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Featuring Demian Dressler, DVM and Sue Ettinger, DVM, Dip. ACVIM (Oncology), authors of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide
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Stress and Depression

Dog Cancer Caregiver Stress: Taking Care of Yourself So You Can Take Care of Your Dog

How to know when you are experiencing dog cancer caregiver stress … and how to care for yourself, so you can care for your dog.

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Common Sense Lifestyle Choices to Prevent Cancer in Dogs

Can we really prevent cancer in dogs? Cancer thrives in certain bodies, so here’s how to make sure YOUR dog’s body is a hostile environment for cancer.

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Homemade Cleaning Supplies That Are Safe for You — and Your Dog With Cancer

Homemade cleaning supplies are easy to make and way safer for your dog with cancer than commercial products. And they work great!

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Should My Dog with Cancer Still Exercise?

Can my dog with cancer exercise? Yes — in fact, it’s really important!

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Reducing Anxiety in Dogs with Cancer

A worried dog has a harder time healing — and dogs mostly worry in response to OUR worry. When it comes to reducing anxiety in dogs with cancer, what’s a dog lover to do?

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Playdates for Dogs with Cancer

Dogs are social animals just like us. And, our dogs can get lonely even with our company, especially if they’re the only dog in the house. Dr. Dressler covers this topic in chapter 15 of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide, which talks about life quality and “brain chemistry modification” strategies as step five of Full…

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Was There Anything Else I Could Have Done?

Was there anything else I could have done? This is an inevitable question we all face. And the answer is always the same.

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Is My Dog Still Happy?

So, is your dog happy? It’s not always easy to tell. But there are certain tell-tale signs that will help you know one way or the other.

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Lavender Oil for Dogs

Is lavender oil for dogs an indulgent luxury, or a necessity? You’d be surprised!

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Memories of Paws: My Dog with Cancer

My dog, Paws, was a Pembroke Welsh Corgi I adopted when I was only twelve years old, and she was only eight weeks old. She was my first dog, and I still remember holding her in my lap on the car ride home, beyond excited to have her in my family. We literally did everything…

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Chronotherapy Dog Cancer

Nobel Prize Winning Research, Once Again, Can Help Your Dog

How does your dog’s internal clock help with dog cancer? 2017’s Nobel Prize can point in an interesting direction. (Hint: Dr. D’s been talking about this for years!)

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Treating Dogs with Cancer As If They’re My Own

Can I treat a dog in my care as if he were my own?

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Don’t Forget Your Dog at the Veterinarian

When booking a new consultation with me, pet Guardians often ask if it is necessary to bring their dog to the appointment. From their point of view, they are often concerned about the stress of the visit on their pet, or maybe the travel itself. But from my point of view, a consultation without the…

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Guidelines for Dealing with Your Dog’s Chemotherapy Side Effects

As I’ve discussed in other posts, chemotherapy is very well tolerated in dogs. Yes I know that is hard to believe. I have had family members get chemo and we have all seen it on TV, but happily it’s not like that for dogs. Approximately 80% of dogs do not have side effects at all…

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Facing Dog Cancer? This Is Your First Priority

Want to help your dog with cancer? Learn this, FIRST — it’s the foundation of every cancer journey.

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“Alternative” Strategies That May Help Dogs with Cancer

Some conventional vets find Chapter Fifteen in The Dog Cancer Survival Guide one of the most controversial sections of the book. It’s where Dr. Demian Dressler talks about his fifth step in Full Spectrum cancer care: brain chemistry modification. Dr. Dressler has found that it’s really important to boost your dog’s mood in order to…

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Winter Dangers for Dogs with Cancer

Even as I begin writing this post I sigh at the title “Winter Dangers”.  It just seems that everywhere we turn there is a threat! And constantly being on guard can be exhausting! So I offer this to you both from the perspective of caring for your dog with cancer, who may be more vulnerable…

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Are You a Dog Lover, or a Dog Guardian?

Who’s in charge of your decisions when it comes to your dog’s cancer? You are.

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DogCancer.TV: Nasal Tumors – What You Need to Know About Your Dog’s Cancer

Dr. Dressler and Dr. Ettinger discuss the detection, diagnosis, and Full Spectrum Care Approach to treating nasal and nasal sinus tumors in dogs.

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DogCancer.TV: Feeding Carcinogenic Foods After You Dog has Cancer

In this video, Dr. Dressler and Dr. Ettinger discuss the importance of diet in treating dog cancer and the potential impact of carcinogenic foods on cancer cells.

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On Blame

For those coping with dog cancer, there is usually a very large amount of pain. First is the shock of the diagnosis, which is common. After this comes a flood of emotions of various kinds. For some it is confusion, trying to make sense of what it actually means to have a dog with cancer.…

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Immune System Fuel

Dogs with cancer, especially widespread cancer, have a lot of different health issues that need special attention.  The cancer has a way of overtaking and affecting many different body systems.  In order for us to beat the odds in any consistent way, we need to tend to each of these different cancer effects.  As readers…

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dog cancer pain

Pain Meds for Dogs: How to Manage Pain for a Dog With Cancer

Dog cancer pain control is really important, especially because dogs hide their pain symptoms so well. Learn how to treat your dog’s pain.

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Analysis Paralysis With Dog Cancer

When faced with a dog cancer diagnosis, many guardians experience an immediate sense of overwhelm.  Of course, there is profound anger, sadness, numbness, grief, and the whole array of different responses to crises news. After a time, treatment options arise.  And the facts are that modern medicine in many cases does not provide options that…

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Chemothapy and low white blood cell counts part 3. Animation of different cell types.

The Oncologist’s Perspective on Chemotherapy and Low White Blood Cell Counts: Part 3

Extremely low white blood cell counts and sepsis are rare side effects of chemotherapy that require immediate and urgent care.

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Abnormal Immunity and Cancer

Cancer is a very strange and horrible creature.  The disease in very similar in dogs and people, and this post will use information from human literature so you can apply it to your dog. There are several ways the immune system is involved in cancer. One of the problems afflicting cancer patients is their immune…

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Thanksgiving and Coping With Dog Cancer

Thanksgiving and dog cancer….a horrific pair. Coping with canine cancer is heart-wrenching any time, and during the holidays can be almost unbearable.  Here are some tips that can help a guardian cope with dog cancer during this season. During holidays, there are expectations that people will act or feel certain ways.  If we see family,…

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You Really Treat Dogs and Cats Who Have Cancer?

You REALLY treat dogs and cats who have cancer?? That’s usually the first question I hear when people find out I am a veterinary oncologist. You may get a similar response from your family and friends when you share that you are thinking about or are treating your pet with cancer – you are really…

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disruptive stress and dog cancer

Disruptive Stress and Dog Cancer

Coping with dog cancer is extremely stressful. Certain life events, like coping with dog cancer in your loved family member, create such stress that it actually disrupts normal thinking.  This is called “disruptive stress.” This is very natural and common. However, disruptive stress has been shown to have a real negative effect. Disruptive stress creates…

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Grief: Not A Four Letter Word

Let’s face it.  In the world of dog cancer, grief is part of the deal. But, the truth is that it is often ignored.  Honestly, when many of us hear the word “grief”, we kind of turn away and try not to think about it.  “Let’s deal with this.”  “Let’s get the job done.”  “How…

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