Cancer and nutrition to boost immune system

[SuperWanda]

Hi - my 7 year old husky is having a soft tissue sarcoma removed on Thursday. I posted this in the health section to see if anyone had a similar experience but so far no replies (one from hazelrunpack with support )

I don't want to unnecessarily scare myself with all the info. out there but read a connection with vaccine site injection, however this lump is on the outside of her hind leg right above her knee - far from any vaccine she has had in the past.

I am just trying to figure out if there is anything else I could add to her diet to boost her immune system?

I have been feeding Orijen and have recently switched her to Horizon Legagcy just to see if a potato-free food would make a difference with her arthritis. I have always feed kibble with a variety of fresh foods and have used a few supplements over the years (right now both my dogs get Udo's Pet Essentials). I have also been giving some raw like chicken hearts, liver and some frozen bison berry patties made by Farm Fresh Foods in Saskatchewan. I give fish oil and vitamin E but have heard the fish oil has a blood thinning effect so am withholding this until after her surgery.

I have wondered about vitamin C but there seems to be mixed reviews. This site warns against it but not sure about this site overall (Dr. William Cusick - the animal advocate)
http://home.att.net/~wdcusick/013.html

Anything else that you could suggest?

I was also told that she may be constipated after the surgery - not sure if this is from the pain killers or anethetic??? but would some canned pumpkin help?

Sorry for the long post!
Here is a picture of her from this past weekend:

[clm]

I'm pretty sure that Frenchy had Sam on a raw diet for a while, I can't remember who here had given here the info on it though. I'm sure one of them will pipe up with some help soon.

Cindy

[bendyfoot]

Your pup is a cutie! The only thing I've read/heard about diet and cancer is that a high-protein, low-carb diet is best (the "Atkins" approach, so to speak), and it sounds like you're already doing that. I hope others can come up with some ideas for you!

[Frenchy]

Your husky is a beauty !

clm is right , my Sam was on raw diet. Sam is my 10 yr old , almost 11 , golden , has been diagnose with Fibrosarcoma last December , was given 2-6 months to live. He's still going strong after 8 months He was put on raw diet , who slows down the cancer , it feeds the dog and not the cancer. You can also feed a non grain kibble which is less time consuming and much easier to feed.

I had to take Sam off the raw diet weeks ago , he was having severe diarrhea :sad:

[SuperWanda]

Thank you for the replies - I have been feeding a high protein low carb diet since Orijen came out so good to know that helps.

Frenchy - I'm glad that your Sam is doing well. Did he have surgery to remove the lumps? I have been trying some raw but don't feed it exclusively - but she seems to like it.

I am not sure what type of sarcoma this is - understand there may be differerent types so I guess I will find out once they remove it. It was graded as intermediate with the needle biopsy but have been told by the vet that is not accurate so will wait for the results once it's removed to find out if it has spread.

[Frenchy]

Sam's was already as big as a grapefruit when I felt it. (under his anus , he's very hairy , even when I brished him , we couldn't see or feel it)

It was too big to remove , not an ideal position. My other golden had the same lump , 2 years ago , it was smaller so she got the operation but the cancer came back after 2 months.

Sam would have needed chemo , radiation , and then ask one of the dog surgeons/specialist here in Quebec if one would do the operation. After all this , only 30% of dogs live more than a year. So I decided against. My vet also thought Sam may not have survived all of this.

When is your dog having the surgery ?