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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: October 25th, 2019
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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 Sue,
Yes Jill is being treated at AMC under Dr. Hohenhaus’ care! She is doing FANTASTIC. Jill has been done with IV chemo for one month (she had four rounds total, 2 of doxy, 2 of carbo). She’ll have a check up next week to make sure her lungs are still all clear and blood work looks good and then start metronomic cytoxan. My only hesitation is that there is NO info on it in cats, I think she may be the first one!! I know SO many dogs from tripawds.com that have done it (and those do it with an NSAID, which of course is not done with a cat), so I just feel a little uncomfortable doing something there is no research on! I just want to give her the best chance possible! The only reason we are even going this aggressively with her (since OSA is not treated so aggressively in kitties) is because the OSA started in her toe, which was amputated first and then 6 months later a met appeared in the same leg, which was then amputated.
Thanks as always!
Erica & Kitty Tripawd Jill
Our dog Murphy has been diagnosed with histiocytic sarcoma. He has his first appointment with the oncologist at Michigan State Veterinary School tomorrow, his amputation was 3 1/2 weeks ago. It’s been a long process already..he started limping in October and we just got a final diagnosis less than 2 weeks ago. Since he has been on & off his pain meds I have held off on giving him his frontline & heartguard, and was wondering if it would be ok to give them? We live in Michigan, and we don’t always medicate through the winter months anyways, but now the weather is getting nice and I’m concerned.
thanks!
My Jill is an 8 year old Kitty who has osteosarcoma. She had her rear leg amputated 2 months ago and just finished chemo (2 rounds of carbo, 2 rounds of doxorubicin). I know you focus mostly on doggies, but I was wondering if you’ve ever used metronomics in cats. We are thinking of putting her on metronomic cytoxan.
Thanks!
HI Erica
we don’t have much in the way of metronomic for cats at this time to my knowledge. Let me know if you find something different-
Best
Dr D
Hi Erica,
I hope Jill is doing well. I have used metronomic Palladia in cats, but not Cytoxan. You are being treated at AMC, right?
Dr Sue
Hi Dr Dressler
I have an eight year old german shepard,Heidi that has been diagnosed with a large infiltrative lipoma on her rear thigh.Fine needle aspirates were done as was a ct scan the lipoma extends from her hip to her knee. we have had several courses of treatment presented to us from surgery and radiation,just surgery,and since it does not seem to bother her she runs and jumps to just leave it alone and watch for further growth.my question is do you have any recommendations as far as diet and supplements that would arrest or possibly shrink this lipoma.we are currently using your raw diet from your book and have her on apocaps.
Dan
Hi Dan,
these are pretty tough tumors I must confess. I suppose in addition to what you are using right now, under veterinary supervision I’d give additional curcumin above what’s in apocaps and something with chromium, choline and carnitine to enhance fat burning. But discuss this with your vet.
I hope this helps
Dr D
Dr. Dressler,
Are you going to discuss the effect of multiple and repeated unnecessary vaccinations on cancer and the effect of spot-on and other pesticides on dogs and around them from lawn services, exterminators, etc? Thanks, Susan Lauer
Hi Susan
these are important points discussed at length in the Guide for those who are interested in more info. They are complex topics…
Best, Dr D
Hi Dr. Dressler,
I read your Canine Cancer Survival guide 15mo ago when my dog was diagnosed with Lymphoma. I strongly believe the Apocaps along with the K9 Immunity are a huge contributing factor to how well she’s tolerated everything and still going strong. If you met her you’d never know anything was going on with her. Amazing!
I read back then to not do the Apocaps and K9 w/transfer factor and to just do the Immunity…..but recently, I see a lot of reviews mentioned the use of both. Those, too, seem to be the longest survival times. Is it ok now? And to be clear, I’m talking about the K9 Immunity Plus w/Transfer Factor 3 in 1 sausage looking treats.
Thank you in advance,
Cathy & Ky
Hi Cathy,
That’s great that your pooch is doing well, good work! I’m thinking maybe you were thinking about some of my comments about the old formulation of the chewable k-9 immunity, which had some aspects that made me less enthused compared to the strait mushroom extract capsules. the company has since changed the formulation and i think its better. So no worries, we use them all together…under veterinary supervision.
