Articles
Dr. Demian Dressler has been writing articles for DogCancerBlog.com since 2008. If you’re looking for excellent advice and insight into your dog’s cancer, this site has hundreds of articles to use. You can search using the box above or choose a topic from the navigation menu. And you can always ask us for help!
The Number One Way to Cure Canine Cancer
These days, there is so much information out there about cancer in dogs. Some is good, and some is not that hot. If you dig, you will find enough to make your head spin. You will get the basics from your vet or oncologist. These are what I call The Big Three, and consist of…
Read ArticleWhat Is Over-Treatment of Dog Cancer?
Decision-making when faced with a dog cancer diagnosis can be tough. Treatment outcome, age, cost, and side effects all can weigh heavily on the mind of a dog lover. During the first decision-making period, so much has to be weighed. The difficult part in this process is that nothing seems to be for sure. Objective…
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My Dog is Acting Fine … And Got Diagnosed With Cancer?!?
If your dog is acting fine, even though she has cancer, there could be a couple of reasons. Read this article to discover what they are.
Read ArticleHow Do We Tell If A Loved Dog Is In Pain?
Pain. The very word makes us wince. Same with the word cancer. A friend recently brought up the fact that some of us refer to cancer as “The C-word.” So when we put these together and talk about cancer pain, we have quite a loaded topic on our hands. Before I get into how to…
Read ArticlePreservatives and Cancer: Believe the Hype?
Do preservatives in dog food cause cancer? Good question. Dog lovers seem to divide themselves into two camps. The first camp says, “Well, whatever. Everything causes cancer. I’m not going to worry about it.” Camp two says, “I only feed my dog all-natural food or home-made organic meals. We prefer alkaline water and do not…
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Benadryl For Dogs With Mast Cell Tumors: How It Can Help
Vets often prescribe Benadryl for mast cell tumors. Why on earth do they do that? Dr. Dressler explains how this common allergy med can help.
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Manageable Challenges and Life Quality
Manageable challenges and life quality: your dog with cancer NEEDS to feel good about himself. Continue to challenge her, to boost her sense of self-esteem!
Read ArticleOsteosarcoma and Dog Food Link
Some new information for dogs at risk or afflicted with osteosarcoma is out that I would like to share. Osteosarcoma occurs in both dogs and humans, but is much more common in dogs. It is the number one bone cancer in the canine. A recent study found that eight widespread brands of dog food contained…
Read ArticleEnd of Life Care in Dog Cancer
The end of life stage can be very hard on everyone. It often is gut-wrenching to see your dear companion start to say goodbye. Like any weighty decision, sometimes the emotions involved can paralyze our ability to choose. During these times it is so important to gain some clarity by seeking support in counselors, support…
Read ArticleHemangiosarcoma, Mammary Cancers and Plastic Link?
Many of you will remember a media stir over BPA, that stuff found in plastic baby bottles that could be hazardous. BPA is Bishenol A. It is found in many different types of plastic. The most common is the clear, hard plastic called polycarbonate. BPA is also found in plastic food and beverage containers, “carbonless”…
Read ArticleHow Did This Happen?
I came across an article today that caught my attention. In Edinburgh, a 9 year old Rottweiler was found abandoned by it’s owner. He was quite ill, very thin, painful and weak. This Rott had been tied with a leash and left. As if this were not enough, the dog had end-stage cancer. The cancer…
Read ArticleA New Look Chemotherapy
The usual way we have used chemotherapy, in both human patients and dogs, brings about toxicity risks that can be frightening for many. This fear is a rational one. The reason that the bad effects of chemotherapy are seen is a bit complex, but stems from what I believe are two main areas. First, the…
Read ArticleHelp For Diarrhea In Canine Cancer Patients
I was recently asked by a client about what over the counter product could be used for diarrhea in veterinary patients. There are a number of different items that can be used. Some have interactions with other meds, or possibly side effects that would not be desirable. I told her about one that you might…
Read ArticleWhy Test For Heartworm But Not Cancer?
