A Path With Paws

Good nutrition is very important in any animal fighting cancer. You are what you eat and with cancer we need a diet that feeds and supports the body but starves the cancer. In fighting cancer with herbs and holistic medicine, we are relying on the body to do the fighting. This takes a strong immune system and a lot of energy. You need good food for this.

Cancer cannot utilize fats but loves to use carbohydrates, especially processed ones. Protein is somewhere in between.

A diet high in protein, moderate in fat and with no grain or very low grain is ideal. Home-made cooked, or raw diets are best. If that is not possible then a good quality high protein, canned commercial diet or a hydrated freeze dried raw diet can be substituted.

If your animal is undergoing chemotherapy or radiation you should not use a raw diet (freeze dried is fine). However for these animals a great option is a cooked diet. After they are done with these treatments the food can slowly be transitioned to raw if desired.

If your dog or cat is very debilitated from cancer and has not been on a raw diet before stick with a cooked or freeze dried food.

Commercial raw diets can be cooked as a more simple way to make home cooked food for your animal.

Below are a couple diets I have been using for years for my clients who have time to home cook. It is not an exact science so feel free to play around with them. Scroll down to see some of the commercial diets I recommend (canned, freeze dried and raw).

Sample cancer diets

Dog (approximately for a 40 lb dog per day)

• 1 1/2 cups cooked or raw meat including liver and organ meat (if you use fish or pork make sure it is cooked)
• 1 cup cooked vegetables
• 1/4 cup yam, sweet potato or pumpkin, cooked or canned
• 1/8 cup nuts such as almonds, walnuts, or cashews
• 2 T yogurt with live cultures
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Nordic Naturals Pet Cod Liver Oil
• a calcium supplement (see below)

Cat Cancer Diet See Making Crazy Awesome Homemade Cat Food

• 6 pounds of meat or fish ground or chopped(about 1-1/2 cup)
• 1/4-1/2 cup liver and organ meat
• 8 eggs
• one 15 ounce can of pumpkin, sweet potato, or yam
• six teaspoons Nordic Naturals Pet Cod Liver Oil
• 6 teaspoons almond butter
• 3 grams Taurine Powder
  (if the meat is cooked or if using fish)
• Animal Essentials Natural Seaweed Calcium or see below

An alternative cat food recipe is Making Crazy Awesome Cat Food Part Two.

For homemade dog food (cats are hard to add extras to their food)

• If possible I also recommend adding reishi, shitake, and/or maitake mushrooms to the diet. Mushrooms are strong immune stimulates and have anti-cancer properties. Add them in as some of the veggies. Mushrooms should always be cooked as the cooking releases their helpful properties and when they are not cooked they are mildly toxic. Alternatively Fungi Perfecti, in my opinion the best mushroom company around, offers a great powdered supplement called MUSH.
• When picking vegetables, broccoli and other leafy dark green vegetables should be considered. Many studies have been done on broccoli’s effects against cancer. See the article Broccoli Fights Cancer.
• I am not a large user of supplements, but I love Healthforce’s Vitamineral Powder and feel like it adds in both micronutrients and some added digestive support.
• The pumpkin, sweet potato, yam, and cod liver oil are high in Vitamin A. Vitamin A promotes mechanisms in the body that kill cancer cells and cause cell differentiation. Consider adding other sources of vitamin A such as liver and carrots.
• A calcium supplement needs to be added to any diet made for cats and dogs. There are many ways to do this.
  • There are many commercial products such as Animal Essentials Natural Seaweed Calcium.
  • Bone Meal Powder can also be used. Use one teaspoon for an average sized dog.
  • Many people prefer to add a Centrum Silver a day for average to large sized dogs.

  

  • If you are feeding a raw diet you can feed raw chicken necks for calcium.
  • If you are using eggs in your diet consider smashing up the egg shell and adding it to the diet. One egg shell provides enough calcium for an average sized dog. 1/8-1/4 of an eggshell provides enough for a cat.
• If you are making raw food make sure the meat is frozen for at least 48 hours to kill off any dangerous parasites.
• Nuts such as walnuts, almonds and cashews are high in trace nutrients, minerals, vitamins and good fats. If possible include these in your diet. Cats sometimes do better with a little almond butter. Avoid macadamia nuts which are toxic to dogs.

If you are using a commercial canned food I recommend the following

• Weruva is a great food that seems home made. They have many varieties so make sure you find a grain free one. I have found this food much cheaper on Amazon.com



• Instinct is completely grain free and very high in protein.
• Taste of the Wild is another quality food I use in a lot of the dogs I work with.
• There are other good ones out there but make sure they mostly contain meat and are grain free.

If you are using a commercial raw diet ideally pick one local to your area. I really like Darwin’s for raw dog and cat food and Rad Cat for cats.

For commercial home cooked food and raw food for cats and dogs in the Seattle area, Natural Pet Pantry is a good option. Fresh and local food and run by knowledgable and kind folks.

