The Dog Cancer Survival Guide (58 page)

There are many studies that look at medicinal mushrooms and cancer. There is some evidence for direct anti-cancer actions in the body when they are given by mouth, but even stronger evidence that they boost the immune response and increase life quality for cancer patients.

There has been discussion that mushroom-derived polysaccharides cannot be absorbed into the bloodstream when taken by mouth, and instead should be injected into the body to achieve reasonable blood levels. Rodent studies show that this is not the case and that these substances are indeed active when taken by mouth, making them ideal candidates for inclusion in Full Spectrum cancer care.

Many mushrooms contain beta-glucans and other polysaccharides; the main species that have been shown to be effective for cancer are Cordyceps sinesis, maitake (Grifola frondosa), shiitake (Lentinula edodes), Phellinus linteus, Coriolus versicolor and Agaricus blazei. While shiitake mushrooms can be found in the produce section of your local grocery store, it is difficult to determine how much of any given mushroom to give your dog, because individual mushrooms may vary greatly. A betaglucans supplement is a better choice.

I like beta-glucans so much that I included them in Apocaps as an immune booster. If you would like to further boost your dog’s immune system, I recommend you also give a separate betaglucans supplement. There are several medicinal mushroom supplements on the market. I have used and recommend K-9 Immunity from Aloha Medicinals
⁶
, for a couple of reasons. It’s engineered specifically for dogs, they include a wide variety of potentially beneficial mushrooms, the enzyme bromelain is added (which helps the polysaccharides get absorbed and into circulation even more quickly and efficiently), and they also sell a companion product, called K-9 Transfer Factor, which seems to support the activity of the beta-glucans.

There is also an all-in-one formulation, called K-9 Immunity Plus, which includes both K-9 Transfer Factor and fish oil. Unfortunately, it is formulated with cane sugar and corn syrup as binders and taste enhancers. While I understand they want to make it more palatable for dogs, I do not recommend feeding sugar to dogs with cancer, even in this small amount. In addition, the dose of fish oil is far too low to have significant anti-cancer benefits. As you’ll see in the next chapter, I highly recommend supplementing with fish oils in higher doses. For these two reasons, I prefer using the separate K-9 Immunity and K-9 Transfer Factor supplements over the newer all-in-one K-9 Immunity Plus formulation.

Supplementing with beta-glucans may help boost your dog’s immune system. There are some beta-glucans in Apocaps and, if your budget allows for it, further supplementation may be helpful.

The dosing for Apocaps is on the product label and also discussed on
page 168
. K-9 Immunity has specific dosing instructions on their label, and I also recommend using the product called K-9 Transfer Factor. For all other formulations, follow the labeled dosing.

The easiest ways to give these supplements is to empty capsules and/or grind tablets into a powder, then mix them into your dog’s food. These products can both be used concurrently with Apocaps; please read the sidebar on
page 170
for timing recommendations.

If your dog has a disease caused by an over-active immune system (an immune-mediated disease), medicinal mushrooms could theoretically exacerbate the condition. Please check with your vet or oncologist, if you are unsure about this.

Mushrooms can stabilize blood sugar, and diabetic dogs may need less insulin when they’re on mushroom-derived polysaccharides. If your dog is diabetic, your vet will need to monitor his blood sugar levels and adjust insulin doses, as needed.

Mushroom-derived polysaccharides can occasionally cause digestive upset, such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

In general, the supplements I recommend are safe for most dogs. Any new supplement or change in diet may cause temporary digestive upset (nausea, vomiting or diarrhea). If you notice these symptoms in your dog, discontinue the new supplement or food and take steps to address the symptoms under veterinary supervision. You can find detailed conventional and alternative methods in the side effects discussion that starts on
page 140
. Once stomach upset resolves, you can assess whether you want to continue giving the supplement. Some dogs need to start with smaller doses and work up to full doses. Others may need a smaller dose on an ongoing basis. You may want to eliminate that supplement from their Full Spectrum cancer care plan. Your veterinarian or oncologist will be able to help you decide what is right for your dog.

Be sure to review the listed precautions for each supplement and treatment in this book, and weigh those precautions carefully, as you work with your vet or oncologist.

If you’re like most guardians, you probably remember your mother’s advice to go to bed early, especially when you were sick. This is excellent advice for you, and for your dog, especially if he has cancer. With artificial lights, over one thousand television channels, twenty-four hour news cycles, computers and unlimited long distance phone plans, we’re more likely to “stay productive” long into the night and skimp on sleep. These extended hours are not nearly as productive as we’d like to think they are. They can lead to insomnia and rob our bodies of their natural rhythms. Our dogs – our closest companions – are right there with us. They need quiet rest in the dark, just like we do.

As we discussed on
page 86
, there is a powerful hormone called melatonin that boosts the immune system and also has a direct anti-cancer effect on the body. According to studies in lab animals and humans, melatonin has been shown to limit metastasis, reduce tumors, extend survival times and restore body weight, lost to cancer cachexia.

In one study, melatonin more than doubled the survival time of human cancer patients receiving chemotherapy (cisplatin and etoposide) for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. It’s also been shown to benefit humans with cancers of the breast, metastatic renal cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma and brain metastases from solid tumors.

There is evidence that melatonin may decrease side effects related to chemotherapy. Patients in studies experienced better platelet counts and less irritation of the mouth (stomatitis). There was also less nerve damage and heart toxicity for patients on melatonin.

Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland – the tiny gland nestled in the center of the brain – but not unless there is complete darkness. The light from television screens, computer monitors, overhead lights, lamps and streetlights may reduce melatonin levels.

It may not feel like it, but creating a “den” atmosphere for your dog at night could be considered a cancer treatment. Whether you put a thick cover over her crate or install light-blocking shades in the bedroom and turn off the TV, you’ll be doing your dog a huge favor by keeping her in complete darkness for at least nine hours every day. This can encourage the pineal gland to accelerate its production of that cancer-fighting melatonin.

Melatonin is also available in supplement form, online and at health food stores. I do not generally recommend this, because some dogs seem to suffer from grogginess on the oral supplement.

I recommend every guardian try to boost melatonin levels through natural methods. The easiest and most comfortable way to do this is to make the sleeping environment completely dark, and to make sure that your dog sleeps for at least nine hours at night, if possible. I do not usually recommend oral melatonin supplements for dogs because of their side effects. However, if you choose to try them for your dog, I have included the doses.

HOW TO GIVE MELATONIN

Always give melatonin late at night. Natural melatonin peaks, in human studies, at around 1:30-2:00 am, and it is wise to try to mimic the natural circadian cycle of melatonin in the body. If you give melatonin during daylight hours, your dog’s circadian rhythms will be altered and she may suffer from excessive sedation. If you’ve ever taken melatonin for insomnia or to recover from jet lag, you’ll remember that it can make you feel very sleepy, and it is very uncomfortable to take it when you can’t go to sleep.

The more advanced your dog’s cancer is, the more melatonin I recommend. For cancers caught relatively early, use 1-2 mg of melatonin per 40 pounds of body weight. For more advanced cancers, use about 5 mg of melatonin per 40 pounds of body weight.

Some dogs will develop unacceptable sluggishness the day after receiving melatonin. This has prompted me to be selective with my use of this supplement in dogs with cancer. This often goes away within three days or so, but many guardians find this side effect unacceptable.

Side effects like nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are rare when taking melatonin, but any new supplement or change in diet can trigger these symptoms.