obstruction and/or blood stagnation. More about those later.

In addition there are many minor imbalances which make the body predisposed to cancer.

Spleen deficiency leads to phlegm build up that leads to phlegm nodules.

Blood deficiency leads to problems with blood movement which leads to blood stagnation.

Many of these lesser patterns are also from poor diet, genetics or environmental factors.

So what do you need to know?

• Phlegm nodule cancers tend to be inflammatory. They are hot and painful and grow fast. They are usually very locally invasive but can also spread.

  These cancers are lymphoma, osteosarcoma, anal gland tumors and squamous cell carcinoma. There are many other phlegm cancers.

  Most of these animals have had some kind of inflammatory disease in their history. They are more prone to being gassy. They may have been or are overweight. They have more of an excess personality – they are outgoing and have a lot of energy but not always stamina. They may be prone to digestive upset usually with phlemy diarrhea or vomit. If they have infections they are usually hot and severe. They may have multiple lipomas. Often times as these animals get older they become more deficient in both personality and physically but when you look back at their history it tells a different story.

  These cancers do best with herbals like Hoxsey like formula and Si Miao San. They may also do well with Xiao Chai Hu Tang and its sister formulas because long time dampness can lead to triple burner obstruction. See below for more info on TBO.

• Blood stagnation cancers are the cancers that are caused by abnormal blood flow. They may also have an inflammatory component to them although usually it is milder than with the straight phlegm/dampness cancers.

  Cancers like mast cell tumors, hemangiosarcoma, many of the liver tumors, thyroid tumors, and salivary gland tumors tend to be blood stagnation cancers.

  These animals have a history of blood flow issues and blood deficiency. They may be a little timid. They are prone to dry skin and maybe dry eyes. They may have had infections in the past but they are usually mild. They may have back pain or weaknesses or shifting lameness. If they have skin tumors they are usually small and benign and hang off the skin. They may also have digestive upset but usually it is more liquid diarrhea or stomach pain. They may be sensitive to stress.

  These cancers are best treated with Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang and its sister formulas, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, and single blood moving herbs like curcumin.

  In addition chemotherapy and radiation can cause blood deficiency and stagnation so I often use these formulas in animals receiving these treatments even if the cancer being treating is a phlegm nodule cancer.



• To make things harder many cancers are mixed with some components of blood stagnation and some of phlegm/dampness. Leukemia is a good example, usually I use blood movers like Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang with dampness herbs like Hoxsey. After all this cancer is in the blood stagnating it but also has a damp component to it. Sanshedan ChuanBeiye and Artemisinin can also help with these mixed cancers.
• Some cancers lead to or are caused by triple burner obstruction. Hemangiosarcoma is the best example of this or many other abdominal tumors fall into this category including many of the lymphomas I see. For these cancers I always use Xiao chai Hu Tang or one of its related formulas and then also treat the original pattern that lead to the TBO either with acupuncture or additional herbals.

  A little more on Triple burner obstruction

  The triple burner in Traditional Chinese Medicine runs down the center line of the body.

  There is the upper burner which includes the lungs and heart, middle burner with the spleen and liver, and lower burner with the kidneys and urinary bladder. If the triple Burner is obstructed, yin and yang cannot meet and there is a separation of yin and yang in the body. The yin or water of the kidneys needs to come up and cool and mist the lungs and heart, and the yang or fire of the heart needs to descend down and spark the fire of life of the kidneys.

  When yin and yang come together you get life. Both these functions happen by passage through the triple burner along the centerline of your body. If these functions cannot happen, the upper body gets hotter and the lower body gets weaker. If yin and yang cannot meet then the body stops working.

  Here is another way to look at it. If you look at yang as the chemical reactions in the body which fuel life, and yin as the antioxidant response that makes sure no harmful products are left behind, you can understand how these two relate. You need both for life and you need them to work together. Without the yin antioxidant response we become toxic, without the yang fueling the body we become weak and deficient. If either of these functions stop we are in trouble.

  Triple burner obstruction will lead to death – sometimes very quickly, if the obstruction is complete and sudden and sometimes over a longer time, if it happens slowly.
  Triple burner obstruction commonly manifests with excess conditions in the front of the body such as coughing, vomiting, anxiety, headache, and/or panting and deficiency or weak conditions in the back of the body such as hind leg weakness and incontinence. There is usually some kind of obstruction in the middle of the body such as a tumor in the liver or spleen, bloated abdomen or back pain.

