Essiac: Could It Cause What It’s Treating??
Dr. Demian Dressler is internationally recognized as “the dog cancer vet” because of his innovations in the field of dog cancer management, and the popularity of his blog here at Dog Cancer Blog. The owner of South Shore Veterinary Care, a full-service veterinary hospital in Maui, Hawaii, Dr. Dressler studied Animal Physiology and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Davis before earning his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. After practicing at Killewald Animal Hospital in Amherst, New York, he returned to his home state, Hawaii, to practice at the East Honolulu Pet Hospital before heading home to Maui to open his own hospital. Dr. Dressler consults both dog lovers and veterinary professionals, and is sought after as a speaker on topics ranging from the links between lifestyle choices and disease, nutrition and cancer, and animal ethics. His television appearances include “Ask the Vet” segments on local news programs. He is the author of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Full Spectrum Treatments to Optimize Your Dog’s Life Quality and Longevity. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Avian Veterinarians, the National Animal Supplement Council and CORE (Comparative Orthopedic Research Evaluation). He is also an advisory board member for Pacific Primate Sanctuary.
Updated: November 14th, 2018
For years, Essiac has been touted as an herbal anti-cancer remedy. It got a lot of publicity and press, and has become entrenched in the minds of the alternative health community.
It is used to a great extent, and some use it for dog cancer treatment. Let’s look at this a little closer.
Many are familiar with the old saying, “First, do no harm.” This is the translation of the original latin, primum non nocere. Some believe it to be part of the Hippocratic oath, but the saying probably was coined by a French doctor alive during the 1700’s and 1800’s.
When we are coping with a canine cancer diagnosis, primum non nocere takes on a whole new meaning, in particular in the realm of conventional care. Side effects are more concerning in cancer medicine than in almost any other branch of traditional medicine.
We must remember though that the so-called “natural” treatments also have side effects. This should be a critical aspect of selecting which are used, and how, and when.
When I was evaluating Apocaps, a big part of the development was safety. Regular blood tests were done investigating 28 dogs over time to make sure all the internal organs were healthy. This type of consideration is important for a loved family member.
Now, when making the choice to use an intervention, I am hoping that the reader will want information. Being your dog’s primary health advocate means that you are in the driver’s seat, that you must take an active role with your veterinarian or oncologist in creating a plan for your loved dog.
Now, at the risk of offending some, I feel that we should really look at the use of Essiac before charging into it. I have yet to see an “in vivo” study (in real life bodies, not in test tubes or petri dishes) that really show that Essiac does something real.
Okay, I will admit that not everything that works has an official clinical trial to back it up. But what if there is a published study suggesting it may do harm?
This is the case with Essiac. There is actually a study in rats that suggests that Essiac may literally increase the risk (promote growth) of breast cancer. Here is the abstract for you to read yourself.
Ouch! This is not what I would reach for in treating a dog with cancer, personally speaking. It just gives me the heebie jeebies that this data exists. Seriously, it is like giving an antibiotic that may actually be a capsule with germs in it. Granted, I am sure there are many examples where the patient did not have tumor growth, but non the less I would not want to risk worsening anything without clear, definite advantages to the choice.
So that’s the scoop on Essiac for now. For more information on aspects like this, check out the Dog Cancer Survival Guide.
Best,
Dr D
Dr. Demian Dressler is internationally recognized as “the dog cancer vet” because of his innovations in the field of dog cancer management, and the popularity of his blog here at Dog Cancer Blog. The owner of South Shore Veterinary Care, a full-service veterinary hospital in Maui, Hawaii, Dr. Dressler studied Animal Physiology and received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Davis before earning his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. After practicing at Killewald Animal Hospital in Amherst, New York, he returned to his home state, Hawaii, to practice at the East Honolulu Pet Hospital before heading home to Maui to open his own hospital. Dr. Dressler consults both dog lovers and veterinary professionals, and is sought after as a speaker on topics ranging from the links between lifestyle choices and disease, nutrition and cancer, and animal ethics. His television appearances include “Ask the Vet” segments on local news programs. He is the author of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide: Full Spectrum Treatments to Optimize Your Dog’s Life Quality and Longevity. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Avian Veterinarians, the National Animal Supplement Council and CORE (Comparative Orthopedic Research Evaluation). He is also an advisory board member for Pacific Primate Sanctuary.
My 3 year old pooch has lymphoma bad. Declining rapidly. Steriods help a little. I use cantron, curcumin, astragulus, beta glucan essiac(BSST) artemisinin, bromalain, probiotics, boiled chicken, broc.
Chemo is not a viable option. My wife had it with breast cancer, and I doubt I would ever do that to myself or my dog.
The big issue is not the trust of real science but of the money grubbers behind it.
Wall street and government are corrupted as with pharma and conventional medicine. Doctors take the word of pharma, because they are forced to except for the holistic ones that get ridiculed at length.
No organization that makes big money treating cancer wants a cure, PERIOD.
