May is Pet Cancer Awareness Month. According to caninecancer.com, cancer is the No. 1 concern of pet parents.
Some of the cancers dogs can get are breast (mammary), bladder, lung, bone, skin, lymphoma and testicular. These are also the most common types of cancers seen in dogs.
One of the ways to fight canine cancer and keep it from coming back is to give your dog reishi, which is an herbal mushroom that has been used extensively in Japan and China for thousands of years.
Its wide range of health benefits include boosting immune function, acting as an anti-inflammatory, providing organ support and most importantly, assisting in cancer treatment.
What is Canine Cancer and What Causes It?
Canine cancer is very similar to human cancer and comes in many types. It starts when abnormal cells begin to grow out of control and form a mass.
Caninecancer.com states, “During the early years of a dog’s life, normal cells divide more rapidly until the dog becomes an adult. After that, cells in most parts of the body divide only to replace worn-out or dying cells and to repair injuries. Because cancer cells continue to grow and divide, they are different from normal cells. Instead of dying, they outlive normal cells and continue to form new abnormal cells.”
Cancer can be caused by a number of things, from the environment, to the chemicals in cleaning products, to genetics. These things all cause a disruption to the normal reproduction of dying or dead cells, which leads to a mass production of bad cells that shut out the normal cells. This mass of abnormal cells is called a cancer.
“Cancerous cells do not function as normal cells and thus do not provide needed services. If the cancer grows unchecked, it eventually replaces much of the organ while also metastasizing to other parts of the body. In time, it causes the death of the dog,” says pets.webMD.com.
Cancer is a Silent Killer
Unfortunately, your dog may have cancer and you won’t find out until it is too late. While there are ways to detect cancer early, it still doesn’t change the fact that cancer can strike at any time.
“Internal cancers are most common in the spleen, liver and gastrointestinal tract. Cancers in these areas often become advanced before they are even suspected. Usually the first signs are weight loss, a palpable mass in the abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation or gastrointestinal bleeding,” says pets.webMD.com.
Regular consumption of red reishi has been shown to stimulate the production of potent natural anti-cancer substances produced in the body. Reishi promotes your dogs’ ability to suppress the adhesion and migration of invasive cells. A supplement containing reishi can effectively inhibit the growth of tumors and even cause tumors to regress. Also, animal studies have demonstrated it is also effective at preventing the growth of secondary cancers.
Helping Your Dog Recover After Cancer
Fact: “Cancer rates increase in dogs with age. It is the leading cause of death in dogs over 10 years,” states caninecancer.com.
Since no two cancers are the same, your vet will diagnose and set up a treatment plan based on the type of cancer your dog has.
According to caninecancer.com, treatments may include a combination of:
Surgery
Chemotherapy
Radiation
Cryosurgery
Hyperthermia
Immunotherapy
These treatments will be very hard on your dog, just like they are on humans. Providing your dog with reishi during this crucial time will help reduce the side-effects of chemo and/or radiation, as well as minimizing his risk of infection, helping with fatigue and loss of appetite and fur.
Reishi will also give your dog’s immune system a much-needed boost to help him continue to fight the cancer and recover, and it will help to reduce his stress, and relieve any pain he may be experiencing. He will also be getting a healthy dose of antioxidants to fight off free radicals, which damage the body.
PHOTO: planBstudio