• Bleeding cancers can be very deadly. Most bleeding cancers are from blood stagnation. In hemangiosarcoma one of the largest issues is that the blood stagnation leads to bleeding so I always work with herbs that address this, the main one being San Qi (pseudoginseng) usually in both the form of Yunnan Baiyao and in added San Qi to the formulas I work with. For bleeding cancers Yunnan Baiyao is very important.

Usually I work with 4-6 supplements/herbals in dogs with cancer and 1-3 in cats with cancer.

Complicated? You bet! Impossible? No

This is why I strongly recommend trying to find a veterinary herbalist in your community to work with. Each animal is different; each animal needs a slightly different formula combination. I often have animals I am treating with the same cancers who are on different protocols. The best results come from using the right formulas in combination with acupuncture.

In some animals we will change formulas as the symptoms and cancer changes as well. Sometimes what worked at first will stop working or we will need to add something else. If you have a practitioner you are working with they can hopefully catch these shifts early and make changes before it is too late.

See How to find a good holistic vet

Return to Integrative and Holistic Methods for Treating Cancer in Cats and Dogs

I often get the question, “how do I prevent cancer in my dog or cat?”

This is always a hard question to answer. There are so many factors involved in the development of cancer that even doing everything we can to avoid it, animals can still get cancer.

In addition cancer forms when multiple control processes in the body fail. There are many things we still do not understand about both why cancer forms and how to treat it effectively. I am certain that in the next fifty years we will understand a lot more and with the new gene and stem cell therapies that are emerging we will look back on how we work with cancer now as barbaric and ineffective.

Cancer is a breakdown of the immune system and the processing and chemical/hormonal systems in the body that regulate cell growth. Every day cancer cells form in our body and our immune system immediately finds them and destroys them. In addition there are chemical and hormonal processes in our body which stop cells from becoming cancerous. These processes make it so cells age and die naturally as new cells take their place. In cancer this does not happen. The signals for cells to age don’t work and cells rapidly divide and reproduce.

We know that there are genetic factors involved in cancer. This is especially apparent in the purebred dogs. The Bernese Mountain dogs are the most likely breed to have cancer. I have never meet one who did not die of cancer, which is a shame for such a beautiful and kind dog. Most get cancer before their eighth birthday. They are closely followed in percentage of cancer cases by the Golden Retrievers and Boxers, who also are very prone to cancer.

Toxins and pollutants also have a role in cancer. BPA in plastics has been linked to cancer. Estrogens in our water supply may also contribute. We know there are industrial chemicals in the environment and pesticides and herbicides. These chemicals lead to cell damage and chemical abnormalities in the body, which can cause a failure of signals that stop cells from becoming cancerous or in a weakened immune system.

So with all these factors, what can we do to prevent cancer in your animal companions?

• In my opinion the number one thing you can do to help your animal friend is to feed the best diet possible. I prefer raw diets of high quality meat but a good home cooked or canned diet can also be great. If you feed canned food make sure the company which makes the food is not using BPA coated cans. If you can’t afford anything but dry feed a high quality dry food with high protein. Consider adding cancer fighting foods to their diet See Diets for Cancer – you are what you eat a fighting cancer machine.
• Avoid exposure to pesticides, herbicides and other toxins. Make sure you don’t use chemicals on your lawn, and when you are out walking your dog try to avoid the lawns that are too green and weed free. Be careful what chemicals you use in your home. Do not use harsh cleaning chemicals around your animal.
• Only use flea medications if needed unless your animal has a flea allergy. Yes these are also pesticides and the jury is still out on how toxic these products are to your animal friend. I feel like it is becoming too common to just put animals on year round flea treatment even when it is not needed. If you do use flea medications use the least toxic ones possible and avoid products with multiple ingredients.
• Avoid over vaccination. I do believe in vaccination but I believe the current vaccine schedules are more than is needed. There are studies confirming the links between vaccination and certain types of cancer like fibrosarcoma. While the correlation is harder to prove with other cancers there does seem to be association between over vaccination and certain cancers like hemangiosarcoma and leukemia. See To vaccinate or not to vaccinate that is the question part 1 cats and part 2 dogs.
• Keep your animal from becoming overweight and make sure they get exercise. Overweight animals are more prone to both cancer and inflammatory disorders such as asthma, inflammatory bowl disease, diabetes and Cushings disease. Exercise helps promote good blood flow and a healthy immune system.