If you are looked for a good freeze dried raw Stella & Chewy’s is my favorite and even picky animals including cats seem to like it. With any of the freeze dried foods I recommend hydrating them.

I hate to see dogs and cats with cancer on dry food but if that is the only option then a no grain high quality diet such as Orijen can be used.

Remember that any food in the belly is more important then the best food sitting uneaten. Sometimes animals with cancer are so sick that they have very little appetite. In that case give them anything they will eat. When they are feeling better, focus on trying to get them to eat what is best for them.

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

Matching your animal to their protein can be a lot of fun! I often do this with client’s animals.

So what is the energetics of food all about?

Chinese medicine classifies foods based on temperature and other energetic characterists. In addition many holistic practitioners will look at the energetic personality traits of the animals that are used for food.

It is a way to take your animal’s personality and the food’s personality into consideration when picking a diet for your friend.

Let me give you some examples

First a little about the animals that we often eat.

Cows and Bison are large grounded animals who tend to be slow moving and calm.

Deer and rabbits are flighty, fast prey animals, quick to move and easily frightened

Birds are light and while they are prey animals they are not as flighty are rabbits and deer. Often times bird is a nice neutral meat.

Here is some examples of how to use these qualities combined with what you know about your animal.

Italian greyhounds tend to be very active and somewhat anxious. Feeding these dogs deer or rabbit could make them more anxious and jumpy. On the other hand cow and bison is so heavy that they may not be able to use and digest it properly and may have diarrhea. We don’t want to weigh them down too much. Most Italian greyhounds would do best on duck, chicken, turkey, or fish.

Border Collies are fast and have high energy. They do not need the help of deer or rabbits. Many times cow or bison is the best meat for these dogs because it helps keep them grounded as they work.

Dachshunds are medium energy little dogs but are very prone to having problems that lead to paralysis and nerve issues in their feet. They sometimes do better with bison and beef which help them to have their feet firmly planted on the ground. Birds are sometimes too light to help this little guys.

Labs are often a little overweight and can be sluggish even though they tend to have lots of energy. Bird meat can help lift some of the weight and sluggishness, especially duck.

This can be a fun thing to play around with. Some dogs can do very well on all meat sources and so don’t get too hung up on trying to pick just one right meat.

Some other things to consider

Trout is a hot meat – avoid it in all animals with inflammation issues and animals who are prone to being too hot.

Pork is made from pigs (animals smarter than dogs) who are severely mistreated. I do not recommend feeding pork because of ethical reasons and the energetics that brings into your animal’s food.

Eggs contain the beginning of life and are full of nutrients to grow a new little bird. Older dogs and cats often times do very well with eggs. They give them a little more vitality and help to keep weight on older animals who are too thin.

Sweet potato, pumpkin and yams are sweet and warm. They help with digestion and can aid in both constipation and diarrhea. They also warm the belly and help with processing nutrients. If your animal is too thin this is also a good one.

Kelp is very cooling and can help if you have an animal who eats grass and dirt. Not only is it high in nutrients, but it also helps cool any inflammation in the stomach. I think that many dogs who eat grass are deficient in certain minerals. Kelp can help with these deficiencies and stop dogs from eating dirt.

There are two excellent books on the energetics of food
Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition
Prince Wen Hui’s Cook: Chinese Dietary Therapy

What can I write for you?

Is there an article that would be helpful on a topic related to animals, herbs, or holistic healing?

Let me know if there is something that would be helpful! While most of my writing will be on cancer in the near future, I like to have a little variety.

I am also happy to publish articles or stories you have written on holistic animal health or a special animal in your life.

Send me an email at lena (at) pathwithpaws (dot) com or leave a comment here or on Path With Paws facebook page.

When I diagnosed my sixteen year old cat Basil with lung cancer last year, I had one prayer. I had already lost two cats in my life to cancer in the lungs and I could not deal with losing another one. Watching my babies suffer as they struggled for breath towards the end of their illness was unbearable. I just couldn’t go through it again.

Please, please don’t let him die struggling to breathe.

While Basil did die from his cancer spreading, I was able to keep him breathing well throughout his illness with a few herbals. I was extremely sad to see him pass, as not only had he been my companion for 16 years, but was also one of the most amazing wise sage cats I had ever met. He was clearly ready to go and even the best medicine can not keep us here when we decide it is time to move on.

While most animals with cancer do die of cancer, there is a lot we can do to keep them from suffering and help them to live a good life in the time they are here. Often times that time becomes much longer than we believed was possible. See Lou’s story – Prognoses are only as good as the paper they are printed on.

Usually if a tumor is found us veterinarians will recommend taking a Xray of the lungs to see if it has spread there.

Many cancers spread to the lungs, and often times by the time cancer has been found it is already in the lungs. Generally this gives a poor prognosis, usually somewhere around the lines of three months. However, there are ways to prevent the growth of lung nodules and even reverse the size of the ones that are already there.

One of the best ways is to use herbal formulas. Often times these are combined with drugs to help control lung disease.

