Using Black Salve in 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: April 13th, 2021
Dear Dog Lovers,
I wanted to touch base with you about some information from the real-life streets of veterinary medicine.
Occasionally I will get a question about the use of “black salve”. This rather ugly looking ointment is in a group of medicinals called the escharotics. An escharotic is a preparation that injures the tissue it is applied to, and creates a scab. A scab is an eschar.
So the idea is you put the stuff on the external cancer, the ointment kills the cells that you presumably want gone, they die, and then slough off.
Most of the black salve preparations contain an “olde-time” active ingredient called bloodroot, or Sanguinaria candensis. This plant contains some mighty strong alkaloids, including one called sanguinarine. This is potent stuff folks. Sanguinarine paralizes a pump in the cancer cell membrane vital to survival, and the cells die.
There is a really significant issue that you need to know before slathering your dog’s skin tumor with sanguinarine-containing goo.
The problem is, although it does a pretty good job of killing cancer cells, it is very tough to tell how far a given cancer has spread into the surrounding neighborhood (around the tumor) before applying black salve. Why does it matter?
The reason this is so critical is that some cancers really spread radically. They send cancer cell sheets out around the visible growth, but these spreading cancer cells are invisible to the naked eye. Guess what happens when they die off (after some potentially severe inflammation and discomfort)?
The dead cancer cells slough, leaving in some cases large swaths of open tissue where the tumor cells used to be. This can sometimes be a nuisance and other times a horror show (warning: graphic).
Bottom line? I would never advise the use of any version of black salve unless it is under the direct supervision of a veterinarian, and even then, use caution. Sometimes things turn out great, but there have been nightmares.
Best to all,
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.
Can Amazon black topical salve be applied to oral cancer area under sedation?
Hey Carey,
Thanks for writing! Unfortunately, we were unable to find anything in Dr. D’s writings with regards to your question, and as we’re not vets here in customer support, we can’t offer you medical advice. But that’s a good question and one you should probably ask your vet as they know your dog, and will be able to offer advice and recommendations on what can be used alongside your dog’s current treatment plan 🙂
My dog has large soft tissue sarcoma tumer on his chest . Tried diferent treatments but to no avail it just keeps growing. It’s about 17cm in diameter. Can any one help. Thank you
Hello Sylvia,
Thanks for writing, and we’re sorry to hear about your boy. If you are looking for alternative options, you could possibly search for a new vet, oncologist or holistic vet– they may be able to recommend different treatment options based on your dog’s specific case 🙂
Here are the links to a few websites where you can search for veterinarians, oncologists, or holistic vets by entering your zip code:
https://www.avma.org/public/YourVet/Pages/finding-a-veterinarian.aspx
http://ahvma.org
http://acvim.org
We hope this helps 🙂
I used black salve on my Beagle’s mast cell tumor with great results. My Vet helped with the pain tolerance issues. The key to making this work is getting the salve from a good source with a lot of experience with it. Oh, and switch your dog to a raw diet, NO kibble food!!
Same with my dog
Great results with mast cell cancer and black salve
Hello. Can you please tell me how did you apply it? Did you wrap it? And how long did it take to get rid of the mast cell tumor? Thank you for your post it give me hope for my precious malitipoo Olive.
Don’t wait. Go to Facebook and search Black Salve Groups where their and many that can help you. Just shave small area very well, sterilize it well (you don’t want bacteria being carried through, as the ingredient DMSO carries everything with it. Gently with sterilize Q-Tip apply a small blob about the circumference of a pencil tip eraser. Cover with plaster, then with a cotton pad. Tape it on and then cover with a bandage if on a leg and tape ends closed. Good luck!
Ambrotose, Balm of Gilead, Shankapushpi and Willard Water
You really need to check the validity of ‘quackwatch’. That photo has been circulating but I have never heard of one person having an adverse reaction to black salve yet I have known many, including deaths, to issues with prescribed medications. My black salve was given to me so no one profited from my worry. My issue was fixed and it was a spot that the dr hadn’t picked up in my skin scan.
