Don’t make the mistake of feeding your sick dog “normal dog food,” only to brutally regret not feeding him an anti-cancer diet after he’s gone.
“The anti-cancer diet may not be as appealing as other diets,” says integrative veterinarian Carol Osborne, DVM, with the Chagrin Falls Pet Clinic in Ohio, “but it has proven to be palatable and nutritious for many cancer ridden canines and is quite affordable.”
Your dog’s oncologist may not have given you any dietary recommendations to fight the cancer, and instead is treating your pet only with drugs, surgery and radiation—perhaps with absolutely zero mention of “the right diet,” for that matter.
Don’t let that sway you away from an anti-cancer diet for your dog.
“Homemade canine cancer diets are formulated similarly to today’s Atkin’s diets,” says Dr. Osborne.
Cancer Loves Sugar
“One major nutritional goal with cancer is to try to minimize dietary sugars, the primary food source cancer cells depend on to thrive and spread through your pet’s body,” explains Dr. Osborne.
“We therefore minimize carbohydrates, which unfortunately have become the mainstay of the American diet for pets and people alike, and replace them with proteins and fat.
“Because cancer is a wasting disease, in addition to maintaining your dog’s energy level, we must also try to maintain his body weight and muscle mass.”
Dog Anti-Cancer Diet Tips
- One gram fat = nine kilocalories; one gram carbohydrate (sugar) = only four kilocalories; so fat provides more energy.
- Carbs are found in: dry dog food including grain-free; pasta, potatoes, bread, rice, biscuits, yogurt, ice cream.
- The anti-cancer diet should be half protein, half vegetables (fresh or frozen, not canned).
- Protein: chicken (include skin and fat), turkey, pork, fish (not tilapia), eggs, tofu.
- Do not boil the meat; grill, broil, bake or fry.
- Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, spinach, etc.
- Avoid carrots (too sugary), peas and corn.
- Absolutely avoid fruits.
- If your dog turns away from this anti-cancer diet, spruce it up with a few teaspoons of stage 2 baby food (chicken flavor).
- Feed your dog small meals every four to six hours while awake.
Anti-Cancer Diet for Dogs by Weight recommended by Dr. Osborne:
- 15 pound: ½ cup twice daily; ¼ cup 4 times daily
- 30 pound: 1 cup twice daily; 1/2 cup 4 times daily
- 60 pound: 2 cups twice daily; 1 cup 4 times daily
- 90 pound: 3 cups twice a day; 11/2 cup 4 times a day
Do NOT allow the extra money, preparation, time and energy of feeding your dog an anti-cancer diet divert you from taking this crucial measure.
Do NOT allow naysayers to get to you (people have been conditioned since an early age to believe that the only way to treat cancer is with drugs, radiation and surgery).
Until medical science comes up with a cure for canine cancer, this dietary approach makes as much sense—possibly way much more—as the “conventional” treatment.
Dr. Osborne is a world-renowned integrative veterinarian and a pioneer in anti-aging medicine and longevity research for pets. She holds dog and cat scientific patents.
