Spice of Life: Curcumin and Dog 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: August 5th, 2019
In researching topics for expanded treatments of dog cancer, I have discovered surprises aplenty.
Because of the desire for options beyond surgery, chemo and radiation for dog cancer, I chose to look in areas that I would have ignored just a few years back.
One of the hottest topics in cancer research right now is the dietary flavonoid group. This is just a bunch of substances that are found in foods which have beneficial effects against cancer.
We all know that certain foods or dietary choices have influence on cancer development and overall health. I came accross a statistic in human medicine that stated that about one third of cancers in people could have been prevented with lifestyle choices (this was excluding the effects of cigarette smoking).
One of the biggest lifestyle choices is the inclusion of certain foods that combat the effects of environmental carcinogens, genetic tendencies, trace water pharmaceuticals, viral DNA changes, dietary carcinogens, electrical field effects, and more.
Most of these naturally occuring flavanoids have very low toxicities. One of the biggies is curcumin.
Curcumin is found in turmeric, which is the spice that is used in curries. Curcumin is exceedingly interesting for dogs with cancer. It is one of the core ingredients I use in cancer supplement programs for my patients and I have seen literal shrinkage of different dog lumps, like hemangiosarcomas of the skin, fatty tumors (lipomas) , fibrosarcomas, and plasmacytomas. I rely on it a lot.
This substance is being used as a model for tons of anticancer drugs in development right now. Here is some info. Over 40 different curcumin analogs (new drugs using curcumin as a template) are being researched at Ohio State University.
Why not just use the curcumin, instead of going through all the bother of making these new drugs? There are two main reasons.
My grandfather left me these wise words: “When you want to find the reason for something, look for the dollar.”
So of course money has something to do with it. You can’t patent a naturally occurring compound. However, if you tweak its structure to produce a synthetic analog, get the lawyers together to protect the intellectual property, patent it, you are set for years. In this way big pharma protects profits.
Secondly, curcumin has some bioavailability problems. This means that the stuff doesn’t, to a large extent, get absorbed into the blood after it is taken by mouth. However, there are ways around this.
If you want to find out more about curcumin, please read the next post!!
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.
I have a 14 year old Samoyed that has a large tumor, probably on the spleen but possibly the liver. He is otherwise healthy. He eats well, plays, and has full interest in his normal activity. However, the tumor bled a couple of days ago (internally), his gums paled, and he nearly died. Somehow the bleeding must have stopped and he has been regaining strength. He is a bit weak in his hind legs, but is completely alert. At 53 pounds, he’s lost weight, especially considering that the tumor is most certainly a few pounds itself. What should I dose him? I will buy the guide and read it, but I’m hoping for information from you now that I can start him on immediately. Any help is appreciated!
Dear Phil
I am sorry your Sammy is experiencing this.
bleeding tumors usually require surgery during an exploratory (after doing lab work and imaging). This is step one. A biopsy can be taken which will inform us of the right conventional treatment plan. I would start with yunnan baiyao under veterinary supervision:
https://www.dogcancerblog.com/blog/chinese-herb-for-bleeding-dog-cancers/
Once you get the book you can focus on the other steps…
Best,
dr D
Dr. Dressler, i have a 12yr old jack russell (20lbs), she started holding her back leg up while standing and skipping when she walks. I have taken her to 2 vets and have gotten 2 different diagnoses (1 said it was a luxating patella and recommended me to see an OrthoVet. I took her to a different vet for a 2nd opinon. He did an ortho exam and could not find antyhing wrong, x-rays were good and so were blood tests (liver enzymes elevated, but he said that was probalby due to the steriod shot and metacam she was on, both did not phase her). He acts normal, walks fine, healthy appetitite, but after 6 weeks still holding her leg up. It seems like her leg is colder to the touch than her other leg. I have stopped her walks in fear of doing more damage and hope it heals. I have also started her on a high protein grain-free diet, adding a little turmeric. she has been taking fish oil and glucosomine for a long time. What is your opinion? Thanks so much.
Dear Diane,
I am sorry, I cannot diagnose a lameness over the internet. When in doubt though, check the patella and the lumbosacral area of the vertebral column.
D
Hello,
My australian/border collie cross 7 year old female was diagnosed with CCL (torn knee ligament) 4 weeks ago. She was limping severely and the vet recommended surgery. After a week she also lost some movement in the other hind leg, and had difficulty walking at all. My neighbor the accupuncturist tried that on her and thought it was more of a lower spine problem. She has come back quite well after 5 treatments, but had to go out of town for 10 days, so have relied on the vet’s anti inflammatory Metacam. After some research we are now giving her Glucosamine and Condroitin with MSM, and also Turmeric for pain. She can walk slowly, but sits frequently, with difficulty getting up.
My question is, am I doing the right combination of natural meds? I am still away from home for another week and don’t want to see her in pain. Is there something else I should try? It seems funny that her whole rear end is not working well if she has a torn ligament? Thanks for any comments, Willy
hi
i have a miniature poodle almost 2 years old, how much turmeric I can give him. Can i cook his ground beef with turmeric?