From my experience there are three very important herbals that support reversing cancer in the lungs.

Click on the names of the formulas to learn more about them.

1. The first and most important comes in a little vial and is called Sanshedan ChuanBeiYe. I use this formula for any cancer in the lungs or that has the potential to move to the lungs.
2. Xhu Fu Zhu Yu Tang is good at moving blood away from cancerous tumors in the lungs and chest, leading to better lung capacity and a shrinkage of tumors. I usually make mine up with E Zhu and San Leng which are extra cancer fighting ingredients.
3. Xiao Chai Hu Tang is another formula I often use for lung metastasis. It also helps to kill cancer cells other places in the body and can reverse symptoms that often times lead to death.

In addition some other things to consider

• Acupuncture – I highly recommend treating these guys weekly or every other week. From my experience acupuncture can significantly slow down cancer growth.
• Prednisone – I know, I know it’s a drug not an herb. However I need to mention that prednisone will work as a mild chemotherapeutic against many cancers. If there is any respiratory distress this may be a good drug to use. Check with your vet to see if it may help your cat or dog.



• Please also see the sections on individual types of cancer as they are written. There are other supplements I will use for animals with lung involvement depending on the type of cancer. Especially consider Artemisinin for lymphoma, osteosarcoma, and other cancers that fall under the heading of phlegm nodule cancers.

All these herbal formulas can safely be used with chemotherapy or radiation with the exception of Artemisinin. Artemisinin can not be used for a month after radiation therapy.

Please consult with your veterinarian before using these herbal formulas or changing your treatment plan.

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

Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang, otherwise known as Drive out Stasis in the Mansion of Blood Decoction, has a beautiful red color from the wonderful Hong Hua or safflower flowers it contains. This is the last of my top five cancer formulas and a very special one at that. Where Hoxsey is somewhat toxic and cooling, Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang is warming and nourishing. At the same time it is a quite strong cancer fighter.

The number one place I use this formula is for dogs with mast cell cancer. This is a cancer that often arises if there is impaired blood flow to the skin. Without good blood flow the immune system can not find and destroy the cancer cells that arise. Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang helps promote blood flow to the skin so the immune system can reach mast cell cancer. In my experience this formula helps to reduce tumor size, occasionally shrink the small tumors completely and prevent formulation of new mast cell tumors. These dogs are often prone to reoccurrence, not necessarily because tumors spread, but because the underlying disease process still exists.

I also will use this formula topically mixed with a little DMSO Gel or with vitamin E or aloe if DMSO can not be purchased or the tumor is by the mouth. For DMSO I use about two tablespoons of herbs for 4 ounces of gel and mix it in the gel jar. The other carriers you just want to make a paste that will stick to the skin. I apply the herb/DMSO paste directly to the tumors. Please read about DMSO and discuss with your vet before using. Because mast cell tumors can cause a sudden release of histamine when irritated, especially with larger tumors this should not be applied without veterinary guidance. A good article on DMSO is DMSO – many uses, much controversy.

This is a formula that I use in any of the dogs and cats I treat with lung metastasis. It has an amazing ability to move blood away from tumors in the chest and out to the periphery of the body. This starves tumor cells in the lungs.

In addition it is good against any intra-thoracic tumor, thyroid adenocarcinomas, and salivary tumors. It can also be effective against some of the blood borne cancers like leukemia and myeloma.

This formula has been shown to increase immunity, kill cancer cells and enhance the effects of radiation therapy. It has strong anti-oxidant effects and helps to support the body and immune system in its fight against cancer.

It is a combination of the following herbs

• Tao Ren (peach seed)
• Dang Gui (angelica root)
• Hong Hua (safflower flowers)
• Chuan Niu Xi (cyathula root)
• Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia)
• Chi Shao (red peony root)
• Zhi Ke (bitter orange)
• Chuan Xiong (lovage root)
• Jie Geng (platycodon root)
• Chai Hu (bupleurum root)
• Gan Cao (licorice root)

I usually add San Leng (scirpus rhizome) and E Zhu (turmeric) to this formula to enhance its effect against cancer. Studies done on these two herbs show that they have a significant effect in inducing apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells.

The main effects of this formula involves taking blood away from tumor cells and moving it to the parts of the body which need it. However Chai Hu has direct effects in killing cancer cells as discussed in the article about Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Tao Ren contains the same bound form of cyanide found in apricot seeds, which has a strong effect on cancer cells but spares normal cells.

In addition to cancer I also use this formula for many forms of heart disease, hacking coughs, bronchitis, dry skin and itching, fear, and back pain.

This formula works best for tumors that are considered blood stasis in Chinese medicine and better for tumors in the cranial third of the body. There are slight modifications made to this formula for internal tumors in the middle and caudal body. See Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang and Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang.

