The Dog Cancer Survival Guide (127 page)

These antioxidants may have some benefits for cancer patients, but they don’t outweigh the interfering effects with Apocaps, and the pro-oxidant therapies chemotherapy and radiation.
Antioxidant that may interfere with more important therapeutics.

Laetrile is usually made from apricot seeds or similar seeds, and has a complicated history of use and regulation. The evidence for laetrile’s actual effect on cancer is controversial, and there is some concern that hydrogen cyanide is released when it is metabolized. This concern is validated by literature reporting serious cyanide poisoning in children after ingesting apricot pits. Laetrile’s safety has never been assessed in dogs, and I do not recommend its use.
Not recommended; safety issues.

I used to recommend Lutimax because it is one of the only supplements featuring luteolin, which has strong anti-cancer effects in the body (discussed in
Chapter 12
). Unfortunately, it also contains xylitol, which has been shown to cause liver injury and hypoglycemia in dogs when given in large amounts. I used to recommend Lutimax because of its main ingredient, but the possible xylitol issue remained. Given the large number of guardians using Lutimax according to the Full Spectrum plan, I was concerned that a dog with low-dose xylitol sensitivity might show up. Safety is critical, so I included luteolin as a main ingredient in Apocaps. Taking Lutimax at the same time as Apocaps is redundant.
Redundant as a supplement if taking Apocaps; safety issues in large amounts.

The anti-inflammatory effects of Maritime Pine Bark are well documented, but evidence for its direct anti-cancer effects is flimsy when compared to other supplements I recommend. Its antioxidant benefits do not outweigh its interfering effects on
Apocaps and the pro-oxidant therapies chemotherapy and radiation.
Low priority supplement; antioxidant which may interfere with more important therapeutics.

In addition to other beneficial effects, constituents in milk thistle have demonstrated strong anti-cancer effects. However, the active compounds with anti-cancer properties (silymarin A and B and silybinin), are not easily absorbed by the body. To address this for dogs, I included silymarin and silybinin in Apocaps, and addressed the bioavailability issues with these ingredients. Using a separate milk thistle supplement would be redundant and much less effective due to the bioavailability problems when taken by mouth.
Redundant as a supplement if taking Apocaps; bioavailability issues.

Mistletoe may increase the life quality of cancer patients, but evidence for its direct anti-cancer benefits is flimsy. Its antioxidant benefits do not outweigh its interfering effects on Apocaps, pro-oxidant chemotherapy and radiation.
Low priority supplement; antioxidant that may interfere with more important therapeutics.

I am definitely interested in this relatively new substance, which clearly has a biologically active effect. However, systematic safety studies are lacking, and there is some evidence that it may be carcinogenic. I’m not comfortable recommending MMS at this time, but I may recommend it in the future if its safety is established.
May recommend in the future; safety not established.

The antioxidant effects of Onco Support don’t outweigh its interfering effects with Apocaps, prooxidant chemotherapy, and radiation.
Antioxidant that may interfere with more important therapeutics.

Pau d’arco is a South American tree reputed to be helpful for a variety of conditions. However, the tree itself is becoming scarcer every year, and imitation products are starting to hit the market. Pau d’arco contains hydroxyquinone, a known carcinogen, and, like Cat’s Claw, there is no standardization of the supplement. The batch variability and possibility of unsafe or synthetic ingredients makes me uncomfortable with recommending this supplement.
Not recommended; batch variability; may not be safe.

Prebiotics stimulate the growth and activity of the healthy bacteria in the digestive system. While they can be useful for digestive upset and general health, they do not have direct anti-cancer benefits, so I consider them a low-priority supplement. Please see the probiotics discussion for more information.
Low priority supplement.

Probiotics are live bacteria taken by mouth to promote a healthy digestive system. They can be useful in managing diarrhea and in some cases involving allergies or inflammatory gastro-intestinal diseases. They also have some nutritional benefit. However, probiotics lack specific anti-cancer actions in the body. Their lack of critical support for dogs with cancer makes them a low-priority supplement.
Low priority supplement.

Quercetin has good evidence for anti-cancer effects, but when taken by mouth has low absorption in the body. I like quercetin enough to include it in Apocaps, where its bioavailability issues are addressed. For this reason, taking a separate supplement is redundant.
Redundant as a supplement if taking Apocaps.

Red clover may have some use in bone tumor cases, because it may help with maintaining the bone’s integrity. Otherwise, its overall anti-cancer evidence is very flimsy. It has antioxidant effects, but they do not outweigh its interfering effects on Apocaps and the pro-oxidant therapies chemotherapy and radiation.
Very low priority supplement.

Resveratrol has good anti-cancer effects in vitro, but the bioavailability of the anti-cancer compounds in vivo is low. It has some application for cancers in the lining of the digestive tract, (where the substance can contact tumors directly), but otherwise I do not recommend it because its antioxidant effects in even low doses may interfere with treatments like Apocaps, pro-oxidant chemotherapy and radiation.
Low priority supplement, bioavailability issues.

This supplement may help with depression, which could affect survival times in human cancer patients. It also has benefit in cases of liver injury, as I mention on
page 107
and Dr. Ettinger explains on
page 397
. However, its benefits are not strong enough to recommend it across the board, because of its possible interference with Apocaps, pro-oxidant chemotherapy, and radiation. For these reasons, it is a low-priority supplement unless used to specifically protect the liver from potential toxicity.
Low priority supplement.

Shark cartilage has some isolated evidence for preventing angiogenesis, but the data is not strong. In addition to this, I am personally concerned because the harvesting of shark cartilage is a brutal process and may be threatening shark populations. For all of these reasons, I do not recommend shark cartilage.
Not recommended.

“Deal with it one day/ step at a time, and don’t jump ahead. Let outcomes unfold, rather than focusing on the worst case scenario. Don’t beat up on yourself. You did not cause your dog’s cancer. Don’t try to be brave. If you need to cry or do hours of research or watch action movies to feel better, go for it. If not, just love your dog. Don’t waste any energy on things you can’t do anything about. Use your energy to help your dog. Have courage when making the decisions you will have to for your dog’s well-being. Some will be hard, but if you keep the focus on giving your dog the best quality of life possible, they will be easier.”

- Susan McKay, Winnipeg, Manitoba

There are many websites listed in this book; the most important are compiled here for your easy reference. These were all active as of publication.

DogCancerBlog.com:
Visit my blog for my latest thoughts on dog cancer.

Apocaps.com:
Visit this site to find out more about Apocaps. You will find the product label, Frequently Asked Questions section for guardians, and a wealth of more technical information for vets.

DogCancerShop.com:
All of the supplements, books, and other items I have found useful for dogs with cancer can be found at this website powered by
www.Amazon.com
.

ACVIM.org:
The website for the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine has a “find a specialist” feature which can be used to find oncologists, neurologists, surgeons, or any other board-certified veterinary specialist.

VetCancerSociety.org:
The Vet Cancer Society is a professional organization for vets who specialize in oncology. You can also find out about active clinical research trials.

AHVMA.org:
The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association is a professional organization for holistic and alternative veterinarians. You can use the “find a holistic veterinarian” feature to find a vet in your area. You can also go directly to their search feature at HolisticVetList.com.

AAVA.org:
The American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture is an association for U.S. vets and licensed vets from other countries who have been trained in approved acupuncture/TCM programs. You can use their “find an acupuncturist” feature to find one in your area.