The Dog Cancer Survival Guide (126 page)

There is some evidence that aloe vera stimulates the immune system, and it also has some antioxidant effects. There is some evidence for anti-cancer effects, but not enough to convince me to recommend it for that purpose. There is also a bioavailability issue with one of the most promising active ingredients, acemannan, which is difficult to absorb when taken by mouth. Aloe’s antioxidant benefits do not outweigh its interfering effects with Apocaps and the pro-oxidant chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
Low priority supplement; antioxidant that may interfere with more important therapeutics; bioavailability issues.

We’ve discussed the complicated role pro-oxidants and anti-oxidants play in cancer throughout this book. To restate, Apocaps, pro-oxidant chemotherapy drugs, and radiation therapy may have lower success rates if strong antioxidants are used. For this reason, I do not recommend potent commercial antioxidants that deliver mega-doses. Instead, I recommend offering food rich in naturally occurring antioxidants, and supplemental dietary levels of antioxidants. At these levels, antioxidants have been shown to benefit life quality and increase success. Poly MVA is also very expensive, which is a secondary reason for my excluding it from Full Spectrum cancer care.
Antioxidants may interfere with more important therapeutics; cost-prohibitive.

While components in artichoke extract have demonstrated anti-cancer effects, the number of pills needed is an impractical dose for dogs. Artichoke’s active ingredients are included in Apocaps, making a separate supplement redundant.
Redundant as a supplement if taking Apocaps; impractical doses.

The herb astralagus stimulates the immune system and has an antioxidant effect in the body (so it could interfere with pro-oxidant supplements like Apocaps, chemotherapy and radiation treatments). While there is some evidence that it has direct anticancer effects, it is not strong. For these reasons, I consider it a low-priority supplement. The exception would be if your dog does not tolerate medicinal mushrooms, and is not on Apocaps, pro-oxidant chemotherapy drugs, or radiation therapy.
Low-priority supplement.

This herb has a long historical record of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Its anti-cancer effects are promising and currently being substantiated in Western medicine. I am excited about the possibilities, but there is not enough data yet to start recommending it across the board.
May recommend in the future.

Beres Drops were created as an immune booster, but their efficacy was diminished when the product was reformulated without zinc. Zinc is included in Apocaps, which makes the Beres Drops a low priority.
Efficacy issues as formulated; redundant as a supplement if taking Apocaps.

Please see my comments about EGCG and green tea supplements.

Cat’s Claw is an herb with many reported uses, including as an anti-inflammatory; but the direct anti-cancer evidence is not strong. Because we don’t know much about Cat’s Claw, including what its active ingredients are, it is difficult to recommend a dosage. Also, published studies show the composition of its compounds can vary from batch to batch, because the plant grows in a variety of places at different times of year. It has antioxidant effects, but they do not outweigh its interfering effects on Apocaps and the pro-oxidant chemotherapy and radiation treatments. These reasons make it a low priority supplement.
Low priority supplement; batch variability; antioxidant that may interfere with more important therapeutics.

Components of chamomile have demonstrated anti-cancer effects, but the number of pills needed is impractical for dogs. Chamomile’s active ingredients are also included in Apocaps, making the separate supplement redundant.
Redundant as a supplement if taking Apocaps; impractical doses on its own.

This powerful antioxidant, which is found mainly in meat, is recommended on
page 149
for dogs with heart-related side effects. For any other case, its antioxidant effects can interfere with the effects of Apocaps, pro-oxidant chemotherapy and radiation treatments. It also has some bioavailability issues, so unless your dog is at risk for cardiac side effects, I do not recommend Co Q-10.
Low priority supplement; antioxidant that may interfere with more important therapeutics; bioavailability issues.

As I noted in the omega-3 discussion on page
204, cod liver oil has known toxicity issues in large doses. The dose required to offer meaningful support to dogs with cancer is very high. Using it could overdose dogs with fat-soluble vitamins, leading to toxicity.
Not safe.

Colloidal silver has antimicrobial effects and may be safe when used in small amounts, but there is little evidence of direct anticancer effects. Large amounts of this product are toxic to several body systems.
Not recommended; not safe.

I used to recommend the spice curcumin as a separate supplement because of its strong anticancer effects. Unfortunately, guardians had to jump through a lot of (rather messy) hoops in their kitchen to overcome bioavailability problems so the curcuminoids, the active ingredients in the spice, could be absorbed into the bloodstream. This difficulty in administration was one of the main reasons I created Apocaps. Curcumin is a primary ingredient in Apocaps, and absorption issues have been resolved. Giving curcumin separately is redundant and difficult.
Redundant as a supplement if taking Apocaps; bioavailability issues.

This popular herb stimulates natural killer cells in lab animals, but the evidence for direct benefit in actual cancer patients is flimsy. In fact, the real-life evidence of actual immune efficacy when used for infection is also flimsy. Mushroom-derived polysaccharides, or medicinal mushrooms, are a much better choice. If your dog does not tolerate medicinal mushrooms, consider echinacea’s use, but keep in mind that it is an antioxidant and may interfere with Apocaps, chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
Low priority supplement.