If I use ground herbs, I usually dose this formula at 1/8 teaspoon twice a day for small dogs, ¼ teaspoon twice a day for dogs up to 30lb, ½ teaspoon twice a day for dogs up to 70lb and 1 teaspoon twice a day for dogs over 70 lbs. I will occasionally dose it just in the morning if I am giving Xiao Chai Hu Tang in the evening.

If using a tincture I dose it at 0.2ml per 5lb once or twice a day.

I sell powdered Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang with the added San Leng and E Zhu through my etsy store Kingdom of Basil.

If you want to buy the base formula, the teapill form is sold on Amazon.com.
Stasis In The Mansion Of Blood Teapills (Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang Wan) If you use tea pills I highly, highly recommend finding a way to add in San Leng and E Zhu. The formula just doesn’t work as well without these two ingredients.
To use tea pills I dose cats and very small dogs at two pills twice a day, medium sized dogs at 4-5 pills twice a day and large dogs at 8 pills twice a day.

Please check with you animal’s primary vet before using this formula.

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

Cancer Detox Support is one of the only western herbal formulas I use for cancer. I love all the beautiful ingredients that go into it!

This formula is my own modification of a formula called Hoxsey formula. I used to use quite a bit of Hoxsey, but over the years I’ve realized it can be fairly harsh in some animals and this modification still works well but also make side effects rare. So was born my modified hoxsey formula.

This is a very powerful formula and very strong not only against cancer but other hard to manage inflammatory conditions. I also use this formula for autoimmune stomatitis/gingivitis in cats and severe inflammatory skin conditions in dogs.

The formula I make and use continues the following herbs

• Oregon Grape



• Burdock Root
• Red Clover
• Pokeroot
• Dandelion root, leaf and flower
• Yellow dock root
• Licorice root
• Red Root
• Prickly Ash Bark
• Slippery Elm Bark

Oregon Grape, Burdock Root and Red Clover root should be the three main herbs in this formula. I also often add in Boneset if I am working with an animal with bone pain.

This formula works best for what would be considered damp heat or hot phlegm nodule tumors in Chinese medicine. The tumors, which respond the best to this formula, tend to be inflamed, painful, and fast moving. My main uses of this formula are for osteosarcoma (bone cancer), fibrosarcomas, lymphoma, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.

This is a very cooling formula. You do not want to use this in an animal who runs cold.

The animals who respond best to this formula are hot, inflamed and excess. Picture a panting, thirsty, hot golden retriever with a history of skin disease and an outgoing hyper personality who has just been diagnosed with lymphoma or bone cancer and you get the picture.

I also use this formula quite a bit in cats. They actually tolerate it very well. Cats who do best on Cancer Detox, will usually still be slightly heat seeking, but have inflammation and pain around their cancer. Many people notice that while they still like heat they are less heat seeking then they used to be.
Cancer Detox helps reduce inflammation, helps with liver function and detox, and has many anti-cancer properties.

Oregon contains berberine which increases the body’s immunity. Red clover induces cancer cell death through apoptosis and induces cell differentiation. Poke root stimulates the immune system through its effects on the lymphatic system and white blood cells. Burdock helps to detox the body so it can work better against cancer. Prickly ash bark helps stimulate blood circulation and supports digestion. Red root helps with lymphatic drainage.

Together this formula kills cancer cells, induces apoptosis, stimulates the immune system, inhibits angiogenesis and induces cell differentiation. A pretty powerful combination!

Poke Root is toxic but used at the proper ratio amounts is safe to use. In some animals it will cause vomiting. It will sometimes lead to an increase in white blood cells on blood work, which can look like leukemia. A vet looking at blood work may be convinced that your animal has leukemia or an infection so make sure they know that your animal is on this formula and that it may increase the white cells. Over the years I have lowered by poke root content to 1-5% and have not seen vomiting since doing so. My commercial formula keeps it at 1%.

If this formula causes vomiting, it needs to be discontinued or combined with a formula which supports the stomach and digestion. Absolutely do not continue this formula if it makes an animal sick.

With my own dried powdered herbs I dose this formula at 1/8 teaspoon twice a day for cats and very small dogs, ¼ teaspoon for dogs 15-39lb, ½ teaspoon twice a day for dogs 40lb-80lb and 1 teaspoon twice a day for dogs greater than 80lbs. There is some variation on this so if a dose is too high for an animal but they do ok on a lower dose use that amount. I recommend starting with half a dose for the first week to make sure they will tolerate it. I sometimes take one day a week off from giving this formula. Cats sometimes tolerate it better given once a day.

If you are working with a vet, Animal Essential‘s vet line includes a Hoxsey like formula similar to this one and there are other veterinary sources. Boneset should be 10% of the formula if you add it. I also sell this formula with and without boneset in my Kingdom of Basil Etsy Shop.

As with all herbals mentioned on this website please check with your animal’s veterinarian before starting any herbals.

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

Moving into some of my favorite formulas, the ones I get to make from my own pharmacy!

I love making herbal formulas from scratch!

