The Dog Cancer Vet, Dr. Dressler, has some insight as to why some vets can get pretty negative.

He finds hope where few others see it – because he’s done the research.

“Well, the fact is that the medical profession in the Western world does a pretty poor job of dealing with cancer in comparison to other health issues, so of course it seems more hopeless to us.

This is not a criticism, it is simply a statement of fact.

Vets are able to deal well with broken bones, infections, hypothyroidism, wounds, most dental disease, and so on.

We diagnose the problem and Bang! We fix it or correct it completely.

Not so with the hard to cure cancers (aggressive ones). We have a very hard time with correcting or curing aggressive cancer, in both human and veterinary medicine.

Since this is true – at least it has been up to this point – vets will sometimes lose hope and forget that not every dog “reads the book” on the bad statistics.

Additionally, most vets will not take the time needed to ferret out as much information as possible in treating diseases because of the demands of the profession and the overwhelming amount of data we need to keep in our heads. Even I have been guilty of this in the past.

So from the viewpoint of a dog lover dealing with a dog cancer diagnosis, the vet can sometimes seem too hopeless or even dismissive.

Do not take it personally. Simply realize it may be time to buckle up your work belt and become your dog’s primary health care advocate.”

No one else is qualified to be your dog’s Primary Health Advocate. You need information, and you need it now. By now you may be wondering if you can do it. The Dog Cancer Survival Guide guarantees you can empower yourself and really help your dog.

Most people are stunned when they hear their dog has cancer. Some don’t even know that dogs get cancer. Dr. Dressler often hears:

“I’ve heard of cancer in people, but dogs? This never seemed to happen in the old days.”

****Dr. Dressler Answers****

His response is:

“Yes, dog cancer is the number one killer of dogs right now, more than auto accidents or other diseases. And rates have skyrocketed in recent years. There is an “invisible” epidemic that is not talked about much in veterinary circles or in the public.

Many assume that it is happening because dogs are living longer, and that when one gets older, cancer is the result.

This is not a true assumption. Old age does not cause cancer!

Believe it or not, modern lifestyle causes cancer. In fact, many scientists call cancer a “disease of civilization.” In other societies, before the introduction of our foods and lifestyles, cancer does not happen.

Diet, sedentary lifestyles, stress, carcinogen exposure, alterations in sleep/wake cycles, and many other “civilized” issues contribute to cancer in the civilized world. Since we are surrounded by it we say it is normal.

Sadly, it isn’t normal. The reason we don’t remember cancer in our pets year ago is because they did not have cancer like today.
We are seeing the same trend in humans, and the reflection is in our loved dogs.”

****Dr. Dressler Answers****

One in three dogs in the U.S. get cancer, and half of them die from it. With such a wily and powerful foe (read the first section of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Beyond Surgery, Chemotherapy & Radiation to see just how wily and just how powerful) it’s crucial that you get all the weapons you need for your arsenal.

This book is not a magic bullet, but it’s definitely the first place to turn when you want to know just exactly what you’re dealing with.
The Dog Cancer Survival Guide

Dr. Dressler answers on the “molecular level”:

****Dr. Dressler Answers****

“The real answer to this question is so complicated and long that I had to write a book about it, but I’ll try to give you the short version of just the beginning of cancer:

Cancer is started by changes in the DNA or genes of the body’s cells.

Genes are the “blueprints” for everything that happens in the body.

There are genes that turn on cell growth and cell multiplication (”gas pedal” genes), and there are other genes that turn it off (”brake pedal” genes).

If something damages the genes that turn on cell growth, the “gas pedal” genes can get stuck in the “on” position, and the “brake pedal” genes get stuck in the “off” position.

Just like a car with the gas pedal stuck to the floor, the cells start multiplying and growing out of control, and cancer starts growing.

Carcinogens can damage the DNA (the genes) in a dog’s body to favor cancer growth.

Carcinogens are found in our dog’s, diet, air, and water, in spite of what the EPA does to try to control their presence.

Surprisingly, certain medications are carcinogenic to some extent.

Radiation from the sun is capable of causing DNA damage, as is invasion by certain viruses.

Electric fields from high-voltage power sources have been shown to increase cancer rates as well.
This injury to the DNA in a dog’s body is the *start* of developing cancer. To end up with full-blown cancer, many other steps have to occur. But it all begins in the DNA.

