# Chemotherapy home made diet?



## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

Various chemotherapy protocols obviously use drugs that weaken the dogs immune system - so, in so I am scared to feed my dog who has cancer raw food and will be even more frightened when(if?) he begins chemo with a concoction of drugs which might do this. I'm scared of an infection beginning. SO. 

Has anyone home cooked for their dog when their dog did chemo? This currently seems like my best bet right now...

OR

Can anyone comfort me in feeding my dog a raw diet when he is on chemo? Has anyone done this? It would seem ill advised from what I know so far. However, someone may have more experience in this and if so PLEASE step up with your knowledge.

And of course, I'm not saying raw is bad and full of horrible terrible bacteria dogs can't hand. To me it is the best I can do for most of my pets right now. But, perhaps not in this circumstance. And I am trying to keep as many carbs out of the diet as possible which means my options are homecooking and raw. Pretty much every commercial food has unnecessary stuff in it that I don't want him having in his current state. If I look at this in a long term respect I can't be fueling the fire if you know what I mean...

So, basically, if anyone has had a dog through chemo and prepared the dogs food themselves will you post here or pm me? I would appreciate it A TON.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

I have never fed a dog on chemo a raw diet but I just don't see how any other diet could be as good for him. My Abby has had liver cancer for over a year now and is still going strong. I give PMR the credit for that. Cancer feeds on carbs so you don't want to feed any of those. I would feed PMR. I just wouldn't feed some of the rotten meat I have fed before. I think if you stick to good fresh animal parts, you will be ok.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

I think the same Bill. It would definitely be the most fitting diet for his needs. Im pretty confused right now, completely on the fence as on one hand Pmr has everything he could possibly need and nothing he shouldn't have. Except for bacteria if his immune system is suppresed...and i could not do it right now even if i wanted as we are still syringe feeding.

Im so confused as to what to do. I wonder if he is as confused as i am.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I do know somebody, I will contact them today and see if I can get some info or pass on their phone # to you. They have a mini bull terrier who has cancer not sure what kind and they did chemo a couple years ago, did a home cooked diet and I just saw Luke when I was driving bus yesterday in Fairhaven so he is still in remission.


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## RachelsaurusRexU (Sep 4, 2010)

My friend had a GSD with bone cancer. He had a leg amputated but the cancer started to spread. She didn't want to feed him carbs since carbs feed cancer, so they ended up raw feeding while he was going through chemo and had no problems. Chemo was going great, he was kickin that cancer's ass! He did quite well for quite a while, but eventually wouldn't eat his raw, probably due to nauseau. Toward the end, she switched him back to kibble and canned with canned fish just to get him to eat enough. He didn't succumb to the cancer and he didn't end up with any sort of infection from raw. Ultimately some sort of degenerative spinal issue was discovered and they made the decision to let him go. 

Hang in there.


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

Feeling so bad for what you are going through. I was concerned about suggesting the sweets/yams/split peas as part of a cooked diet, because as I mentioned, I didn't know if you were concerned about the need for fiber vs. the carbs "feeding" the cancer. If he can't do raw because he just doesn't want to, or you decide not to do it for your own reasons...then I would look at the cancer diets on dogaware.com.....Since we cook, that's where I headed when our boy had some mild kidney issues and digestive issues. I think in your other thread someone else mentioned a link which may be helpful too.


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## cprcheetah (Jul 14, 2010)

I don't know much about it, but I do know that you need to Avoid carbs, carbs FEED cancer.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I'm still trying to reach them, they have their fax turned to their number. Hopefully I will get a hold of them today.


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## KittyKat (Feb 11, 2011)

I will second the carbs feed cancer bit. Definitely stick with raw.... commercial stuff will only weaken an immune system with all the processed crap thats in it. Raw won't burden their system either.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

If his calcium is lowered i am doing raw. Right now it is elevated causing him to have no appetite...so at this point we are not sure he will make it last Friday. They sent out a test to Michigan today and won't know the results till the end of tthe week. It seems like a long time to wait but unfortunately if he cant have his calcium lowered those next week will very our last with him. There is no quality jn life being force fed every day, i won't let him go on like that. We still have home though as he may respond well to his injectable today...


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Ok, if calcium is high, will just not feeding bones cause it to go lower? I'm not being a smartass, I don't know. What other way do you lower calcium?


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

Bill, it is the cancer that is causing his calcium to be elevated...all of this is leading back to cancer. He has had no bones to speak of, in fact he hadn't had a thing to eat for himself in almost ten days. I was force feeding him homeadept puree...his specialist called while we were on or way to see tuck this morning. Tucker is responding to the chemo and his.calcium level is going down. When we got to visit him this morning he ate some canned food on his own in the visiting room. I brought his ball and he acted like he had been missing that thing for years. He was crying tand pulling to get to us, so much so the tech who has been caring for him actually struggled some to hold him back. Today wasa turning stone in a way. His appetite is returning and we get our strong old tucker back tomorrow morning.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

CavePaws said:


> I think the same Bill. It would definitely be the most fitting diet for his needs. Im pretty confused right now, completely on the fence as on one hand Pmr has everything he could possibly need and nothing he shouldn't have. Except for bacteria if his immune system is suppresed...and i could not do it right now even if i wanted as we are still syringe feeding.
> 
> Im so confused as to what to do. I wonder if he is as confused as i am.


raw food can be pureed and can be put into a syringe...

cancer feeds on sugar. carbs are high in sugar. if humans who have cancer are advised by the most advanced cancer centers to stay away from sugar, i would make an educated guess that dogs who should not have sugar to begin with, not have sugar in their foods.

i know you're scared.....and i don't blame you....chemo attacks the immune system and compromises it....

your dog is not a human....and therefore, if doggies don't get veggies, fruits, and grains when they are healthy, it stands to reason they should definitely not get it when they are sick....

the way in which to help him get strong is from the vets who have immunity boosters in shot form.....


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

I am talking to his vet tomorrow. I don't know if an immune booster is what he needs as it is his immune system which is under attack right now - his lymphatic system. I need to talk to his doctor. There could be several different vitamins he needs at certain concentrations and I can't just guess with him. This is going farther than my bank of knowledge and I want a specialist to tell me how to go about this. I am telling his doctor that I won't feed him commercial foods and I am completely against feeding him carbohydrates. So, if a cooked diet is what is suggested for the next four months, he will eat that. It will have basically no carbs, save psyllium husk.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

CavePaws said:


> I am talking to his vet tomorrow. I don't know if an immune booster is what he needs as it is his immune system which is under attack right now - his lymphatic system. I need to talk to his doctor. There could be several different vitamins he needs at certain concentrations and I can't just guess with him. This is going farther than my bank of knowledge and I want a specialist to tell me how to go about this. I am telling his doctor that I won't feed him commercial foods and I am completely against feeding him carbohydrates. So, if a cooked diet is what is suggested for the next four months, he will eat that. It will have basically no carbs, save psyllium husk.


i'm sorry, i didn't mean to let you think that's what he needs...immune boosters are something vets give to dogs with compromised immune systems. but that's not to say your baby will get it or need it.

i'm just saying that i think a pmr diet is what you need to feed....and hopefully you'll get your answer.

when my friend gave her boxer a cooked diet for mast cell cancer, it was protein combos, egg shell, psyillium husks. no veggies. no fruits.


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