First in this list is an amazing little formula I have used for a variety of conditions. When this formula fits it has the ability to reverse symptoms in some animals who are clearly shutting down and dying.

Xiao Chai Hu Tang is a traditional Chinese herbal formula also called Minor Bupleurum Decoction. One of my main uses of this formula is for cancer. In addition I have used it for some forms of liver failure and inflammation, inflammatory kidney disease and failure, disc disease, Addison’s disease, certain autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, some forms of incontinence and hind leg weakness and some stress related diseases.

Xiao Chai Hu Tang is made from a combination of seven Chinese herbs:
Chai Hu (bupleurum)
Gan Cao (licorice)
Huang Qin (skullcap)
Ban Xia (pinellia)
Sheng Jiang (ginger root)
Ren Shen (ginseng)
Da Zao (jujube)

This formula is one of the most researched in the world for cancer.

Bupleurum, the main ingredient in this formula, has some amazing cancer fighting abilities. Bupleurum can induce apoptosis or cell death in cancer cells and inhibit cancer cell growth and division. Many studies have been done on this plant especially for lung cancer.

Xiao Chai Hu Tang, called Sho-saiko-to in Japan, has been found effective for lung, liver, renal and prostatic cancers in humans. Xiao Chai Hu Tang directly kills cancer cells, inhibits the formation of blood supplies to these abnormal cells and induces apoptosis. It also stimulates the immune system and the body’s natural responses against cancer.

This is a very powerful but fairly gentle formula. It supports digestion through it’s use of pinellia, ginger, and licorice. In addition, licorice, jujube, and ginseng help support adrenal and immune function in the body.

It is commonly used to treat the Chinese medicine diagnosis of Triple Burner Obstruction (TBO).

Triple Burner what?

I’ll try to go into this a little deeper later but for now here’s a short explanation.

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 can not 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 center line of your body. If these functions can not happen, the upper body gets hotter and the lower body gets weaker. If yin and yang can not 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.

In western medicine we would characterize triple burner obstruction as being a problem with blood flow, where there is too much blood in the front of the body, not enough in the back, and a pooling or stagnation of blood in the middle. Splenic tumors often fit this pattern because of the amount of blood that gets trapped in the spleen.

Cancers with symptoms of triple burner obstruction often respond well to Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Mostly I use this formula for many cancers with lung metastasis, chest tumors and abdominal tumors especially splenic tumors and lymphoma/lymphosarcoma. However any animal with signs of triple burner obstruction should be put on this formula.

This is a very important formula in my cancer medicine chest. Many of the animals I treat would not be here without it. A good example is Lou. We put him on this formula when he started to decline and were able to get him back to health with it in a matter of days.

Where do you get Xiao Chai Hu Tang and how do you give it?

Xiao Chai Hu Tang powder is now available from my shop Kingdom of Basil on etsy.com .

I grind my own formulas from good quality dried whole herbs. This formula works best if given in the evening mixed with food. I usually give my larger dogs 1 teaspoon once a day with dinner, dogs less than 50 lbs get ½ a teaspoon and dogs less than 20 lb get ¼ a teaspoon and very small dogs and cats get 1/8 teaspoon.

For cats I usually tincture this or have people make it into a tea. To tea, just add 1 teaspoon of herbs to a cup of water and boil until half the liquid is gone. Then give the same amount you would of the dry herbs. If you can use a prepared tincture, you can give .2ml per 5 lbs of body weight.

If you use another commercial formula make sure it contains Ren Shen – ginseng and not Dang Shen. Also make sure it does not contain more than 20% Chai Hu or bupleurum. Many of the human formulas are very heavy on Chai Hu, the traditional recipe uses it at about 20% of the formula. Preparations with more than 20% Chai Hu can be very dangerous to your animal’s health.

Here is some more information and a list of studies involving this formula
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer page on Xiao Chai Hu Tang
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer page on Bupleurum

As always please check with your animal’s regular vet before using this formula.

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

Every two weeks I receive a visit from a special visitor. Lou bounds into by office as soon as the door is open enough for him to squeeze through, and comes dancing over to me and the treat jar. However, as much as Lou loves his treats, he likes his acupuncture even better. As soon as he sees the needles come out he immediately sits down, positioning himself so I can easily put the needles in.

If possible his position will be between his human mom Susan and me so that he can easily get rubs and pets from us both while his needles work. And he’s good at telling us if we aren’t touching him enough, usually with a look or a gentle paw to the arm, “more of that please.”

I treat many wonderful special animals every week. I often say that I have the best animals in the world as patients, and I believe it to be true. So why is Lou special?

I could say that it’s the way that his eyes dance with joy as he comes into the room, or his love of the world and every moment, but there is more to it then that. That is all true, but one of the amazing things about Lou is that he was diagnosed with a pretty severe case of cancer almost a year ago. At the time of his diagnosis his cancer, which originated in a tumor in his liver, had already spread to his lungs and his prognosis was not good, maybe three months at most if we were lucky.