On the other hand holistic methods have worked great for some and a complete failure for others. Nature has no simple remedy for a complex toxic world.
As bad off as my sweet little pup is, nothing is working. I am leaning towards hospice from hollisitic, in only two weeks of noticing lymph node enlargement and ten days from needle aspirate results.
ANother problem arises that who knows the quality of the holistic herbs and spices? A crappy herb could be used to make an ineffective supplement, just like a crappy grown crop for human consumption.
Good luck to all you dog lovers with sick pets. This truly does suck.
Here is a cancer treatment that I am using successfully on my 14 year old husky. He was diagnosed over 8 months ago with cancer and three vets suggested he be put down because he had no quality of life and to old for chemotherapy. His tumor under his left eye was the size of a golf ball bleeding thru the gums an lethargic. Now 9 months later tumor is smaller than the tip of my little finger. His energy and quality of life returned. My friends, family and neighbors are shocked. I am no doctor but consulted several with one suggesting Proxicam.
Here is what I researched and discussed with my vet and so far has worked better than I hoped. My dog weighs 50 lbs.
1 proxicam pill (anti-inflammatory)
2 gel caps full of baking soda
2 gel caps full of essaic
High protein diet.
The theory is this, shrink the cancer thru anti-inflammatories such as Proxicam.
Baking soda creates an alkaline environment, that makes it more difficult for the cancer to survive.
Essaic tea supports the immune system. I would suggest researching essaic ingredients separately, I believe there are studies that do support improvement with some of the herbs in essaic. This is just my opinion and was compelled to post this in hopes it may help others.
It was proven over 40 years ago that it works. Who are you, anyway? Need convincing? Get cancer and try it – like JFK’s personal physician did. It worked. Give those who need the non-toxic alternative the opportunity. Don’t be a smarty pants dunderhead!
Dear Bobby,
I don’t usually respond to comments that stoop to name calling, but you should be advised that one of the main thrusts of efforts on this blog are to assess non-toxic alternatives that may have benefit in treatment and encourage their use. It you were to take some time to read this blog and even go so far as to read the Guide this would become quite clear.
Essiac’s data right now, (and this may change in the future) is rather flimsy overall. But if it is in actuality the cure for cancer, I look forward to cancer being eradicated within the next few months and we can live in a cancer-free world from now on.
Time will tell.
D
I am a little surprised that you would link to an abstract about Essiac tea when it is actually concerns another product which is a knock off of the original.While they share some common ingredients, they are not the same product. I will continue to use the original Canadian brand of Essiac in my dog’s protocol.
Dear Penny,
Although I can understand your decision, there is very little actual evidence that essiac helps, in spite of its history of use. Just my “two cents”.
Maybe you have access to some data I have not found??
Dr D
What are your thoughts on green tea for dogs with cancer? And would this be the same kind of green tea that people drink?
I’ve had my pitbull on Essiac, K9 Immunity and fish oil since she was diagnosed with bone cancer in October of last year. She has improved greatly even when the vets and surgeons wanted to amputate, radiate and perform chemo. As you have pointed out in your book, be your dogs best advocate and that’s what I’m doing. The decision not to amputate, I believe was the right one as was the decision to use Essiac and K9 Immunity. Until more evidence is clear on Essiac, I will continue to use it for my dog’s anti-cancer treatment.
Scott
Treatment options are very confusing. My 6 yr old Australian Shepherd has been diagnosed (needle biopsy) with Chemodectoma in an “odd” spot…it is under her jawbone and around her Caroid artery. Surgery is out due to limited margin around tumor (about the size of 1/2 golfball from the outside).
I am meeting with a Canine Oncologist tomorrow and I don’t know what to ask…I guess we would like to treat her with medicine—but, not if it is going to decrease her quality of life.
Lisa
I wonder if it is the high iron content in Essiac that contributes to or causes this. I have heard of using IP-6 to bind iron in cancer so apparently a lot of iron is not desirable in a cancer patient. This reminds me of how confused I was with what to try with my dog who passed with cancer last year. Essiac was something I considered but never used. It is the most helpless feeling of not knowing what might help and what might hurt to try.
Lilly
Your commnets about Essaic are exactly why I do not use any supplements that have not been studied in extensive clinical trials.
“Natural treatments” that have not been researched have unknown side effects, unknown dosages, shelf life, efficacy etc. There seems to be movement a foot against science and scientific studies these days. Very scary. I’ll take traditional western medicine so I don’t have to worry about what I have given my dog when information finally becomes available, such as with Essaic.There are exciting discoveries being made almost daily by brillant researchers yet many prefer to ignore research. Give me science over ignorance!
Thank you,
Susan Spinhirne
Greetings,
I had a Bulldog with a chemodectoma situated at the heart base and encompassing the aorta. He underwent traditional chemo and I gave him essaic I had prepared daily. He survived for 2.5 years. The veterinary cardiologists were surprised. So, perhaps the essaic was beneficial for this particular cancer.
Respectfully, Martine Cantler