Prejudice in viewpoints on Dog Cancer Care
ByOne of the things I realized in my quest for defining what I’ve coined a “full spectrum approach” to treating cancer is personal bias.
I am not talking about racial or sexual discrimination of course. Rather, something I realized that we all carry within us, and I include myself in this, is the presence of viewpoints that condemn before investigation.
Condemnation before investigation is a concept that was put forth by William Haley, a British philosopher and theologian in the 1700’s, and later attributed to Herbert Spencer. The idea is that something is immediately criticized before actually checking it out first to see if there is merit.
The danger in this process is that limits the options we have in treating dog cancer. Branches of medicine tend to be divided between conventional (allopathic, Western, etc.) which is your chemo/radiation/surgery, and alternative, which tends to lean towards deficiency correction, nutrition, mind/body, homeopathy, Chinese medicine, and is a general catch-all for what is “not” Western.
Here’s the problem: one finds that members of one group, more often than not, poo-poo the other group. Without really checking it out first. Condemnation before investigation.
How many times have a heard an “alternative” dog owner tell me that antibiotics are “bad”? How many times have I heard a colleague blow off the idea that the pet food a dog eats can affect his long-term health? That herbs are silly? How about that surgery is just a bad idea? No real evidence that acupuncture does anything?
These viewpoints are rooted in the same mental process that produces racial prejudice and bigotry against women. They are belief systems arising from indoctrination, reflexive responses, peer pressure, fear of criticism, and attachment to the ego.
There is only condemnation of the other perspective or person. No investigation. No allowing of a “what if…”
When medical people do this, options that could be used to help save a dog with cancer are never explored, the mind is never really allowed to do its job, and we are faced with resulting survival statistics that are garbage.
The key is investigation and avoiding our attachment to certain viewpoints. Only in this way can we create new ideas and evolve at a decent pace.
I am hard at work on a manuscript that attempts to avoid this partisan approach to medicine, and uses a Full-Spectrum approach to create a comprehensive plan for dogs with cancer.
Cancer, whether in canines or people, can be snuffed out. The key is really considering the possibilities…allowing that cure and non-toxic remissions to exist as real possibilities…and avoiding condemnation before investigation.
Best to all,
Dr D
About the Author
Dr. Demian Dressler, DVM is known as the "dog cancer vet" and is author of Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Beyond Surgery, Chemotherapy & Radiation. Visit his blog and sign up free to get the latest information about canine cancer. Go to http://DogCancerBlog.com.
6 Comments
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:13 am
Hi, Dr. Dressler,
I’ve just found your blog, and I’m so grateful for what I’ve learned here already. Melatonin will be added to my dog’s supplements tonight and the Ester C will be dropped. I’ll speak with our vet about injectable Vit C!
We have a 9-yr-old, 75-pound Doberman mix who has Synovial Sarcoma in her left elbow. After MUCH anguished deliberation my husband and I have decided NOT to amputate, although that’s been the strong advice from 2 orthopedics and 2 oncologists. We have instead chosen to treat Lucy with oral Neoplasene, changed her diet to as much a cancer-fighting diet as we can, and have been pouring on the supplements AND the love! =)
I’m wondering if you have any words of advice on treating such a cancer. Almost None of the cancer-in-canine information I find addresses Synovial Sarcoma. I’ve just been trying to learn from the information given about all the other more common forms of cancer in dogs.
Any guidence will be appreciated; and I want to say Thank You for this particular post, showing that an open mind can allow more possibilities in helping your sick dog. Unfortunately, of the 4 Vets mentioned above, none of them would give me the time of day when I asked about the Neoplasene possibility. I went to a vet who had used accupuncture on my arthritic Dalmatian and learned that she had Neo on her shelf!! She’s a regular DVM, too; so that shows that there are some vets who try to employ whatever tools there are to help their patients, but there are More who can’t seem to think outside the box.
Thank you for being one of the free-thinkers! =)
November 26th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Sarcomas are a nightmare. But..do some research on Lutimax. Not commonly used in dogs, and not a recommendation for your individual dog. But you may find that luteolin has some nice anti-inflammatory effects (and less joint capsule pain), and some nice anti-cancer effects, which could be a double whammy to help. It is used more commonly for ALS in humans but if you go back to the original abstracts you will see there is more to it.
Check it out and get your vet to translate the science and work with you!
Made by SynoRX.
D
February 22nd, 2009 at 3:34 pm
My 13 year old Westie-Poo was diagnosed with bladder cancer about two and half months ago. They wanted to remove the mass, I opted for non-surgical intervention as the mass had already invaded the bladder wall and you know there are no guarantees. They did a biopsy with a scope and sent the pathology to an outside lab. The results came back “inconclusive” as they did not have an actual tissue sample. My dog is on the following: Royal Canon HE (dry & wet), Ultimate All In One Nutrition Canine Health Formula supplement powder by Andrew Jones, DVM, Doxycline 50mg every 12 hours, Piroxicam 2mg once daily (w/food) and Artemisinin 25mg/daily (three days on and four days off). Three ultrasounds have been done and the last one showed a decrease in the mass.
Can you comment on her treatment. Also, I did not get a second opinion. Financially I cannot afford surgical intervention and chemo treatments and frankly, putting a 13 year old dog through that would only add maybe a year to her life. Do labs absolutely need a tisue sample to make a conclusie finding of cancer?
I have your Dog Cancer Coping Guide DVD and workbook and I thank you for it. Job well done! I was angry when I learned of my dog’s cancer and found that Iams’ foods sold to vets contained the dreaded preservative ethoxyquin. She was not Iams food for long, and I did contact the Iams folks and told them what I thought. Even my vet did not know that Iams foods sold to vets contained ethoxyquin.
Your site is outstanding and I am so happy that through James Jacobson I found both your site and that of Dr. Jones. Keep up the great work you are doing.
Thank you.
Judith Conigliaro
Grand Rapids, MI
gee_a_puppy@yahoo.com
March 7th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Thanks!
D
March 7th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Yes, you need something for the pathologist. Otherwise it is educated guesses-
D
June 7th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
[...] Prejudice in viewpoints on Dog Cancer Care Posted by root 4 hours ago (http://www.dogcancerblog.com) My 13 year old westie poo was diagnosed with bladder cancer about two and half months ago they did a biopsy with a scope and sent the pathology to an outside lab can you comment on her treatment also i did not get a second opinion flexx theme by ithemes p Discuss | Bury | News | Prejudice in viewpoints on Dog Cancer Care [...]