Lou was dying, however no one gave Lou that message. And I’m not sure Lou would have believed them even if they had.

Over the last ten months I have treated Lou, I have seen him get younger, not older. While he may have cancer, he is living with it, not dying from it. He has a back condition which seems to bother him less these days and his energy is excellent. He really, really enjoys life.

There was a time we thought he was starting to check out, but after adding in a new herbal treatment he was back to normal in a few days. He is great at springing back!

The thing is that dogs don’t read textbooks. Lou’s already outlived every prediction in the textbooks anyway. I no longer can tell you what Lou’s prognosis is, and there is no point guessing. He is thirteen years old at this point and I’m not sure he got the message about being thirteen either. He seems to be living his life backwards, getting more healthy and enjoying every moment more the longer he lives.

Sometimes I feel like I learn the most from the animals I treat with cancer. They are the ones that seem to inspire me, and all the people they touch, to enjoy life and just live. Lou has definitely taught me that prognoses are only as good as the paper they are printed on. We can’t live off of paper but we do live off of the joy we put into each day of our lives.

Update 7/1/11 Lou went into his primary veterinarian for his yearly check up about a month ago. He was amazed that Lou has continued to do so well and said, “since we don’t know how long he may be here, we may want to start worrying about getting him a dental.” It has now been over a year since his diagnosis and Lou continues to do well and is scheduled for a non-anesthetic dental later in the summer.

4/25/12 Sadly Lou passed away a couple weeks ago at the age of 14. We will all miss him. In the end it was a heart condition that became greater than his body could deal with.

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

In my time as a holistic vet, I have gone from treating animals who are dying of cancer to treating animals who are living with cancer.

Why is this?

Because these animals are living!

They are enjoying life and waking up each day without any attachment to having cancer. They don’t know that they have cancer and because of that they can truly live.

I have often found that if we can catch the cancer early these wonderful beings can have longer lives then we ever imagined. On average I have found with using integrative and holistic treatments, we can double their prognosis time. In many we can more than double it. That’s not bad considering most of the dogs and cats I work with are over the age of 10 years.

So how do you decide what to do for your animal friend? Do you do surgery? Find a holistic vet? Look into chemotherapy? Or do you just take extra time and love them and let them be?

You want your friend to get better. Best of all would be if you could make the cancer go away completely but you also don’t want him/her to suffer. Quality of life is very important and the last thing you want is for the last few months of their life to be full of pain and misery.

Where do you turn?

1. Find a holistic vet and a western vet that you trust.
   Come to a balance of traditional and holistic. I have found that the animals who do best are getting treatment and advice from their western vet and their holistic vet. Consider seeing an oncologist (cancer specialist) to learn about all your options, even if you are against doing chemotherapy.

   Sometimes that means surgery and acupuncture. Sometimes it is herbal therapies with prednisone. Sometimes it is chemo with acupuncture and herbs to help with side effects and keeping appetite and immunity up. This is not a place to either/or. Use everything that is available. You don’t have to choose between the two.

   That being said it is very important if you are combining treatments to find a western vet who is open to you working with a holistic vet and a holistic vet who is open to western treatments. In some cases they are the same person who practices both modalities. However many of us who have taken the holistic route don’t practice much western medicine. I prefer my clients to work with a western vet who is up on all the latest cancer research.

   I am lucky to have a wonderful western vet who has a special interest in cancer treatment working very close to my clinic. Dr. Tim Kraabel, of Lien Animal Clinic, is an amazing veterinarian and while he is definitely a western vet he is extremely supportive and open to the treatment options I offer. We have worked together on many cancer cases and I feel like when my animal clients have Tim on board, we can get amazing results. He does chemotherapy with with an emphasis on quality of life. He is very honest about the prognosis of various cancer treatments and very supportive of not just the animals but also the humans involved in the journey of living with cancer.

   How do you find a good vet?

   Word of mouth is the best place to start. Ask around if you don’t already have someone you trust. Many times pet food stores will have recommendations. Ask your dog’s groomer or a local dog walker. Post a question on a community blog. IVAS has a list of vets certified in acupuncture and herbal medicine but there are many holistic vets not listed on their site who are good (I’m not listed). Also see my article How to Find a Good Holistic Vet to Work With.



2. Acupuncture is great for animals living with cancer. If you have the money to do it, I think every animal with cancer should get acupuncture. I treat most animals I work with every one to three weeks.

   I once went to a talk given by a veterinary oncologist from a major university. Even though he was a western vet, he mentioned that he always recommended acupuncture along with his chemotherapy and radiation. He said that those animals just did better. I have found the same to be true. Not only can it help to slow down tumor growth but it improves quality of life through increased energy and appetite and less pain.

   I have had some animals who I have treated with acupuncture alone who did much better than any prognosis, sometimes by a year or more.

   In cats, who often do not do well on multiple medications, acupuncture is a very good option.

   Most cats and dogs like acupuncture because it makes them feel a lot better. I also find that acupuncture sessions are a good time for me to catch up on any new problems that are happening and those routine check ins help us catch problems earlier.

