Ginger to Help Dogs with Cancer
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: May 7th, 2021
Summary
Ginger to help dogs with cancer? YES! This inexpensive, great-smelling, pungent root is great for your dog. Learn why and how to use it.
Okay, I got a great one for you today. It’s cheap, easy and safe, and it smells good too: ginger to help dogs with cancer.
Why Ginger? Here’s Why:
Sound too easy, too good to be real? It’s not. Ginger has some decent anticancer effects, and some major other benefits relevant to dogs tumors.
First the anticancer effects, which are pretty fair:
Ginger slowed the rate of breast cancer growth in mice, and kills lymphosarcoma cells in a test tube. Ginger has been shown to decrease tumor necrosis factor alpha, which is a chemical signal in dogs’ bodies that stimulate cancer cell growth. It also decreases inflammation. Inflammation is a central process in cancer development. This aromatic tuber has immune stimulating ability as well, a plus since dogs with cancer usually are immune suppressed. Chemo, radiation and surgery also weaken immunity. These are all nice effects, good stuff.
But, the real winner with ginger is that it decreases nausea. Decreased appetite caused by nausea is really common in dogs with cancer. Feeling sick to the stomach can be caused by the cancer itself, or by chemo, surgery or radiation. Ginger has been shown to decrease vomiting as much as the most popular injection to fight nausea on vets’ shelves, metoclopramide. There is also published literature showing it fights vomiting caused by cisplatin, a common chemo drug, in dogs.
Not too shabby for an item sitting in the veggie section of the grocery store!
How to Prepare Ginger for your Dog
Ginger can also be found in extracts and powders, but I like the raw stuff. Remove the skin of the root with a knife. The inside will be yellow and smell quite pungent. Using a heavy, sharp chopping knife, finely mince the yellow portion of the root.
- Dogs 10 pounds and under: give 1/4 teaspoon, ideally three times per day
- Dogs 10.1-35 pounds: give 1/2 teaspoon, ideally three times per day
- Dogs 35.1 pounds and over: give 3/4 teaspoon, ideally three times per day
When to avoid ginger:
Don’t use ginger within 10 days of surgery, as it may have mild blood-thinning effect. Avoid it if your dog is on aspirin, and discuss with your vet if your dog is on anti-inflammatory medication like Rimadyl, Metacam, Deramaxx, Etogesic, and others. Ginger may have blood sugar lowering effects and reduce the insulin requirement, so talk it over with your vet BEFORE starting, or simply avoid ginger if your dog is on insulin. Avoid using ginger in dogs with gallstones (rare) or ulcers. And finally, don’t use if your dog is on heart or blood pressure meds, as it may lower blood pressure slightly by itself.
Like any food, medication, or supplement, ginger can occasionally cause digestive upset in some dogs.
Hope it helps!!!!
Best to all,
Dr Dressler
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.
Dr. Dressler,
Thank you so much for publishing this excellent blog post! I was in the middle of writing a blog post about my personal experience in the usage of ginger for various canine ailments and I wanted to find some expert advice to back my personal, yet unprofessional, experience. I was so happy to find this article! Since I have mentioned you in the post, as a courtesy, I am sending you a link to my blog post. (editor note: unfortunately the link provided no longer works, so has been deleted)
My 10 year old lab was rushed to hospital and had surgery last night for cancer. She had her spline removed and a 2cm piece off of her liver. There are more spots on her liver. I ordered the book to read before she comes home tomorrow to try to help her in any way I can. She will be getting chemo I guess… is that best to help her or will it cause more pain? She is my life next to my 3 kids and husband. She is the only person in my life who has given back to me when everyone else took. Please let me know what I can do to give back to her for all she has done for me and my family. Kathy
If using ground ginger root in a capsule what dosage should be used, ie how many milligrams? This is for my mom’s dog. My mom is in her 80’s so we’d like to keep things as easy for her as possible — capsules versus chopping raw ginger. Thank you.
