Holistic way to treat dog tumors?

by | May 10, 2019 | Holistic Medicine, Vet Care | 0 comments

My 10 year old non-nuetered English bulldog has been diagnosed with t-cell lymphoma, although so far it doesn’t seem like it has attacked his internal organs, just his skin.

To give you some background, Rex has had skin allergies his whole life (we got him at 10 weeks old). Based on his allergy testing, he is allergic to all types of grains, and also environment things like trees and grass.

After years of food trials and errors and medication trials and errors he has been on prednisone 5mg DAILY for years. In October 2011 he had a severe skin reaction, even being on the pred, and it took 2 months to diagnose calcinosis culus, and then wean him off preds get him on atopica and antibiotics based on the dermotologists recommendations.

His calcinosis was the priority and the lump on his toe was not so much of a concern – the vets thought it would clear up with the antibiotics and antifungal treatments. It did not, and although his calcinosis has improved dramatically and his hair has grown back, we ended up having to have his toe removed (Jan 18, 2012) and 2 other small lumps removed on his skin, all the same malignant cancer.

His foot got infected, so we are still giving him antibiotics and soaking his foot in betodine now only once daily (we were doing twice, but the vet saw an improvement in the infection last Monday). We are still keeping his foot wrapped so he doesn’t lick it and get it re-infected.

The vet did an aspiration

of his foot last Monday and said she found cancer in the swelling. She reviewed all this with an oncologist and offered us to see the oncologist, but we do not want to do chemo for Rex.

Right now it is just about keeping him comfortable until we have to make that terrible decision and have arranged for a nearby vet to come to our home, when the time comes.

My question is that Rex has a couple of tumors (pictured above) and I want to know if there is something I can put on them so they don’t ulcerate, or is there something I can put on them if they do ulcerate? Or once they ulcerate, do we just put him down – is he at pain at that point?

Right now he has been back on prednisone for 2 weeks, the tumors seem to have slowed their growth pace and one looks smaller. The one on his nose appeared January 18 2012 and the first pic I took of it was Jan 27 2012.

You will notice in the second picture right under his left nostril there is a tiny red bump that looks like a pimple, but I am sure it is another tumor that is starting to grow and I would like to know if I could use something to stop it. I read castor oil could work, but am hesitate to use anything that I can not verify with a vet.

He is eating natural balance limited ingredients potato and duck dry food.

Thanks so much for your help.

Comments for Holistic way to treat dog tumors?

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Feb 12, 2012My Online Vet Response for: Holistic way to treat dog tumors?
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Hello,
For your 10 year old intact male English bulldog, “Rex”, diagnosed with T-cell Lymphoma, just treating these bumps with a topical ointment or oil, such as Castor oil, is TOO little TOO late.

When Rex was a 10 week old puppy, suffering from allergies, that was the time to seek alternative treatment. When conventional treatment (obviously) was not helping and essentially was making him sicker and sicker and suppressing his immune system even more as he went from skin allergies to ‘overdose’ with prednisone (which caused the calcinosis cutis), and now T-cell lymphoma in the skin, to skin cancer. Continuing to vaccinate him would have also affected his immune system, and vaccines may even have been the ‘trigger’ in the first place when he started with allergies at such a young age.

So, seeking complementary or alternative treatment as a last resort may not do too much to help him, BUT miracles can happen!

You wrote, “My question is that Rex has a couple of tumors (pictured above) and I want to know if there is something I can put on them so they don’t ulcerate, or is there something I can put on them if they do ulcerate?”

I would not put anything on these bumps now.

1. If they ulcerate then I would: use Calendula ointment or tincture, two times daily to help them heal.

2. Start boosting him immune system, and DECREASING the prednisone. Use milk thistle, at 8mg per pound two times daily in his food to support his liver function (Prednisone is making his liver work harder). If he weighs 50lbs, he would need 400mg TWO times daily.

He also needs supplements to support his immune system:

1. Immuplex from Standard Process – One capsule in his food TWO times daily.
2. Missing Link Canine Formula
3. OrthoMolecular Specialties, Mega C Powder

Gradually transition him to a RAW dog food diet. You can start by gradually introducing the CANNED Natural Balance Limited ingredients into the dry until he is eating only the canned. Then start adding in the raw dog food.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART TWO

Feb 12, 2012My Online Vet Response for: Holistic way to treat dog tumors? PART TWO
by: Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

Hello,
Here is the rest of my response-

From the photo, Rex appears to have a dry, cracked nose. You can apply Cod Liver oil to his nose TWO times daily to help moisturize it.

Also, the addition of Omega 3 fish oils to his diet, 1,000 mg ONE to TWO times daily would help decrease inflammation of his skin.

Find a holistic veterinarian to ‘fine’ tune his treatment, to treat Rex’s WHOLE body, not just the bumps on his face. Treatment must start ‘internally’, with diet and nutritional supplements playing a very important part. Also, homeopathic remedies would be helpful to treat the ‘vaccinosis’ part of his illness.

If he responds to improvement in diet, and nutritional support, a holistic veterinarian can help to decrease his ‘dependence’ on conventional drugs. AND if he does start to respond, he must NEVER receive any vaccinations again! If he is NOT responding to treatment, then I think you will know that it is time to not let him suffer.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Sorry to sound so discouraging in this response, but it is sad when holistic treatment is sought as a last resort, and when it does not help, conventional practitioners only confirm their beliefs that alternative methods are no good.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: This educational advice is based on the depth of your question and the picture you submitted. The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.

Related Pages:
– Canine Tumors (Dog Cancer),
– Dog Warts,
– Ask a Vet Online Library – Canine Tumors/Dog Cancer Section

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