   Please also see my article Acupuncture for animals with cancer – stoking the healing power within.

3. Don’t over-supplement. Eating is the very important. The Chinese say that eating and sleeping are the two most important things to getting better.

   I’ve had animals come in to see me on 20 different supplements with poor appetites. No wonder, there was no more room in their stomachs for food with the sometimes 50+ pills they were getting a day. The first thing I usually do is take away most, if not all of the supplements and get them eating.

   Beware of any supplement over $100 a month that claims to do miracles or any supplement that claims to cure a whole list of diseases. There are many of these advertised online. Many animals come to me on they miracle supplements. I have found that even if they have good ingredients there are usually cheaper and better supplements out there.

   I usually pick between two (for cats) and six supplements/herbals to use in most of the animals I work with. It is not that there are not other good things out there but I want to focus on the herbals/supplements I know well and have seen work.

   Be careful to not over do it with western medications as well and remember that if your animal is on certain herbals or getting acupuncture you can sometimes get by with a smaller dose of western drugs like prednisone.

   Get help from your holistic or western vet if your animal is not eating. There are many ways to stimulate appetite in both modalities.

4. Surgery can be helpful if there is a good prognosis (or if there is a very bad prognosis without it). This is such an individual decision with so many factors involved, it is hard make recommendations on it.

   However here are some general thoughts. Remember that I don’t have your animal’s case in front of me and there are some cases that will not follow these pieces of advice.

   I always recommend surgery for animals with osteosarcoma/bone cancer if it is in a leg and the animal can walk on three. See Maggie’s story, Sometimes three legs are better than four.

   This cancer is very painful and you can greatly improve their quality of life with an amputation. I find that natural treatments work well if the leg can be removed. If there are money issues I think amputation is the best place to put your money. Imagine the pain of a broken leg – now imagine feeling it all the time. Sometimes the tumor cannot be removed. In that case pain medication is very important.

   Splenic tumors also need to go. They are very prone to bleeding and usually will kill an animal quickly if not removed. I recommend risking this surgery in almost all cases.

   I usually find if we can remove the main tumor the success of treatment goes way up. If there is a primary tumor and no other detectable cancer and your animal is in good health and the surgeon thinks they can remove all or most of it, I will recommend removal. It is hard to get rid of large tumors with natural methods alone.

   If the cancer is in multiple places I usually recommend against surgery. It is risky and usually doesn’t help the prognosis.

   If your animal is very old, sick or debilitated I do not recommend surgery, as the recovery is too difficult.

   With tumors in the chest I usually recommend against surgery unless the prognosis is very good. This is a very difficult surgery and many animals have a hard time recovering. If there are lung mets at diagnosis I am almost always against surgery

   From my experience, cats don’t always do as well with surgery involving the abdomen or chest as dogs. Keep that in mind when making your decision. That being said I always recommend removing or debulking fibrosarcomas in cats.

5. Chemotherapy can be very helpful in fast moving cancers. If your animal has a good prognosis for cure and can handle it I often recommend it.

   Lymphoma is one cancer that responds very well to chemotherapy. It is so fast moving that the natural methods usually do not have enough time to kick in. I have found the best prognosis with lymphoma to be in using a combination of chemotherapy, acupuncture and natural herbals/supplements.

   Look into the prognosis on the chemotherapy cure rate for your animal’s cancer. If they have a great then 50% prognosis of getting a year or more it might be worth it. If it only buys a few months, it is probably not worth it.

   Most animals do quite well with chemotherapy. They don’t get as sick as us. Also remember if you start chemo and it makes your animal sick you can decide to stop it.

   If possible do acupuncture with chemo. It can really help to support the immune system and reduce any possible side effects plus there is some evidence that it can make the chemo work better.

   I do not recommend chemo for the very old and debilitated or those animals who are very sensitive to drugs.

   Another consideration in putting an animal through chemo is that there will be some exposure to the chemo drugs through your animal’s urine. If there are pregnant women or small children in the household this can be a significant issue. If your animal has incontinence issues this can also be a problem as it can be dangerous to have urine contaminated with chemo drugs throughout your home.



6. Find your own path and follow it. Listen to all the experts, do your own research, make your own decisions with your animal in mind.

   I had a client awhile back with a beautiful dog Jezebel who had a nasal carcinoma. According to western medicine she had 0% chance of remission. Her person decided to do surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible, they could not get the whole thing. We did weekly acupuncture and a handful of herbals/supplements.

   The main western treatment for this cancer was radiation. The problem was that it would cause a lot of discomfort, scarring and possibly some nerve damage to her face. The recommendation was four treatments of radiation. He looked into the research on the radiation and found that there had been comparisons between not doing radiation and doing four treatments but no studies on doing less than four treatments. He also found that the main damage to the nerves and scarring came from the forth treatment. Usually the first two treatments were ok and the third cased mild discomfort. With that information he decided to do three treatments and skip the forth. (He also did a short course fairly non-toxic chemo drug).