I have come to this site searching how people have gone with treating animals but was disappointed to find that link on here.
Dear Black Salve Advocate-
Being a clinician who uses escharotics I can tell you there are dangers as well as benefits. This site is dedicated towards a balanced information delivery, not advocacy, including Black Salve Advocacy. We are interested in presenting both sides of the equation.
Dr Dressler
My 9 year old dog has had her right rear leg removed as she had osteosarcoma in her femur. She has gone well through 4 bouts of chemo, blood tests etc but after the last one she has kept a temperature after being on antibiotics for over a week and is eating little. Another xray showed bones were ok but the vet is thinking that possibly there were cells in the muscle that was left behind – in the stump area. She tends to lick there a bit still even tho it was removed 4 months ago. She is now on pain relief as well. Any answers or what I should do next?? Thanks
My dog has a condition called forbrosing steatitis myositis. Inside
of this scar tissue and muscle, their is cancer in pockets that is
causing the tumor to get larger as time goes by. The tumor is getting
out of control as far as size, and very possibly life threatning. Is
Neoplasene something that I should consider. Can someone help. I’m
also wondering about Ambratose or Artemesinin. Phil
Diane
I hope you realize I”m responding to your concern for your beloved Schnauzer….not using black salve as the side bar states!!!
I haven’t blogged before to know how to make sure you know I’m responding to you.
The other thing I wanted to mention to you was to try to go somewhere where you can have an MRI done on your boy. It will give you and the Dr’s so much more information to create a treatment plan.
Also, Washington State had an Emergency intake, so check and see if your Teaching Hospital has one, and self referr….and take your boy there now. Don’t wait for Monday if you don’t have to. It won’t help your boy any at all, and you’re going to worry yourself sick all weekend anyway. I wish I knew the closest teaching hospital to you, but I’m in a different country. Good luck to you and your little boy, I’ll be thinking about you and sending positive thoughts.
Kathy
also your video skips when i was trying to work and listen so i hope that i did not miss something important.i am giving him a vitamin right now called juice plus. diane
Diane
A friend of mine had good success with a similar situation. The dog was treated at University of Washington Veterinarian Teaching Hospital, and very successfully. I realize they aren’t in your area, but if you could find a University with a veterinary teaching hospital anywhere even close to you GO! They are on the “cutting edge” of treatment, and it sounds like your situation needs immediate attention. Don’t misunderstand me..I work with a fabulous Holistic vet with my dogs, but you likely need to work with both. The dog I mentioned earlier, did end up having radiation treatments by the skilled Dr’s at Univ. Washington. He’s doing really well. I personally just returned from Washington with my own little guy who was no longer responding to chemo treatments, and with a cancer which radiation isn’t a common treatment option, but they found a way, and I’m following up with a combination of Western and Eastern medicine and things are looking pretty good.
By the way …my friend and also myself, travelled from Canada to have the University’s expertise.
Look into the radiation option!
Kathy
our loved Divot is going on Monday for a cat scan. He has nasal carcinoma. your book just barely touched on this subject. what do I need to be doing for him. the tumor was too large to cut out and there is another one. it is protruding out on his head. our vet said there was a scooped out place and some type f hole. he seems to be fine except he sometimes can not breath.it seems to have blood inside of it.he has some antibotic left from his bioposy. we are going to a hospital called gulfcoast in houston texas. i want to do what is right for our almost 10 year old snauzer too tired to put the correct spelling but how about pour little boy. i have heard of baking soda washing the area out that cancer is some type of fungus. an i wash his nose out with baking soda and water? what should i do to make his PH level where this cancer will die and he can recover? please let me haver your advice. i was crying so much that i could not read your book and it is long i need just the cut down emergency what to be feeding etc. the vet said that hills does not make an md formula for dogs just cats. what about the mushrooms etc. please let me hear from you.this dog is a very important part of our family. thanks for caring about both the dog and the owner!