I used to recommend EGCG, the active ingredient in green tea, because of its cancer-fighting properties. However, I have since seen what I believe was EGCG interacting with other supplements in toxic ways, which leads me to make it a lowerpriority supplement, which in some cases should be avoided altogether. I am cautious about taking EGCG with quercetin (
page 422
), for example, because clinically my experience is that this combination may have caused anemia in dogs. I do not have any studies to refute or support my experience, but it’s a red flag for me. Quercetin is included in Apocaps, so if you are using them, I would avoid EGCG. I also do not recommend unrefined green tea extracts at all, because the stimulants in green tea may be unsafe for some dogs.
Low priority supplement; may not be safe in all dogs.

Eleuthero was named Siberian ginseng and has similar effects to ginseng, but it is not actually part of the ginseng family. This herb has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine for its antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects; it also helps the body resist stress. While these effects may be helpful for your dog, evidence for direct anti-cancer effects is not as strong as in other supplements I recommend. Because of this, and because of its potential for interfering with pro-oxidant therapies, I give eleuthero a lower priority than other supplements.
Low priority supplement.

Essiac, or Essiac tea, is an herbal blend purported to cure cancer. After in-depth review by several authorities, it does not appear to have any beneficial effects on cancer. In fact, a form of Essiac was found to stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells in vitro.
I do not recommend Essiac in any form.
Not recommended; may not be safe.

There are published studies demonstrating the anti-cancer effects of flax seeds, but the doses dogs need are huge. This makes it impractical to use for cancer treatments. Omega-3 fatty acids from krill and fish oil are a better choice.
Low priority supplement; impractical doses.

Constituents in garlic have demonstrated anticancer benefits, which is why it is recommended for use in your dog’s diet (see
Chapter 14
). However, garlic capsules may not be as useful as the actual food, because the active organosulfur compounds can become unstable when processed into a supplement. For this reason, I recommend using garlic in its natural state only, not in capsule form.
May be ineffective in capsule form; instead use natural food as outlined in Dog Cancer Diet.

(Note: Although it does have antioxidant effects, its anti-cancer effects are more important. I recommend using garlic even if you are also using Apocaps, pro-oxidant chemotherapy, or radiation treatments, under veterinary supervision.)

Constituents in ginger have demonstrated anti- cancer benefits, and ginger is also helpful in managing nausea. For these reasons, I recommend using ginger as an anti-nausea treatment, in your dog’s diet, and I have also added gingerols, the active ingredients, to Apocaps. Using pill forms of ginger in addition would be redundant.
Redundant as a supplement if taking Apocaps; use natural food as outlined in Dog Cancer Diet.

(Note: Although it does have antioxidant effects, ginger’s anti-cancer and anti-nausea effects are more important. I recommend using ginger even if you are also using Apocaps, pro-oxidant chemotherapy, or radiation treatments.)

There is some evidence that gingko biloba may help some oral tumors, but the overall evidence for direct anti-cancer activity is flimsy. I consider this a very low-priority supplement for most dogs with cancer.
Very low priority supplement.

Ginseng is an herb that has a wide variety of uses in Traditional Chinese medicine. It has some direct anti-cancer effects, but the evidence is not as strong as for other supplements I recommend. It also has an antioxidant effect in the body, which makes it a lower-priority supplement due to its interference with pro-oxidant chemotherapy, radiation, and Apocaps.
Low priority supplement.

Grape seed extract is sometimes recommended as a cancer supplement, but the data for actual anticancer benefits are very limited when compared to other supplements I recommend. Grapes are toxic for dogs, sometimes fatally so, and we do not yet know which specific compound causes that toxicity. For this reason, I recommend avoiding all products containing or extracted from grapes. Grape seed extract also has an antioxidant effect, which makes it less helpful for dogs on pro-oxidant chemotherapy, radiation, or Apocaps.
Low priority supplement; may not be safe for dogs.

There is evidence for grapefruit seed extract being an antimicrobial agent, but naringin and related compounds can affect the metabolism of some pharmaceuticals, including some chemotherapy drugs.
There is little evidence for anti-cancer benefits. In addition, the antioxidant benefits do not outweigh its interfering effects on Apocaps and the pro-oxidant therapies, chemotherapy and radiation. For these reasons, I do not recommend grapefruit seed extracts.
Not recommended; unsafe interactions are possible.

Hoxsey is a mixture of herbs created by an insurance salesman in the 1920’s and promoted as a cure for cancer. It has been found ineffective by several reviewing authorities, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Cancer Institute. The FDA banned its sale in the United States in 1960, but it is still talked about in online forums. Even Hoxsey didn’t believe in the Hoxsey Treatment or Hoxsey Method – he treated his own prostate cancer with conventional medicine. I do not recommend this treatment at all.
Not recommended.

Indole-3-carbinol is a naturally occurring compound found in many vegetables, but especially cruciferous vegetables like brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli. Studies have shown it has both anticarcinogenic and antioxidant effects. However, there is also some evidence that taking indole-3-carbinol as an oral supplement is toxic for dogs. It is for these safety concerns that I have excluded it, as well as the possibility that its antioxidant properties could interfere with important supplements like Apocaps, prooxidant chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Instead of using oral supplement forms, I recommend adding cruciferous vegetables to your dog’s diet as outlined in
Chapter 14
.
May not be safe; use natural food sources as outlined in dog cancer diet