• Do not smoke around your animal. There are studies that show that second hand smoke significantly increases the risk of cancer in your animal by three times the rate of animals in non-smoking households.
• Depending on the source of your water consider using a water filtration system. Some water contains toxins, hormones, and heavy metal contamination.
• If you have an animal at high risk of cancer because of breed or because of factors you can not control consider some extra anti-cancer tools
  1. Add supplements to their diet to help control cancer like Cod Liver Oil, extra vitamin A and D, IP-6, Coenzyme Q10 and/or mushroom supplements like MUSH Medicinal Mushroom Blend or Host Defense MyCommunity
  2. Work with an acupuncturist or holistic vet to do treatments to help correct any imbalances early or to do occasional detox treatments. This can be done with acupuncture, herbs, homeopathics or other therapies.
  3. Get regular check ups to catch cancer early and when it is treatable.

Is there more cancer in our animals then there used to be?

It is hard to tell. I believe a lot of cancer used to not get diagnosed. It was the ain’t doing right dog in the backyard that wasn’t taken to the vet, the cat who just wandered off one day.

We definitely do a lot more diagnosing these days and with it catch more cancer then we used to. However I think our world has also become more toxic, with chemicals and pollutants. Our cats and dogs are down on the grass, sniffing, eating, licking their feet. Our animals are on our couches and beds that have flame retardant chemicals on them, they are eating foods that are becoming more unhealthy, they are being treated with more pesticides then every. So it is hard to say if there is really more cancer or that we are just doing more to diagnose and treat it then ever before.

There is no way to completely avoid the risk of cancer but there are ways to decrease the risk. Many of these suggestions also can help avoid the risk of other chronic diseases and help animals have more energy and vitality as they age.

Return to Integrative and Holistic Methods for Treating Cancer in Cats and Dogs

Usually I tell folks I can tell if a skin tumor is benign by how it feels. Most benign tumors are easy to roll around, in other words not attached to any deep tissue. They tend to grow slowly and if they are under the skin they are fairly smooth. You can get some really ugly bumpy benign tumors on the skin surface. The exception to these rules is the mast cell tumors, which tend to feel like benign tumors but are really cancerous.

Mast cell tumors contain histamine and it is common to see a large amount of swelling if they get hit or injured. Often times this is when they are diagnosed. In large tumors this release can be dangerous and can cause anaphylaxis. Usually with small tumors this is not an issue.

This article is about small grade 1 and 2 mast cell tumors of the skin. For internal mast cell cancer and grade 3 tumors see Mast Cell tumors grade 3 and internal mast cell cancer

There are certain breeds of dogs who are very prone to these tumors, the number one breed being Boxers.

If you can remove a mast cell tumor of the skin usually you are in good shape if it is a grade 1 or 2. These tumors are slow to spread to other areas of the body. The grade 3 ones can be more problematic as they are faster to spread. Your veterinarian may use an antihistamine during surgery to avoid any chance of anaphylaxis, especially if the tumor is larger.

Mast cell tumors that grow in the skin are usually related to issues with blood flow. If there is not proper blood flow to the skin the immune system is not getting there and there is not enough vigilance against these tumors forming. These animals often will also have other issues with dry skin, skin inflammation or itchiness but not always.

Most dogs that have mast cell tumors in the skin will go on to form more with time. With enough of these growths the chances of getting a grade 3 seem to increase so it is best to try to treat the underlying blood flow issues early.

While I always used to recommend removal of these tumors, I have now seen more and more that I have been able to get rid of through herbal treatments, especially with combined topically and internal application. These days I often try an herbal approach first. That being said, I still feel like quick removal of these tumors and initiating steps for prevention of more is a good option.

The two most important tools I use for treating mast cell skin tumors are

1. Up the meat in your dog’s diet and make sure it is good quality protein. If possible consider a high protein raw food. This helps reduce inflammation in the skin and improve blood flow. See Diets for cancer.
2. Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang – this formula helps to move blood out to the skin and enhance the immune system’s response to cancer. Constant vigilance! More and more I feel like small tumors can be treated with this formula both used externally and internally. While I used to always recommend surgery, now I like to see if I can get rid of them with this herbal first. Please click on the formula name above to learn more. Also when treating any tumors topically check in with your vet first as mast cell tumors can cause a sudden release of histamine. I have never had a histamine issue with using it topically in one of my patients but the potential is there.