****Dr. Dressler Answers****

There is no doubt that cancer is a complicated topic to understand. That’s why Dr. Dressler’s book The Dog Cancer Guide: Beyond Surgery, Chemotherapy & Radiation is so valuable. Dog lovers find it easy to understand and written in plain English. And vets find it thoroughly researched and backed up with pages of studies. If you are serious about treating your dog’s cancer, now’s the time to get going, with Dr. Dressler’s help:
The Dog Cancer Survival Guide

That is over the entire course of treatment, including all vet visits, biopsies, tests, chemo, radiation, etc.

And most dog lovers don’t just rely on what their vet offers. Many spend thousands more on special food, supplements, and alternative treatments.

If that doesn’t break your heart (especially in this economy), consider that one in two dogs die from their cancer.

Your choices as the head of your dog’s cancer fighting team really matter. With so much at stake, it makes sense to be well-informed.

For example, one popular online “cancer treatment” is to give your dog aloe vera juice in their food.

Dr. Dressler leaves this treatment out of his book, because it is probably useless in fighting cancer.

Are all those people wrong? Well, not exactly. The agent in aloe vera that does actually fight cancer CAN NOT get to the cancer cells when it’s taken by mouth. It only gets to the cancer cells when injected. Thus, its not much help if you feed it to your dog.

When taken by mouth, the aloe soothes the lining of the stomach, which can be helpful, but it never gets to the cancer itself.

However, other things soothe the stomach AND fight cancer when taken by mouth (like ginger, which is in Dr. Dressler’s book).

Dr. Dressler wrote Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Beyond Surgery, Chemotherapy & Radiation because in so many cases dog lovers are spending thousands of dollars on treatments – traditional and “alternative” – that won’t actually help the cancer.

It’s worth the cost of the download to find out what is real, and what isn’t. This book, unlike some treatments – is worth your time AND your money–and it is guaranteed.

Pick up your copy today and you have 60 days to decide: The Dog Cancer Survival Guide

“How do I know if my dog will tolerate the chemotherapy my vet is talking about?”

Here’s his answer:

****Dr. Dressler’s Answer****

“Most vets and oncologists agree that agents used in dog chemotherapy may cause toxic reactions in dogs. Unfortunately, there is no way to predict ahead of time all reactions in all dogs.

That said, some breeds have a genetic mutation in a gene called MDR-1. This mutation makes the dog more sensitive to some chemotherapy drugs. If he’s more sensitive, he will get more toxic reactions.

Here are some breeds and the estimated frequencies of this mutation:

Collies: 54.6% carry the mutation in MDR-1

Long haired Whippets: 41.6% carry it

Miniature Australian Shepherds: 25.9% carry it

Silken Windhounds, Australian Shepherds, English Sheepdogs, McNabs, Old English Sheepdog, Shetland Sheepdogs: 0.9% or less carry it

German Shepherds (no exact percentage available)

You can have your dog tested for the mutation and your vet can send the sample to Washington State University College of Medicine to get the results. If your dog tests positive for MDR-1, your vet will want to choose a chemotherapy protocol that takes this into account.

****Dr. Dressler’s Answer****

It’s information like this – which many vets simply do not know about – that makes Dr. Dressler’s The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Beyond Surgery, Chemotherapy & Radiation invaluable to dog lovers facing a dog cancer diagnosis.

“Is it the food we are feeding our dogs causing cancer?”
Dr. Dressler replies:

****Dr. Dressler’s Answer****

“This is a complicated topic, but the short story is that the food is a key player in cancer development.

Here are a few reasons why:

Most dog foods these days are primarily composed of carbohydrates. You can see that by looking at the nutritional panels and ingredients. Grains like corn and wheat are often in the first few ingredients (if not the first). The problem with carbs is that the body turns them into sugar. Guess who loves sugar? Cancer cells. Sugar is by far the number one fuel source for developing cancers.

Fatty acid imbalances are caused by pet foods. Most pet foods have way too many of a group of fats called the Omega-6 fatty acids. When these are eaten by your dog, their body is less able to destroy developing cancers.

