Cally01
Posted : 9/22/2006 7:44:52 AM
I wouldn't place the blame of your dogs cancer solely on the kibbles and bits...never blame yourself. I don't recommend kibbles & bits as it does contain very poor ingredients and sugars and preservatives.
Different animals and people have different triggers for cancer, for example some people smoke & eat unhealthy fast foods their entire lives and never get lung cancer or other cancers yet the person getting the second hand smoke or due to environmental toxins develops lung cancer even tho they have eaten healthy all their lives. Most times it is genetic and runs in lines.
One of our Newf's died of bone cancer, we too fed him a poor quality food- eukanuba....at the time we didn't know any better. We don't blame the food on his cancer...we learned from that tho and now feed only the best foods, with as many organically grown fresh produce and meats possible.
We try to make sure we limit the amount of commercially grown foods to avoid too many pesticides in our dogs diets. We avoid any foods that have non doggy food items in them such as BHA, animal fat (you just don't know where that has come from...diseased animals etc.). I like to deal with good dog food companies who stand behind their foods, use real food sources...try to use as many organic foods and state they use free range animals, new Zealand lamb (about the only place the lambs are virtually pesticide, antibiotic etc free). I avoid any foods that use generic foods or farmed fish....or unknown fish such as white fish etc. I check the companies I use and make sure the salmon etc they use have not been preserved with Ethoxyquin.
Here is a site you can check out on food ingredients to avoid.
[link
>http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients]>http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients[/link]
Other than diet and choosing foods free of weird ingredients and left over's from the human food industry. I also don't over vaccinate my dogs, I have given them their basic vaccines and now I just do titers. Vaccines can really stress the immune system leaving a dog vulnerable to cancer. I don't use any chemicals on my lawn or pesticides in my yard. I don't smoke, I have well water which is free of chloride and fluoride. Make sure there is no history of cancer in your dogs lines if you are in the market for a new puppy.
I am currently feeding grain free foods as well. Aflatoxin which is a potent carcinogen even in safe levels...grows on corn, rice and other grains. Sometimes it can be excess in dog dibbles with grains and kills...most times it is in safe levels in dog foods containing grain. I choose to steer clear and will only feed organic brown/wild rice made in my own kitchen with a raw meal. Another carcinogen found in grain based foods is acrylamide and is found almost every where in pre-made foods including human pre-made foods. Acrylamide is a tasteless, invisible by product formed when high carbohydrate foods are fried or baked at high temperatures.
I also avoid topical pesticides etc. The only time I would use any pesticides on my dogs or allow them to ingest them is if I lived in an area where heart worm was a threat. As it is I don't put any pesticides on my dogs...and since my dogs have a healthy immune system they are not a preferred host for fleas.
The list goes on for possible cancer triggers, a home prepared diet where you know how the meats were raised and veggies/ fruits is the best diet...but, not always feasible for most. By educating yourself you will find there are some great dog kibbles/canned foods out there that stand behind their ingredients and state they use human grade, or organically raised grown foods.
What I suggest is picking up a few books, do research and make informed choices.
Some suggested reading is: The whole dog journal, All you ever wanted to know about herbs for pets-MaryWulff-Tilford and Gregory Tilford. Complete Herbal handbook for the dog and cat by Juliette de Bairacli, Dr Pitcairns's complete guide to Natural health for dogs and cats - richard h pitcairn DVM. PhD, See Spot live longer by Beth Taylor and Steve Brown. There are more great books out there.[
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