In addition I will sometimes use the following

• Acupuncture – can help to move blood to the skin and boost the immune system
• Mushrooms – Chinese mushrooms such as shiitake, maitake, cordyceps, and reishi can help stimulate the immune system and have a strong anti-cancer effect. I prefer the My Community Host Defense Mushroom Blend from the high quality company Fungi Perfecti.
• Artemisinin – can help to kill off cancer cells when they form
• Cod liver oil – the omega fatty acids in fish oils help to stimulate the immune system, work as anti-oxidants and reduce inflammation.

Georgia’s Legacy just put up a great article on Mast Cell Tumors that talks quite a bit about the grading. Please read Mast Cell Tumors in Dogs.

Also see for the story of one of the dogs I worked with.

Back to Holistic and Integrative Approaches to Cancer

It is very common for cats and dogs who have cancer to loss weight even when they are eating well. This is because the cancer is stealing their nutrients and not allowing the body to have what it needs. Weight loss in the face of a healthy appetite and proper nutrition is called cachexia.

There is a simple protocol I use to address this issue if it isn’t just an issue of appetite.

1. Add in Cod Liver Oil or Fish Oil at 2-3X recommended dosage. I prefer the Nordic Naturals Pet Cod Liver Oil. Cancer can not use fat and Omega 3 oils help to reverse cachexia.
2. Feed 1-2 tablespoons of canned sweet potato or pumpkin at every meal for the average sized dog. Use a teaspoon for cats. This helps with digestion and helps them use the nutrients in their food better.
3. Add in 1-2 eggs a day for the average sized dog or part of an egg for cats. Eggs are a very good source of 100% digestible protein. They can grow a baby chicken from two cells to a whole animal – pretty amazing when you think about it. Cooked or raw is fine. You can hard boil a dozen at a time and keep them in the refrigerator to make it easier.
4. Consider feeding multiple meals a day or increase the amount of food. Feed grain free food if possible. This can help and probably seems obvious but doesn’t normally work on its own without using the above additions.
5. There are some other herbal formulas that can help but they differ from animal to animal, so consider seeing a veterinary herbalist if the above doesn’t work.

If appetite is an issue then I recommend working with a holistic vet with acupuncture and herbs or consulting with your animal’s regular veterinarian about appetite stimulants and anti-nausea medications.

Prostate cancer wasn’t originally on my list when I began this book, as it is rare and I hadn’t treated a dog with it before. However I recently started treating a very energetic lab named Joey who has prostate cancer. He is one of the most rambunctious, friendly dogs I have met and oh so strong. His coat shines, his eyes sparkle, and he has the most powerful tail I have encountered. I swear he could fuel my whole house with it.

There is no way you would know he has cancer if you met him and he was diagnosed almost three months ago.

In dogs, prostate cancer is highly aggressive with the prognosis after detection often times being less than a month. Prostate cancer is fast to spread and also in a delicate area of the body. As the cancer grows it can block the urethra making peeing impossible. This is a disease of neutered male dogs, the one cancer that is more common in fixed dogs.

There are no good western treatments for prostate cancer in dogs. Surgery is usually impossible because of the location and the early spread of this cancer and radiation and chemotherapy add little time to a dog’s life. Because of this and the effectiveness of herbal therapies with this disease, holistic treatments are a good option.

A while back there was a product on the market to treat prostate cancer in people called PC-SPES. This herbal combination actually helped quite a few people but was taken off the market because of problems with contamination. I am not suggesting that you should use this product or some of the others that have replaced it but I do think it is worth considering the ingredients. It contains some of the same ingredients as in one of the main herbals I use for cancer, Xiao Chai Hu Tang and reishi mushrooms which are known to be quite effective again cancer.