High temperature food manufacture (superheating) actually creates carcinogens in pet food and treats. Kibble has to be pressed through a shaper at extremely high temperatures. This process creates chemicals called heterocyclic amines, which can cause cancer.

Preservatives like sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite are also culprits. While on their own they are not carcinogens, once they get inside your dog’s body they are actually converted to carcinogens called N-nitroso compounds. These are very potent cancer-causing molecules.

Calorie excess can be caused by food also. Dogs that are overweight make less of a substance called adiponectin, which protects them from cancer.”

****Dr. Dressler’s Answer****

This is just a short list of the ways in which diet interacts with cancer to either help or harm our dogs.

To find out more, look at Chapter Seven and Chapter Twenty-Three in The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Beyond Surgery, Chemotherapy & Radiation.

“This came out of the blue – why didn’t I see it sooner?” is one of the most common questions dog lovers ask.

Dr. Dressler stresses the importance of not feeling guilty about this because it is not your fault.

The reason dogs don’t “act sick” and then seem to get “sick overnight” is simple, and it’s rooted in their wild natural origins.

In the wild, dogs who are sick are vulnerable.

The pack might leave them behind because they are slowing them down and are more likely to be targeted by predators. Also, sick dogs can lose pack position easily.

So dogs have a natural instinct to NOT show that they feel sick. They will do everything possible to hide their symptoms until they finally can’t anymore.

That’s why they can “seem fine” at breakfast and be “sick as a dog” by dinner.

Combine that with the fact that there is only one “early detection” test for dog cancer (it’s for lymphosarcoma) and that some cancers don’t have any visible symptoms while they develop, and you get a really clear picture of why your dog’s illness may have snuck up on you and your vet.

There was probably no way for you to know any sooner than you did that your dog was having a problem. So even though it may be human nature to feel a little guilty, Dr. Dressler urges you to have compassion for yourself during this tough time and take as much stress off your shoulders as you can.

Less stress will help you keep a clear head, absorb the information that you must know, and make the best decisions possible for your dog. Feeling guilty about not seeing the cancer sooner is normal–and it is not your fault.

In fact, Dr. Dressler feels so strongly that your stress must be managed as part of your dog’s cancer protocol that he devotes an entire chapter to de-stressing techniques and bonding sessions. This whole-body approach is one that you won’t find anywhere else. Guaranteed!

Check out Dr. Dressler’s invaluable book now: The Dog Cancer Survival Guide

****Dr. Dressler’s Answer****

“Most of us are very concerned when our dog is in pain, and with good reason. Pain control is essential in cancer care, especially with those cancers that hurt. Bone cancer, bladder cancer, infected tumors, and some nasal and sinus tumors appear to be painful or uncomfortable. I have also seen painful tumors within the abdomen that produce discomfort due to pressure on the surrounding tissues.

You can see pain manifest in your dog as limping, difficulty rising or settling, a reluctance to move, tension in the body (especially when pressed), resistance to doing normal activities (turning, jumping, going up or down stairs, or moving the painful part), licking the painful area, vocalizing (moaning, howling, whining), or shifting around to change positions frequently.

It is extremely important to stop pain, for several reasons. Your vet can help you with medications that are designed for pain control, and there are some “outside the box” ways of dealing with pain or discomfort that can help too. These include acupuncture, palliative radiation, massage, gold implants, pamidronate, and touch therapies like massage and Reiki.”

****Dr. Dressler’s Answer****

Dr. Dressler explains throughout The Dog Cancer Survival Guide how pain can be demoralizing for a dog – and low spirits can counteract cancer-fighting tactics. That’s why he has so often explored not just traditional pain medications but also touch therapies and “alternative” practices like acupuncture and Reiki in his own work. He finds solid evidence that there are several ways to relieve pain and writes about them in his book.

Whatever way you choose, make sure to assess your dog’s pain level – and address it – as you continue to take care of his cancer. Many ways are simple, some are more complicated, but they’re all in Dr. Dressler’s comprehensive book: The Dog Cancer Survival Guide

******** Dr. Dressler’s Answers *******

“The answer, sadly, is: most definitely. A carcinogen is a substance that damages the genes in the DNA so that they turn on uncontrolled cell growth. Uncontrolled cell growth is also known as cancer.

