Courtesy of: © Dr. Liza – https://www.drliza.co.nz/
Link to original post: https://www.drliza.co.nz/cancer-in-animals-2/
Cancer in our pets, as with us humans, is a fairly common occurrence nowadays. There are many factors that contribute to this increasing trend including poor nutrition, genetics, pollution in our environment and infections, to name but a few.
Cancer develops when a cell begins to grow and divide out of control and isn’t stopped and contained by the immune system. The cell can be from any part of the body, and each type behaves in a characteristic way, either growing quickly and spreading rapidly (malignant) or growing slowly and not spreading (benign).
For example, dogs can develop a type of bone cancer that grows rapidly and then spreads to the lungs which is very life threatening, while cats with white noses and ears are prone to developing skin cancer in these areas which occasionally spreads to other organs but if caught early can be well controlled. Older animals often develop skin lumps which are benign and as long as these lumps don’t bother them, they can be left alone.
A diagnosis is made by having various samples analyzed including small amounts of fluid drawn from a lump (fine needle aspirate), tissue samples cut out (biopsy) and blood samples. After a diagnosis is reached, the conventional approach is to remove as much of the cancer from the body as possible. This is done in a variety of ways including surgery, cryotherapy (freezing), radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Depending on how benign the cancer is and the stage that it’s at, these techniques can be successful but underlying issues that may have allowed the cancer to develop in the first place need to be addressed.
From a holistic point of view, we recognize the multifactorial nature of cancer. The development of this serious condition reflects that the body has been damaged and the immune system has failed to recognize and stop the cancer process from progressing.
In order to allow for the greatest possibility of cure, it is of utmost importance to address the underlying cause. The whole picture needs to be examined and the animal’s immune system boosted and supported by making use of various therapies, many of which have a large body of scientific evidence behind them.
The three main areas that are targeted to allow for the resolution of cancer are:
1. Disabling cancer cells
2. Support of cellular and organ function
3. Detoxification
Some of the incredible tools that are we use include, but are not limited to: Nutritional Medicine, NIS (Neurological Integration System), Oxygen therapy, Homotoxicology, Homeopathy and Herbal Medicine.
Marrying the conventional approach with complementary therapies frequently brings about excellent results. Tailor making a program for each individual animal to best suit their needs as well as the needs of their owners adds tremendously to the animal’s quality of life and gives their owners peace of mind.