Thanks
Dear Sara
please consult with your vet on all doses and recommendations. I would suggest Apocaps which has the active ingredient in turmeric (curcumin) in a highly bioavailable form…and it is labeled for dogs over 5 lbs…and has a variety of other beneficial compounds.
If you do not want to use Apocaps, send us the body weight and we will give a dose to discuss with your vet..
best
Dr D
Hi, I am taking care of my mom’s dog after she had a stoke. My mother never took the dog to the vet or gave him any vaccine shots. She fed him regular commercial chip food and gave her food scraps such as fruit, vegetables, bread, etc. Kendy is now 21yo (human years) and still a happy, active and very alive dog. He’s lost some theta but he’s still have good appetite and behaves like a puppy. Recently he’s developed somme skin tumors and vocalizes a lot. He’s a small which is a mix of many, many breeds and we call them “Puertorrican Sato”.
How much turmeric can I give him?
hola como ha funcionado la curcumina para hemangiosarcoma? Mi sobrina de 23 años murio de angiosarcoma en el mes de diciembre. necesito saber si ha tenido exito con la curcumina
atte: ema
D. Dressler,
I have two labs both are 11 1/2. One, Abbey, has a tumor attached to her heart and x-rays show fluid and/or tumor growths in her lungs. I have started to give her tumeric along with Essiac tea and enzyme supplements. I have a hard time trying to get her to eat when I put these herbs into her food. I use the powder pill form and fold it up in a treat. From what I’m understanding, this may or may not be beneficial to a dog in this form?? Can you give me any advice? I read stop giving dog food but EVERYTHING I have made for her she turns her head to. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much, Heather
Hi Dr D,
My dog Kia (10 yrs old shih-tzu) has lymphoma and is given 8 wks to live. She’s currently on amoxil and prednsone. I’m still hopeful. I read about turmeric and I sprinkled it on her food and she seems to like it. How much should I be giving a 15lbs dog? Thanks in advance 🙂
Chers
Dr D, We have 2 Great Danes (male) Max weighs 180 lbs and (female) Sage weighs 140 lbs, we are having some issues with both dogs. Max is having inflammation which is causing him to drag his back paw at times and Sage has a few bumps that seem to be getting bigger every year. The ages of our Danes (Max) and (Sage) are: 7 & 4. What dosage of the Turmericforce would you recommend for them?
Dear Dan and Molly,
if you want a superior form of plant based NSAID constituents, I use Apocaps in my patients. The reason is that curcumin at high bioavailability is contained in this supplement, along with luteolin, silymarin, and apigenin. And plus, I created the preparation, so I trust it. My two cents…don’t forget to keep your vet in the loop on all medical choices with your dogs. For dogs like these I usually use about half the labelled dose.
Best,
Dr D
My 13 year old mixed lab has a large tumor on his liver. He had stopped eating, lost a lot of weight, and became weak in his hind legs. The vet says he might not live past a month–diagnosed Feb 2011. I began giving him chicken cooked with turmeric, garlic and cardamon–sprinkled with cinnamon to enhance his smell. He began eating and has not stopped. He has gained all of his weight back plus more; goes for walks; can go up and down the steps in our home without problems; playful; eyes bright. I actually think the tumor has shrunk! He definitely does not look like he’s on death’s door anymore.
Dear Thelma,
this is great news! Have you started the cancer diet? There is a lot of useful information that has taken years to compile in the Guide. It is an easy read and I think it can make a big difference.
Best
Dr D
A friend went to the health store to buy some curcumin for my dog who has cancer. They sold him cumin in bulk, and told him to sprinkle it on his food.. They said that cumin is the same as curcumin. Is that true.?
Dear Karen,
no, unfortunately that is not true. Curcumin is found in turmeric, not cumin.
Your friend should look into the Guide!
Best,
Dr D
Doctor Dressler: Our beautiful, healthly 6 yr. old labador retriever Hallie just had a needle biopsy of a bump on the side of her head which is a mass cell tumor. We are frightened and Tuesday 8 March 2011 she will have it removed. Hopefully it will be a stage 1. We have just bought shark cartlidge, tumeric, and 1000mg omega 3 capsules and only have given her the omega 3’s so far. She is on Kirkland Supreme dog food which contains alot of good nutrients. Any ideas to help Hallie and us would be greatly appreciated. I just am in the process of printing the cancer diet that you have allowed us to download. Of course until we get the biopsy back in i guess a week after surgery, we wont know what to do. She acts like a puppy and is full of life and we want to keep her that way. All of the cancer treatments seem scary let along more of an expense then we can afford. PLEASE give us some ideas of what we should do. I can’t wait until we get the cancer news updates from you. Sincerely Rod and Debbie Tozour
Dear Rod,
so sorry to hear about Hallie.
So, let’s take a breath. Fist, as you know, this may be a Grade 1, and a wide excision almost always cures this cancer. Second, you are doing the difficult and time consuming job of trying to figure out the best supplement plan, which is kind of tough for most. You really should consider reading the Guide, which is an easy read, and will end up yielding more in the end than doing the three years of work it took me (after 10 years of practice after vet school) to assess the different supplements out there…just a wee thought…
Hang in there meanwhile, and sending you my best,
Dr D