It’s hard to get away from carcinogens in our society. Dogs are constantly bombarded. For example, there is fossil fuel emissions (car exhaust, lawn mower exhaust, factory smoke, burning of oil and coal, etc).

Remember DDT, the notorious pesticide that killed mammals, not just insects? Well, insecticides and herbicides are still in our environment, in spite of the efforts by the EPA to control them. It turns out there are even trace levels used in *food components* in our commercial dog foods – that are allowable by the EPA. These items are carcinogenic in large quantities or when mixed with other toxins. Sprays used around the house can contribute as well.

Smoke is carcinogenic, whether it be from cigarettes, kerosine lamps, diesel engines, or fire places.

There are also small molecules in the water which cannot be caught by current filtration systems. These molecules are also heat resistant. Some of these can increase the likelihood of cancer development in our dogs.

A little known fact is that high voltage electricity can be a source of carcinogens because a particle called the corona ion gathers in high concentrations in the field created by these currents. So even the electric wiring in houses with high voltage can create fields which may be carcinogenic.
And these are just carcinogens carried in the air and water! There is even more to the story, much of which is actually pretty shocking.”

******** Dr. Dressler’s Answers *******

Until Dr. Dressler started heavily researching the causes of cancer, he didn’t realize how “dangerous” our environment can be.

That’s why he dedicated several chapters in his book The Dog Cancer Survival Guide to the carcinogens in our homes, air, water, food, and soil, and how to minimize their impact on you and your dog.

It’s important and invaluable information, critical to caring for a dog with cancer.

When a reader asked Dr. Dressler about it, he wrote back with these
insights:

******** Answers from Dr. Dressler *********

“If your dog has cancer, you want to do all of the following:

- limit carbohydrates (rice, corn, etc.)

- moderate protein (lean chicken, etc.)

- pack in the omega -3 fatty acids

- use a salt replacement

- add a good calcium source

- add a balanced vitamin supplement

One of the most convenient foods for dogs with cancer was designed
by Greg Ogilvie, one of the nations leading veterinary oncologists.

(I like his food, but I also like him. Greg is a very nice guy.)

Greg created a food extremely high in omega-3 fatty acids, which
are usually found in fish oil like mackeral, menhaden, salmon,
sardines and so on.

This food also has low carbohydrates, which is important because
cancers love carbs.

The food avoids sodium by using potassium chloride instead of
sodium chloride for flavor.

It has extra branced-chain amino acids like arginine, which are
beneficial in dogs fighting cancer.

Greg’s food is produced by Hill’s Science Diet, and is called ND
(which stands for Neoplasia (cancer) Diet).

You can also boost your dog’s levels of *natural* cancer-fighting
agents by adding foods like ginger, garlic, certain berries,
shiitake mushrooms, dietary enzymes, and more. These
cancer-fighting weapons are gentle on your dog, but tough on cancer.

Be sure to introduce any dietary change very slowly, because dogs
can experience digestive upset with sudden changes in food.
Gradually use less of the old food and increase the proportion of
new food over 2 weeks.

Always watch for vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, or
lethargy during these transitions.”

******** Answers from Dr. Dressler *********

While Dr. Dressler is certainly a “traditional vet”, he believes
that diet is incredibly important to your dog’s health. That’s why
he dedicated an entire chapter to the proper cancer diet in The Dog
Cancer Survival Guide: Beyond Surgery, Radiation & Chemotherapy.

And if you have the ability to cook for your dog at home (rather
than getting ND, for example), the anti-cancer recipe included in
the book can be tailored in a variety of ways so that even the most
picky eater will eat.

There’s even an “anti-cancer stress management exercise” included
that urges a “cheat day” for your dog!

Food is such an important part of a dog’s life – it’s what Dr.
Dressler calls a “Joy of Life” – that your dog will really
appreciate you putting into practice Dr. Dressler’s tips.

About the Book

The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Beyond Surgery, Chemotherapy &
Radiation is a comprehensive, 300-page downloadable e-book.

It covers every possible facet of cancer care: from supplements to
surgery; from good sleep to good food; from meditation to massage.
It also includes cutting edge botanical-based treatments from the
frontiers of human cancer research that help to shrink tumors and
kill cancer …that are affordable, readily available, and you can
give to your dog at home.

Click to try the book using our 8 week guarantee