Cancer in dogs: a quick overview
Even the word alone is enough to strike fear into our hearts, but unfortunately, cancer is a fairly common disease. Before talking about possible advantages of adaptogens for dogs with cancer, it might be helpful to discuss the condition itself.
Cancer is a disease in which cells multiply uncontrollably. This can form a lump in the body, preventing organs from functioning properly. Over time, these malignant tumours may spread to other parts of the body and cause more damage. As with people, the risk of developing cancer increases as your pup gets older. Some of the most common types of cancer to affect dogs are skin, lung, stomach, and bone. They can also suffer from lymphoma, which affects the lymph nodes, and hemangiosarcoma, which develops from blood vessels. The cause of the disease is often unclear, although certain breeds of dog are more susceptible to certain cancers.
Cancer in dogs may present with a variety of different symptoms. These include a mass or lump, weight loss and decreased appetite, lethargy, vomiting, tummy troubles, breathing difficulties, and behavioural changes. Many of these are quite general and could be the result of other conditions. If you notice any such signs, take your pup to the vet immediately. They will be able to conduct some diagnostic tests to determine the underlying cause of your pet’s symptoms.
The good news is that if you catch cancer early, it’s often treatable. And you can also harness the benefits of adaptogens for dogs with cancer to make things easier for your pup.
Cancer in dogs: treatment options
Let’s be clear: we’re not advocating using adaptogens for dogs with cancer as the sole treatment. Your vet will recommend options depending on several key factors. These include the type of cancer, location, severity, and whether it has spread to other parts of the body. Similar to human patients, your pup might need to have surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. The vet may also prescribe them pain-killing medication. Some animals experience side effects from certain treatments, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, and a decreased appetite. The vet will discuss all the possibilities with you and offer advice on what’s best for your pet.
If your pup does have surgery, there are a number of things you can do to help with their recovery. For example, make sure they get plenty of rest combined with some gentle exercise. This might involve keeping them on the ground floor so they don’t have to tackle stairs, or using a crate. Meanwhile, a cone could stop your pooch from licking the surgical incision site. It’s important to monitor your pet closely during the recovery period and report any concerns to the vet straight away.
You can also use adaptogens for dogs with cancer as part of your pet’s recovery. Specifically, they could help to support your pup’s immune system, lower the negative impacts of stress, and promote good sleep. Some studies additionally show that they may boost the success rate of veterinary cancer treatment and minimise its side effects. Let’s take a closer look.
What are adaptogens?
Just before we get into the benefits of adaptogens for dogs with cancer, we should introduce these potent plants. For those who are unfamiliar with them, adaptogens help reduce the negative effects of stress on the mind and body. This is true for both us and our pets! They boost our resistance to short-term and long-term stress of all kinds – from physical to emotional and environmental. Some also support the immune system or improve wellbeing in other ways.
Each one is unique, so you can choose the plant that most suits your pooch’s needs. We’ll list some of the best adaptogens for dogs with cancer below, to help you decide which to go for. Just remember that none of them are to be used as an alternative to professional veterinary treatment for the disease. Think of them as a form of complementary therapy.
Now we know what they are, let’s explore the reasons you might want to use adaptogens for dogs with cancer.
Potential benefits of adaptogens for dogs with cancer: stress relief
The main advantages of using adaptogens for dogs with cancer is to support their recovery. It may also increase the chances of the veterinary treatment recommended by your vet succeeding. For example, having cancer (and potentially the treatment) is likely to cause your pup some stress. As such, it could be useful to add an adaptogen to their diet as a way to help mitigate this. Ashwagandha is a superb choice. Studies show that the herb can significantly reduce stress responses and symptoms of anxiety in dogs.(1) It might therefore make your pooch more comfortable after surgery or during chemotherapy.
Interestingly, research has found that psychological stress increases the risk of cancer in dogs.(2) Now, we are not saying that adaptogens can prevent our furry friends from developing the disease. However, these findings do suggest that anything which alleviates such stress could be beneficial for your pet’s wellbeing. It could also enable them to fight the disease more effectively. As such, adaptogens might be good for both healthy pets and those who are unwell.
In a similar vein, you can use natural adaptogens for dogs with cancer to aid with sleep. For instance, research has found that reishi mushrooms may improve both the quality and duration of your pet’s slumber.(3) This is important for healing and supporting their immune system, just as it is for us. So, in addition to providing your pup with a comfy bed in a quiet corner, you could try feeding them reishi to help them snooze peacefully.
Potential benefits of adaptogens for dogs with cancer: immunity
Improving sleep duration and quality isn’t the only way adaptogens can help our pets’ immune systems. Some of these potent plants may also support immunity in other ways. Medicinal mushrooms are among the best adaptogens for dogs with cancer in this regard.