Best,
Dr D
Hi! I have an animal rehab for critically/terminally ill victims of cruelty. I have a client with a senior boxer recently diagnosed with Stage 1 lymphoma. The affected gland was removed and she is in her third week of chemo using the vincristine/pred protocol.
Here is my question: The treating vet insists that this dog be hospitalized during her chemo treatment. She is taken on Monday morning and has to stay until Thursday evening. I have cared for many dogs with cancer and never encountered this situation. In my experience, the suffering animals are more comfortable and eat better at home. It’s also my understanding that limiting stress as much as possible is critical. The only explanation offered by this vet is that the drug is excreted in waste and could present a hazard. If this is accurate, I am wondering about the exposure all the other cancer dogs I’ve worked with have presented. This simply doesn’t make good sense to me, but I am aware of the limitation of my knowledge and hoping you can offer some clarification. I would love to see this dog have the opportunity to spend as much time as possible with her loving family rather than unnecessarily (if that is indeed the case) kept away from them and subjected to the 24/7 stress of being kept in a loud, frightening emergency clinic for four straight days.
Thank you in advance for any input you can offer. It will help me in my care ofany special friends.
Sincerely,
Kim Lea
Wishaven Animal Rehabilitation
High Point, NC
Hi Kim
here is a good article in dog chemo and urinary excretion:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20102496
after about 3 days there is extremely little urinary vincristine metabolite excretion. Having said that one can wear gloves and irrigate the area soiled with urine with a lot of running water and these precautions can help reduce exposure significantly.
Vomit is different, and this should not be handled with dogs on oral chemo without gloves.
disposal of solid waste (poop), in my opinion, should occur with gloves, for at least 3 weeks following the last treatment to be safe.
Both vomit and solid waste should be bagged in sealed plastic bags that do not leak and discarded.
People with immune compromise (AIDS, cancer, pregnant, chronic active hepatitis, on immune suppressive drugs, etc) should not handle oral chemo drugs.
Chemo pills or tables should not be broken or split.
Saliva chemo content is a little hazy and varies between drugs used. Best to not allow licking for about 3 weeks after the last chemo to be safe.
Please be sure to consult with your oncologist though on each of these items.
In summary though, the practice you mention in your question would be considered very unusual.
I hope this helps
Dr D
In January 2013, my 13 year old golden retriever received a preliminary and unconfirmed diagnosis of Lymphoma. I purchased your book and started her immediately on your Dog Cancer Diet and recommended supplements. Since then, additional tests (from bone biopsy of lesion on L2 vertebrae) had revealed a confirmed diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma, not Lymphoma. Sadly, I find absolutely NOTHING in your book that addresses Multiple Myeloma, recommended diet and/or supplements. What’s up with that? Do you have some recommendations for me specific to Multiple Myeloma?
Dear Cheryl
I am sorry to hear about your dog. As to coverage, the book covers the most common types of cancer, and multiple myeloma is more rare than most, although not unheard of. To cover all the cancers, a textbook would be required and the size of the book would literally be too large for this format. At any rate, both the diet and supplement recommendations are oriented around common pathways, shared derangement, and overlapping metabolic issues that cancers have in general. So the dog cancer diet and supplement protocols would apply to a dog with multiple myeloma as well, under the guidance of your veterinarian. If you have other questions, please let us know and we will do our best to address them.
Best
Dr D
Hi Dr. D,
My Jill is an 8 year old Kitty who has osteosarcoma. She had her rear leg amputated 2 months ago and is currently undergoing chemo (2 rounds of carbo, 2 rounds of doxorubicin). I am an active member on tripawds.com and so many people on there talk about your book and things they can do for their dogs during and after treatment. However, I of course have a kitty cat 🙂 Since OSA is so rare in kitties, I’ve had so much trouble finding out information. Do you know of any books/resources? I just want to make sure I can give her the best after-care once the chemo is done – but I don’t know if the same rules apply (ie can I give her k-9 immunity, apococaps, etc.) I just dont want to feel “lost” after chemo is over and as if I am doing nothing – I want to give her the best shot possible. Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated!!
Erica & Jill
We bought your book on the cancer diet for dogs, ebook format. We were already not giving Boston store bought food, since the diagnosis. We cook liver, lean hamburger and pork, etc. Thank you for writing this book and for making the apocaps and all your research to help dogs with cancer.