This is my protocol against this deadly cancer (follow links for more information about herbals and links to buy on amazon.com or other places)

1. Acupuncture every two weeks if possible, every week if there are significant clinic signs. It is important to keep these guys peeing and acupuncture can help and also slow down the cancer.
2. Xiao Chai Hu Tang – this is a great herbal for cancer especially when there is an obstruction in the abdomen like you get with an enlarged prostate. This formula will also help keep cancer out of the lungs
3. Artemisinin – this compound helps to slow down cancer and prevent spread.
4. Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang – cousin to Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang for the lower abdomen, this is a very effective formula for prostate and urinary bladder cancer, especially when they manifest with bloody urine. I add San Leng and E Zhu to mine for extra cancer fighting ingredients.
5. Mushrooms – these really help with prostate cancer with their direct action against cancer and their ability to strengthen the immune system. I like Reishi, Shiitake, Cordyceps, and Maitake. Make sure you use reishi for prostate cancer. These can be added to food or given as a supplement.



6. Hoxsey like formula – This formula can be especially helpful in dogs with excess personalities and lots of energy. Do not use it in dogs that are old, thin or very sick.
7. Diet for cancer – this is a most for any animal with cancer – see Diets for cancer in cats and dogs

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Joey has already exceeded my main expectation which was to keep him happy and pain free. I don’t know what the future holds for him but I know he enjoys every day he is here and the more days we can give him the better.

As with all advice on this website please check with your dog’s primary veterinarian before starting any treatments or herbals.

Return to Integrative and Holistic Methods for Treating Cancer in Cats and Dogs.

Believe it or not liver tumors are some of the easier cancers that I work with. They are often slower to grow then other malignancies, and herbs and acupuncture seem to work very well to control them.

I have had a number of dogs who were diagnosed and given three months or less to live, who ended up living over a year. Most importantly they were happy and healthy while they were here. I think this is one of the most important considerations in treating cancer holistically. While I find in almost all animals I can extend life, their quality of life also stays very good. I have had many clients comment that their dogs actually seem healthier than before they had cancer, when they are on an protocol with acupuncture, herbs, and a good quality diet. I think this is because we are treating underlying deficiencies that were present before the cancer occurred.

I just lost a beautiful lab, named Hunter, who made it 22 months after diagnosis of a liver tumor. Up until the very end he was happy and he always got comments on his coat and how good he looked when he went out. Lou, see Lou’s story, is still doing well 20 months after diagnosis. I have seen these tumors shrink with just holistic medicine. These dogs really do quite well.

Liver tumors in dogs are most commonly hepatocellular carcinomas. There are also benign tumors that can start in the liver and although they are not technically cancer can end up rupturing or bleeding and sometimes can lead to death. This article is about treating liver tumors that start in the liver. Because of the liver’s placement and function in the body many cancers can spread to the liver, including lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma. There are other treatment strategies for these cancers.

I have found many of these dogs present with an episode of bleeding or collapse. Sometimes elevated liver enzymes are what leads to a diagnosis.

Occasionally surgery is helpful if there is a good prognosis and most or all of the tumor can be removed. I think this is worth consideration in some cases.

My protocol can vary from animal to animal but here is a list of some of the most common treatments I use.If the cancer has already spread to the lungs at the time of diagnosis then see Breathing through cancer – holistic herbal therapies to control lung metastasis. Follow links for more information about herbals and links to buy from Amazon.com.

1. 1. Acupuncture – I consider acupuncture to be essential for treating liver tumors. I had one dog I treated live for over a year with just acupuncture and her tumor shrunk during that time.
   2. Artemisinin – This is one of the most effective herbals for treating liver tumors and always part of my protocol.
   3. Yunnan Baiyao – If there is bleeding or suspected bleeding this is a must. Yunnan Baiyao is the most effective tool to stop internal bleeding out there (except when surgery is called for). The western vet I work the most with has even started sending this clients to the international district for it recently. Most of the time I will use this for a month or two and then stop if the bleeding does not reoccur.
   4. Xiao Chai Hu Tang can be a great herbal to use against liver tumors especially if the signs fit or there are lung mets. Xiao Chai Hu Tang powder can be purchased through my etsy store Kingdom of Basil
   5. Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang with added San Leng and E Zhu if possible is commonly used for liver tumors. This is a great herbal for any type of liver cancer.
   6. Mushrooms – I recommend a combination of Shiitake, Maitake, Reishi and Cordyceps or the Host Defense My Community from Fungi Perfecti. They are a excellent company. Mushrooms help to strengthen the immune system and have strong cancer fighting properties. These can be added to food.

1. 1. Sanshedan Chuanbeiye – this is a great cancer fighter and should always be used if there is concern about cancer spreading to the lungs.