   The cancer never came back. She ended up dying of old age complications. Now if he had done all four treatments most likely the cancer would not have come back either but she would have been left with permanent scarring and discomfort. He chose to follow his own judgment based on all his options and research and his dog greatly benefited.

   There are many options out there. Many are not written up. Do what is best for your companion.

7. Always take your animal’s health and temperament into account.

   If they are very old and sick don’t push chemo and surgery. If they get extremely stressed going to the vet chemo or radiation may not be a good option especially if the prognosis is not glowing.

   I have even had some animals who got stressed enough from coming for acupuncture that we decided it was not worth it.

   I have seen chemo be pushed on the very old and sick without good results. Remember even if the prognosis is good, it may not be for your animal if they can not handle the treatment.

   Often times these debilitated and sick animals do much better with holistic treatments then western ones.There are many herbals I can use that work very well against cancer and actually help older animals feel better at the same time that they work to kill cancer cells.

8. Radiation can help in some cases but it is very stressful on the body because of the anesthesia.

   Radiation can be a good option for fibrosarcomas, osteosarcoma that cannot be amputated and some other tumors but your animal will need to be under anesthesia for every treatment. If a few treatments are all that is needed and the prognosis is good it is definitely something to consider.

   Usually for a good cure rate you need to surgically remove as much of the tumor as possible before radiation. Except to treat pain in osteosarcoma I usually do not recommend radiation unless the tumor can be mostly or completely surgically removed.

9. Money does come into it. As much as we all wish it didn’t, it is the case for many of us. Cancer treatment is expensive. I’ve had many clients who have spent more than $10,000 a year to treat their animals.

   Do what you can. Sometimes being home with your animal and spending time with them is more important then working overtime to afford chemo. A good veterinarian will help you come up with a plan that fits your budget.

   Often times herbal treatments are cheaper than chemo. I have seen animals do very well on some of the cheaper herbals. Using just Sanshedan and Artemisinin in a 50lb dog costs less than $100 a month. Many times searching online can yield larger discounts on some of the cancer products and online pharmacies often have cheaper prices for western drugs.



10. There is no right answer. The most important part of my job as a holistic vet is helping people find the right path for their beloved companion. This is often done by combining all the knowledge we have and what they know and feel about their animal.

    Every animal is different and that needs to be looked at. Go with your gut, seek advise from those you trust and know that there is no way to know for sure what the outcome will be when you are dealing with cancer.

Most importantly remember to just appreciate every day they are here. I learned that lesson well from a dog named Rooney, who lived with cancer for three years and inspired me to start this blog.
See the story Rooney’s Wisdom

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

What if you had an herbal extract that could fight cancer safely even in those animals who were very sick and old?

Artemisinin is the second most common herbal I use to fight cancer in animals and it is extremely safe in almost all cases.

Artemisinin is an extract from the herb sweet wormwood and was originally used to treat malaria. It is currently under study by Dr. Henry Lai at the University of Washington for its effects against cancer, especially breast and bone cancer.

So how does it work?

Cancer cells take up more iron then normal cells. Artemisinin is attracted to these high iron cells and selectively goes to them. Once inside the cancer cells it reacts with the iron causing free radial formation which kills the cancer cells.

Also see
UW licenses potential cancer treatment derived from ancient Chinese folk remedy
Ancient Chinese remedy shows potential in preventing breast cancer

K9 health support also has a great page with links to articles and research on Artemisinin
Dog Cancer Treatment Options

Because it selects for these cells with high iron it is very safe to use in all cases but one. If your animal is undergoing radiation you must not use this herbal. Radiation blasts cancer cells, which spreads their iron into neighboring cells. In this case, Artemisinin can hurt the normal cells as well. If your animal is undergoing radiation you must wait a month after the last treatment of radiation to use this.

I have found Artemisinin to be very impressive for keeping tumor growth in check and for preventing spread of cancer in my animal patients. While I usually use it in combination with other herbals I have had some cases where I have used just this herbal and nothing else.

I find it works best against bone cancers, squamous cell carcinoma, fibrosarcoma and lymphoma. However I have used it for a number of other tumors as well. When using Chinese Medicine classification this herbal works better against the phlegm nodule tumors. This is also an herbal which may be effective for brain cancers.

I have yet to see a side effect from this herbal beyond that its antibacterial effects can make bad breath better. In fact I occasionally use this for animals with very bad breath who are too ill for dental work.

I dose Artemisinin at 50mg twice a day for cats and dogs under 30 pounds. Dogs over 30 pounds receive 100mg twice a day. Dogs over 100 pounds receive 200mg twice a day. I send people to Amazon  these days.

The studies have shown that Artemisinin works best if there is a break from it every two weeks. I recommend that this herbal is giving for 11 days then stopped for three and then restarted in 11 days on, 3 days off cycles.

As with everything, please check with your animal’s vet before using this product.

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

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