I was recently thinking about a little problem us veterinary professionals are faced with. We seem to have forgotten about relative risks. A relative risk is simply the risk of something in comparison to something else. Take the risk of cancer versus the risk of heartworm in a dog on heartworm preventative. Now, I am…
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Is The Hammer The Tool For The Job?
How a flexible and vulnerable mindset can help us identify the problem correctly, and choose the right tool to solve it.
Read ArticleAnti-oxidants versus Pro-Oxidants
A reader asked an interesting question recently that I thought would make a good post. The question involved the use of antioxidants, either for dogs with cancer or to help prevent cancer. Lets get an overview to clarify this frequently-muddied picture. A free radical is a reactive molecule that tends to damage cell parts. When…
Read ArticlePalladia, First Dog Cancer Drug FDA Approved But Not Great
Palladia, the first drug officially approved for use in treating dog cancer has arrived. This was described in the Dog Cancer Survival Guide by it’s pre-market name, SU11654. Now it’s finally ready for release. Palladia, made by Pfizer, has been approved by the FDA. It is expected to be available next year. This drug is…
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Astragalus: Immune Booster and More
I’d like to share some information taken from Traditional Chinese Medicine. One of the important aspects of full spectrum care to improve cancer outcomes is investigating … even when investigations lead outside the borders of our country. China has a long, well-developed, complex system of medicine. It is very different from what we are used…
Read ArticleDo Numbers Matter?
A lover of a dog with cancer needs to come up with an plan that makes sense. The first step in any plan is arming oneself with answers, or data that relates to the situation. There are two basic areas that we need to focus on. The first is what can we do to maintain…
Read ArticleWhy Is There No Standard of Care?
I was recently sent an interesting question from a reader about the right way to deal with a lump. The question revolved around standard veterinary practices upon finding an external mass in a dog. Is it correct to simply monitor and wait for a cancer to grow before doing something about it? Good question! The…
Read ArticleWhy We Need To Think Outside the Box
The world’s tallest dog is a now a cancer patient. I recently came across this story, from a local news website in California. Gibson is a Great Dane, weighing in at a whopping 170 lbs. Gibson is presently 7 years old, which is definitely a senior citizen for a dog of this breed. Recall that…
Read ArticleI Can See The End, But I Am Not Ready
In so many ways this is a sad post. The end of life with your friend, family member, your companion. After all the time together. Systemic or aggessive cancers like lymphosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma, Grade 3 mast cell tumors, and others usually lead in the same direction. This direction is the departure of your loved dog.…
Read ArticleNew Ways To Boost Immunity
I recently received a question about a product called Beres Drops, named after the designer, Joszef Beres. This is a liquid which is designed to deliver adequate amounts of trace minerals in a favorable form. In a discussion of cancer, the most relevant aspect of these drops are the effects on the immune system. This…
Read ArticleHow Long Does My Dog Have?
It is very important to do what we can to avoid ongoing depression when trying to cope with cancer in our dogs. Ongoing depression is exhausting, steals our reserves, and clouds judgment. It decreases your dog’s chances of good life quality during a life with cancer. Yes, your ongoing depression. Please do not misunderstand me. …
Read ArticleWhat Is The Best Supplement for Dog Cancer?
We are faced with some hard choices when in a war against dog cancer. The truth is, as dog lovers, often we feel pretty undergunned and overwhelmed, with choices that range from not-so-great to downright awful. One of the difficulties many have is the choice among the supplements discussed in this blog or in The…
Read ArticleCan I give supplements with Chemotherapy?
In the world of dog cancer, we find ourselves in a war where we can be under-gunned. I must confess that when I look at this statement, I find myself wondering whether it is healthy. To think about dealing with malignancies as a war? Perhaps this analogy is too violent, too antagonistic, too contrary. The…
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