1. Milk Thistle and/or SamE if there is liver function compromise
2. A cancer fighting diet is an easy way to help your dog and they usually love the higher protein, less proceed foods – see Diets for cancer in cats and dogs

If you can, find a holistic vet to help you determine a protocol for your dog companion. If you can find one who does acupuncture even better! Please check with your animal’s regular vet before starting any herbals or supplements.

Return to Integrative and Holistic Methods for Treating Cancer in Cats and Dogs

Here is a little protocol I used for cancer when I first started out doing acupuncture. It is something my first acupuncture teacher used often and with good results.

I combine this with acupuncture and used to use it in every animal I treated with cancer regardless of type.

There is sometimes some great power in a simple little recipe like this one! This one is still very dear to my heart. It has extended the quality of life and the longevity of many of the animals I work with.

Richard’s Mini Cancer Protocol to support the immune system and fight cancer

1. Coenzyme Q10 200mg a day for dogs, 50mg a day for cats and small dogs
2. IP6 800-1600mg twice a day for dogs and 400mg twice a day for cats and small dogs
3. Medical mushrooms – to include Shiitake, Maitake, Reishi, and/or Cordyceps at 300mg per 50lb. I like the Host Defense product My Community
4. Artemisinin – see article
5. Sanshedan ChuanBeiye – see article

I have found these days that I can get better results with some of the Chinese formulas I use to target specific cancers in specific animals however this is still a good protocol. I still use it or parts of it in my treatments.

So why would I use this protocol instead of the ones I talk about for specific cancers?

• These are all extremely easy supplements to find with the exception of sanshedan
• Sometimes oncologists absolutely will not allow the use of Chinese herbs when they are giving an animal chemotherapy. They may be more open to this protocol or parts of it.
• You don’t need to know what type of cancer your animal has to use this.
• If you have an animal who is very sensitive to Chinese herbs this protocol is unlikely to cause side effects because Coenzyme Q10 and IP6 are naturally in the body already and the other supplements are quite mild on the body.
• You don’t have a holistic vet to work with and you are unsure what to use this may be a good protocol to consider and talk to your vet about.
• This protocol can be used with other herbal protocols when the immune system needs additional support

Coenzyme Q10 is an enzyme made by the body and found in the membranes of many tissues. CoQ10 has effects in stimulating the immune system and works as a strong antioxidant. In animals and people with cancer it has been shown that levels of CoQ10 are lower then in normal individuals. There is some evidence that CoQ10 can increase cancer survival times.

Reduced levels of CoQ10 have been found in animals and people with heart issues. CoQ10 can help to protect the heart, lower blood pressure and help with repair to the heart.

CoQ10 has been shown to reduce cardiotoxicity (toxicity to the heart) in people on the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (adriamycin).

I dose CoEnzyme Q10 at 200mg per day for dogs and 50mg per day for cats.

Here are some additional articles on CoQ10

Coenzyme Q10 pharmacological and biological treatment

Cancer Topics – Coenzyme Q10

Inositol Hexaphosphate also known as IP6 is important in stimulating the immune system’s natural killer cells to destroy cancer tissue. It is an antioxidant and has effects in inhibiting cancer cell growth and division. Not much research has been done in humans with this supplement but a lot of cancer studies have been done in animals.

I dose cats at 400mg two times a day and dogs 800-1600mg twice a day when I use this supplement.

Here are some articles on IP6

Treatments and side effects IP6

The holistic vet on IP6

IP6 cancer research

Medical mushrooms are very good for our animals in so many ways. I will later have a whole article up on medical mushrooms but what you need to know now is –

• Mushrooms are amazing in their abilities to help the body fight cancer and stimulate the immune system, the Chinese have been using these for years.
• Mushrooms also help with giving animals added nutrition when they need it, such as when they have cancer or are going through chemo.

The best mushrooms to use for an animal with cancer are maitake, shiitake, reishi and cordyceps. A combination can be used or focus on one.

I recommend at least 300mg of mushrooms be given daily for every 50lb of cat or dog. More in fine.

One of the best ways to dose mushrooms is by adding them to your dog’s food (doesn’t work quite as well in cats). My favorite company for dried mushrooms is Fungusamongus. They have a good price on dried bulk mushrooms.

Where can you buy any of these products?