One reason for this is their high level of a type of fibre called beta-glucan. Studies show that beta-glucan can activate certain types of immune cells in pups, such as natural killer cells and macrophages.(4) This is important because cancer (and some treatments for the condition) often weakens your pet’s immune system. Adding adaptogens like functional fungi to their diet could help your pup fight off infections more successfully during their recovery.
Several studies have found that there are benefits of mushroom adaptogens for dogs with cancer. For example, researchers discovered that pups with canine hemangiosarcoma had longer survival times when given turkey tail.(5) This is thanks to the polysaccharide peptide (PSP) it contains, which delayed the spread of the cancer. The investigators speculated that PSP might have similar anti-tumour effects to chemotherapy, but without the associated side effects. However, further research is necessary to confirm this.
Another study revealed that mushrooms may help to lessen the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy by supporting the immune system.(6) Researchers gave pups undergoing the treatment a blend of agaricus blazei, cordyceps, shiitake, hen-of-the-wood, reishi, and turkey tail. They concluded that the animals experienced fewer chemotherapy symptoms thanks to the positive effects on their white blood cells. This suggests that using adaptogens for dogs with cancer might help improve their quality of life when having the treatment.
How to add adaptogens to your dog’s diet
Evidence indicates that using natural adaptogens for dogs with cancer could support their recovery and enhance their overall wellbeing. But how do you get your pup to eat these potent plants? It will please you to know that it’s actually quite easy! If you opt for a powdered version of an adaptogen, you can simply mix it into your pet’s wet food.
As an example, with ashwagandha, start with ⅛-¼ of a teaspoon per 10kg of body weight daily. With medicinal mushrooms like reishi and turkey tail, we recommend ¼-½ of a teaspoon per 10kg of body weight. For fussy pups, you can begin with an even smaller dose and build up to these amounts. However, bear in mind that these figures are for guidance only. You should speak to your vet first, to see what they suggest for your pet. If you’re using adaptogens for dogs with cancer, this might affect the dosage they recommend you use.
Adaptogens for dogs with cancer: the importance of quality
When choosing the best adaptogens for dogs with cancer, it’s not only the species of plant that matters. It’s also the quality of the product. Picking a top-notch powder will ensure your pup has the maximum chance of benefiting from taking it. And that’s why we at Boosie are careful to source only the finest ingredients for ours.
Our ashwagandha comes directly from small farmers in India, who use strictly organic techniques to cultivate them. The team picks the plant by hand, before meticulously drying the ashwagandha and grinding it into a fine powder.
And then there’s our fabulous fungi. We work with a team of expert mycologists, who grow the mushrooms on natural and organic substrates. This is all done under very closely controlled conditions in Europe. Once the fungi are mature, they transform them into powder. This breaks down the stubborn cell walls, making the nutrients more bioavailable for your pet.
We want to ensure our mushroom adaptogens for dogs with cancer are as effective as possible. So, we have them tested by an independent and accredited quality checker. As such, we can bark with confidence that they’re rich in potent beta-glucans and key secondary metabolites.
None of our natural adaptogens for dogs with cancer contain any filler ingredients, preservatives, artificial flavourings or other unwanted additives. What you and your canine companion receive from us is 100% pure – just as nature intended! And we ship them out to you in environmentally friendly amber glass jars. This keeps the powders fresh, plus minimises our impact on the planet and the other animals who live here. Please help to keep this cycle of goodness going by recycling yours once it’s empty.
Using adaptogens for dogs with cancer safely
Having covered how to find good quality adaptogens for dogs with cancer, let’s look at how to use them safely. First, we want to reiterate that these are not a replacement for professional veterinary care and cancer treatment. Second, you should not feed them to your pet without consulting with the vet beforehand. They will consider your pup’s health condition and treatment regime, and let you know if adaptogens are a suitable option.
If they do give you the go-ahead, it’s best to use adaptogens for dogs with cancer in cycles. One reason for this is to stop your fluffy friend from developing a tolerance to the plant. Moreover, adaptogens are immunomodulatory. Having a break after 6-8 weeks of taking them helps to prevent your pooch from overstimulating their immune system.
Finally, never give adaptogens to puppies, or dogs who are pregnant or nursing. This is simply because there hasn’t been enough research to confirm their safety for these animals.
It goes without saying that you should monitor your pup closely after giving them adaptogens (or any new functional food). If you notice any negative effects, stop feeding your pet the ingredient and take them to the vet.
Final thoughts on adaptogens for dogs with cancer
It’s natural to want to do everything we can to help our pets when they’re unwell. And evidence suggests that using adaptogens for dogs with cancer is a valid way to support your pooch. We can’t say that these plants are going to cure the disease. However, they could assist your pup in making a successful recovery and improve their quality of life during their treatment.