Hello
I have a handsome 10 year old lab mix name Cisco. I notice he has a fatty pouch on his right side. What homemade remedy can I put on it to reduce it. I have been giving him tumeric in this food. I was wondering about putting the castor oil on it. Thanks so much
I am currently treating my dogs for heartworm using Hulda Clark’s detox/parasite removal regimen. I wonder if you are familiar with her teachings. What I have read so far has left me mindboggled. But it all makes sense. A friend of mine has an old (over 16 human years) golden girl named Sassy. When I first met them a few months ago, she told me about a tumor on one of her paws she has been battling with for more than a year. After a lot of research I am convinced she has bonecancer. I started having my friend wrap Sassy’s the paw in a clay poultice, changing it every day (now twice a day). The tumor eventually went down and the rosetta shaped chambers fell off, leaving nice clean tissue. She stopped with the clay and soon a sore reappeared. I scolded her for stopping and allowing Sassy to lick on it constantly. I am pretty sure the cancer is advanced, because now the poultices are forever drawing puss from other regions around where the original tumor was. She’s keeping it wrapped now and I also had her to start the same regimen as I am doing with my dogs, since Hulda Clark’s research has brought her to the conclusion that cancer is connected to parasites (among other things). This is just in a nutshell. I wonder if you are familiar with her research and what you think about it. I am using parsley water, black walnut hull, woodworm, and cloves. I also added Hawthorm berry, burdock, pau d’arco, They love to nibble on the cleaver growing wild around my yard, sometimes I pick dandelion and add it to their meals (food processed of course), which consists of carrots, some green leaf veggie (kale, greens), sometimes legumes, sometimes soy bean sprouts, celery, squash, red or green cabagge, fresh garlic or powder, cooked brown rice or sweet potatoes, and some meat (cut up or ground). I switch around so they get a little variety. After that they get a chicken leg quarter. Occasionally they also get either chicken or turkey necks, pig feet, or a soup bone. Occasionally I add chicken or beef liver or kidney, beef heart, chicken heart or gizzards. My diogs range from 60-80 lbs. I have also recently read that turmeric is supposed to cause tumors (of any kind) to shrink and go away. I gave some to my friend for Sassy and told her to start giving it to her right away. Sorry this got a bit lengthy, but your input would be greatly appreciated.
Dear Christel,
yes, I am familiar with her. Some of her claims have some merit.
Good luck,
Dr D
My dog has been fighting Lymphoma for 3 months. she had heavy chemo the first 5 weeks at $400 a shot. We have maxed out our credit cards and don’t know what else to do. The vet gave us some low dose chemo pills, and predizone that she takes every other day, Her lymph nodes are still growing. I read your column on ginger and started it today. Is there any thing else that we can do to reduce the swelling? Thank you
My 11 yr. old golden retriver (love of my life) has been diagnoised with HSA. She recently had surgery to have her spleen removed. I am currently feeding her a high protein – low carb diet. I am including these supplements to her meal…c (1000 2x daily) A – E -Ginseng (500mg)- Alfalfa – alpha Lipoic Acid – echinacea extract and pet tabs. Are these supplements safe for her.
Thank you.
Inez,
I will address this question in this week’s webinar,
Thank you!
Dr D
FYI if you can’t make the webinar time, no worry, you can listen later as it is recorded,
D
My dog’s lungs are filled with tumors my vet says she doesn’t have much time left. I heard Red Clover is good for dog’s with cancer. What do you know about this? Can this be given safely with prednisone?
Abbey, yes:
the possible blood lowering effect of ginger would make me avoid it in the case of either insulinoma or other factors that could also cause low blood sugar. Thanks for sharing this information!
Best,
D
So if my dog has a pancreatic tumor (cancer of the pancreas) which secretes an insulin like substance causing her blood sugar to drop, she should not have ginger. Just confirming b/c this sounds like the one situation where a dog with a cancer diagnosis should not ingest ginger.