Follow the links above to buy off of Amazon.com For Artemisinin and Sanshedan follow the links to articles with information on where to buy these herbals.

Also many of these products can be bought at your local drug store, health supplement store or grocery store (with the exception of Sanshedan. And don’t forget about Fungusamongus for mushrooms.

As with all of my articles please check with your animal’s veterinarian before using any supplements, herbals or products discussed her.

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The number one question I receive from people visiting this blog is “how to I find a good holistic vet to work with?” It is a good question!

Here are some suggestions and resources to do this

• Ask your animal’s veterinarian From my experience there is not as large a divide between western medicine and holistic veterinary medicine in this country as there is in the human medical community. Part of the reason for this is that we are all veterinarians. I had a full western veterinary education and practiced it for six years before I learned acupuncture. I still use my western training daily. Because of this the mainstream vets trust us, they are less worried that we will do something that harms an animal or makes their treatments not work. I receive about half my patients through vet referrals. The vets that refer to me, know me, trust me and give me full access to their records and that makes it easier to coordinate treatments with them.
• Take a visit to your local pet food store. I’m not talking the big box stores like Petco and Petsmart but your local independent stores or small chains. In Seattle these include Next to Nature, Mud Bay, All the Best, Pet Elements, and many more. Hopefully you have one in your area. These stores are very good at educating their staff on nutrition and options for people’s animals with disease conditions. They also hear stories from people all day long about their animals. They know the local practitioners and who is good. Ask them! They are always happy to share.
• Ask people at the dog park or you meet walking dogs.The best referral is word of mouth. People love to share stories about their dogs and I think we just naturally want to recommend practitioners who have helped our animals.
• Search holistic veterinarian or veterinary acupuncturist “your city” online. The internet got you here, it should help you with this also.
• Use one of the tools from the various holistic veterinary societies.
  • International Veterinary Acupuncture Society Find a Veterinary Acupuncturist (right side of screen)
  • Veterinary Botanical Medical Association Find a Vet in the US
  • Veterinary Botanical Medical Association Find a Vet International
  • Animal Essentials Find a Holistic Vet

Do all holistic veterinarians know acupuncture and other kinds of natural medicine? What is the best type of holistic veterinarian for my animal?

Most of us do not practice all holistic modalities, and even those with a wide area of systems they work with, usually have a few they are very good at and some that they just do a little of.

I consider myself a very good acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist. I am a TCM or Traditional Chinese Medical practitioner. In addition I do some western herbal medicine, know something about supplements and vitamins, occasionally dip into homeopathy and flower essences and am pretty good at nutrition. I can not do chiropractics, do not know aryuvedic herbal medicine, and can not do classic homeopathy.

Because of this if you came to see me with your animal I would most likely recommend acupuncture and Chinese herbs because those are the two modalities that work best in my hands. If you went to someone who specialized in aryuvedic herbal medicine and homeopathy they would probably recommend a therapy that included those modalities.

Ever holistic vet is going to be a little different in their knowledge.

What is the difference between all these methods of treatment?

I am going to use mostly links to websites since there are so many good explanations already out there and then adds my own thoughts so please click on the links for more info.

• Naturopathic medicine – I think of most naturopaths as using a combination of dietary therapy, supplements, vitamins and western herbals to cure disease and bring about balance in the body. In Washington state human Naturopaths are on the same level as MDs and can prescribe most drugs, do blood tests and do small surgical procedure. Of course veterinary naturopaths will be western veterinary doctors already.
• Traditional Chinese Medicine – This is the type of medicine I practice. It includes acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine used together in synergy. TCM also uses it’s own system of diagnosis that is very different than western medicine. Through TCM I am often able to fit many symptoms and diseases an animal is suffering from into one Chinese diagnosis and I find it easier to treat hard to diagnose and chronic conditions that western medicine has trouble with
• Acupuncture There are many practitioners who practice acupuncture alone under the TCM system or practice acupuncture under a more western system. From my experience the best practitioners use TCM to diagnose and treat.
• Botanical or Herbal Medicine There are many types of Botanical Medicine. The most common are
  • Ayurvedic Herbal Medicine – This is an Indian system of treating disease and dysfunction that also includes diet.
  • Western Herbal Medicine includes European, American, and Native American plant medicine.
  • Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine – see TCM above. Most Chinese herbal medicine uses herbal in combinations that work together so that the formula is not the sum of the herbals used but how the herbs react with either other. This makes it possible to use herbals that would be toxic alone by combining them with others which reduce their toxicity and also makes it possible to target herbs to a certain area of the body, among other things.
• Homeopathy – Classic homeopathy is a very complex system and takes many years to learn. Many of us use more of a “cookbook form” of homeopathy.
• Chiropractors – focus mainly on adjustments to the spine

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This is a great question that I get quite often.

There are a few options

Note: As of September 2012 I am now selling a few of my formulas through my other business Kingdom of Basil on etsy.com. This is an experiment for now. I still highly, highly recommend working with a holistic vet before starting any herbals. I am happy to make special orders if you are working with a vet who recommends something but does not carry it, just have them contact me.

• The best is to find a local holistic veterinarian to work with. Not only do you get excellent herbs but you also get excellent advice.

  I have my own herbal pharmacy and make most of the formulas I talk about from scratch. I know my herb sources, most of my herbs are from the companies Spring Wind and Mountain Rose Herbs. Both of these companies are very careful to only supply good quality, pesticide free, toxin free, and correctly identified herbs. Because I make herbal formulas from scratch I can adjust them for the animal I am making them for. Not all holistic vets make their own formulas but most have a good supplier of quality herbs and tinctures.
  Pros – good quality herbs for animals, advice and support
  Cons – may be hard to find in some places



• The International District in your city aka Chinatown can be a good place to find some hard to find Chinese herbals. I send all my clients to a local store in Seattle called Lucky An Dong for SanSheDan ChuanBeiYe. It is the best place to find it and it is cheaper than I can buy it wholesale. Most large cities have an international district. You can also often find other formulas in your local ID. There is a couple problems with buying in the ID. The first is that there is sometimes a language barrier unless you speak Mandarin and sometimes you can end up with the wrong product. The second is that many of these products may be high in pesticides or toxins because they are not tested as well (or at all) then herbs through other companies.
  Pros – cheap, can find just about any Chinese formula
  Cons – language barriers, quality of herbs, need to be near or in a large city
• Many herbs can be found online. My favorite place to send people is Amazon.com . They have many quality herbals available both Chinese and western although do not carry everything. Make sure to read the ingredients of the products and match them to what should be in the formula. In most of my herbal and supplements articles I have included a link to Amazon.com for that product if it is available. I choose my link based on what I feel is the best quality product available online. There are other places online that also sell herbals such as Modern Herb Shop. For artemisinin I always send people to Holley Pharmacy since I have used their product for years and know it to work and be high quality. Use some caution when buying online as not all companies are as reliable as Amazon.
  Pros – easy, more reliable then ID, can be ordered from anywhere
  Cons – not as high quality as custom made herbals, no ability to modify formulas
• Many cities have western herbal stores that can make up formulas or sell pre-made formulas. In Seattle we have The herbalist and Tenzing Momo and Dandelion Botanical where you may be able to find some of the herbals I recommend or similar products.
  Pros – good quality herbs, easy to communicate with staff, local
  Cons – may not be able to find what you want as usually are more western



• Sometimes western vets will be willing to order herbs for you. There are many companies that sell directly to vets. Here are a few.
  Natural Path Herbs
  Kan Herbs
  Goldern Flower Chinese herbs
  Dr. Xie’s Jing Tang Herbal
  In addition I will sometimes sell my formulas directly to other veterinarians.
  Pros – high quality herbs, right formulas, open up your vet to new options
  Cons – more work to convince your vet to order herbals, may not be able to convince your vet
• It is possible to make your own herbal formulas. It takes time, access to ingredients and a good blender or grinder. I use a Blendtec blender to grind my herbs. It’s a powerful little machine that can get even my shells and heavy twigs and roots ground down to a powder.

  Because of the risks of making an animal or a person sick from using herbs incorrectly the best Chinese herbal companies will only sell to practitioners. This makes it harder to get good quality herbs if you don’t have a veterinarian to work with. If you are looking to buy western herbs and make formulas yourself, Mountain Rose Herbs does sell to anyone. They do also carry some Chinese herbs that are used in western herbal practice but they are under the western names.
  Pros – high quality herb formulas with some ability to modify
  Cons- a lot of work, requires equipment and knowledge, hard to find suppliers for some Chinese herbs

Good herb hunting!

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