Re: Receiving a most difficult diagnosis today
voyageur, I have a book called
All You Ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for Pets by Mary L. Wulff- Tilford & Gregory L. Tilford [ISBN: 1-889540-64-1 copyright edition 1999] which I got for 10.00 at a used bookstore in WA.
With the information given by Dr. Karen Becker (acclaimed holistic veterinarian), the many books (two of which were my main sources, and listed here), and the use of FES, I was able to assist my best friend, Butch, to reclaim health from pancreatitis.
Additionally, I gathered and applied information from a holistically oriented book titled
Homeopathic Care for Cats & Dogs by Don Hamilton, DMV. This is a 1999 revised edition with ISBN : 978-1-55643-935-3, which I was fortunate enough to grab at a discount of 75% off during a trip to a holistic fair in PA a year before he was ill.
The three FES (Flower Essences - these can typically be found in organic foods stores) I used were as follows:
Love-lies-Bleeding (used for a ..."wounded or deeply suffering animal which may not live...");
Penstemon (used for "...illness or trauma, gives inner strength during adverse circumstances..."; and
Self-Heal (used to "...add to almost any combination, and to stimulate inner healing forces of an animal, awaken their vitality and will to live..."). Likewise, I also took one to help calm myself so as to make sure his environment and those with whom he came in contact were as calming and harmonious as possible.
Dr. Karen Becker/Dr. Mercola, two extraordinary physicians have developed a product called
Ubiquinol (Enhanced CoQ10) that I still give Butch, in addition to their
Complete Probiotics formula.
I am also looking at adding their liver and kidney support formula to his current raw meat diet (gradually changed him over to this, in light of what Dr. Becker and Laura have given with regards to the benefits of a raw diet). His diet now consists of revolving portions of turkey, chicken, beef, sardines, pork (all without bones, although bones may be recommended for dogs); all of these being pre-ground with some purified water and/or cut into small pieces. Also, he enjoys a bit of the bone broth I make up for my partner and I, added occasionally onto it, too.
Incidentally, the so-called 'holistic vet' we saw in our area (in my opinion, one who falsely claims to offer a genuinely holistic approach to pet health) was of little help overall, insofar as she was very unwilling to carry on bi-directional dialogue with me without my first making an appointment and paying in advance (of course, having done a bit of homework beforehand, prior to making monetary commitments, I was looking to discover the scope of her knowledge and spectrum of remedial care offerings).
Long story short, it took approximately 7 months for a complete recovery, hinging on my utilization and application of gathered knowledge, in order to help Butch heal up (knock on wood, he's doing well and has yet to backslide into re-occurrence symptoms of pancreatitis. This is the part where I may, perhaps, allow myself to be given a pat on the back because, according to the "holistic vet" mentioned above, the best case prognosis suggested a recovery time of between 6-12 months (and this is given with the qualification that a relapse can and often does recur again after "recovery"). So, after all, taking on the role of 'self-doctor-healer' with very limited $ resources was, although, somewhat of a gamble, a successful decision (so far, and, again, with a knock on wood).
I realize this may not be so attractive to others, especially depending on the severity of the health issue(s) involved. Each must do what one feels is right, taking the path which seems best, especially with regard to a potential multitude of factors and circumstances that, of course, vary from individual to individual.
Here is some information from the book titled
All You Ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for Pets below, which may be of assistance in your care of Jack (bolding for emphasis, mine):
On page 272, I found some talk on cancer and corresponding herbal therapies (there is even a tonic support formula for animals with cancer on p. 274, which I'll include).
Several diet programs have been designed to strengthen and support animals with cancer. Many involve foods that are rich in fiber and antioxidant compounds. Intensive vitamin, mineral, and other supplemental therapies are often employed as well. These typically include vitamins A, B complex, C, and E, as well as selenium, iron, co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10), EFAs, digestive enzymes, and dimethylglycine.
On page 273, Herbal therapies:
Herbs can play a important role in supporting the body in its effort to rid itself of cancer. Herbal therapies focus on tonic support of organs and systems that have special significance in the fight. Because cancer is so variable, it's difficult to generalize an herbal approach. Every case of cancer is different, as are the metabolic requirements of each animal who has cancer. But a good starting point for herbal treatment of all animals with cancer is to support the liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system-the body's waste filtering and elimination systems. By helping the body cleanse itself, the immune system is less encumbered with cleanup chores and better able to fight cancer. The infamous Essiac and Hoxey formulas were designed for this purpose. Although the formulas for both have likely been changed several times over the years, each contains an array of alternative and cholagogue herbs that are targeted toward cleaning the blood, improving digestion, and eliminating waste (primarily via the digestive tract).
[...]
Red clover is at the top of our list of of anti-cancer herbs because it inhibits the activities of carcinogenic compounds, helps improve blood structure, and strengthens lymphatic functions that area crucial in cleansing cell tissues throughout the body. It also contains sterol constituents that are believed to inhibit the production of blood vessels that supply and support newly formed tumors.
[...]
Burdock and dandelion root provide gentle stimulation to the liver, thus improving digestion and the removal of waste. These herbs do not cause added strain upon the filtering organs, and therefore they can be used continuously over a long period. In situations where toxic build up of systemic waste must be eliminated quickly in order to liberate the immune system, yellow dock serves as a much stronger liver stimulant and in fact is known as a traditional remedy for heavy metal toxicity (it is also a laxative). Milk thistle may be helpful for protecting the liver against harmful by-products of the cancer or from damage that may result after protracted drug therapies.
Page 274:
To help remove toxic waste, slippery elm, marshmallow, flaxseed, and plantain serve as useful devices for lubricating, protecting, and reducing inflammation of mucous membranes throughout the urinary and digestive tracts. If poor liver function has caused chronic constipation, frequent small doses of turkey rhubarb tincture (0.25 milliliters per 30 pounds of the animal's body weight, three times daily) serve as an effective laxative. It should be limited to as-needed, short term use because it can cause diarrhea, intestinal cramping, and other discomforts.
Immunostimulant herbs may also help boost your companion's immune response to the cancer. Astragalus is especially well suited for this purpose because it adds energy-boosting adaptogenic qualities to its immunostimulant properties in cancer-debilitated animals. Garlic is another excellent immune system tonic to consider. While boosting production of killer T cells and other immune system components, it has also been shown to trigger enzyme responses that help break down the waste materials before they enter the blood stream.
A Tonic Support Formula for Animals with Cancer
Combine the following low-alcohol (glycerin) herb tinctures:
2 parts Red Clover
1 part Astragalus
1 part Dandelion
1 part Garlic
This formula can be fed continuously over a long period: 0.5 milliliters per 20 pounds of the animals body weight, three times daily. If constipation is part of your animal's problem, try adding 2 parts marshmallow to the formula. If this fails to bring results, add 1 part yellow dock. If that doesn't work, try substituting the yellow dock with turkey rhubarb. If liver damage is evident or a threat, twice daily doses of milk thistle may be fed in addition to this formula to help repair and protect the liver. A standardized milk thistle preparation that contains at least 70 percent silymarin constituents is best for repairing an already damaged liver.
I hope what I have dug up and am giving may possibly be helpful with respect to care of Jack and his recovery (perhaps you may have even discovered all of the above, and have found a knowledgeable, holistic vet who is very helpful in guiding you and Jack through this ordeal).
As always, of course, please choose to do what seems appropriate and best, given all the factors involved (the path I took that, thankfully, worked out for Butch may not be as applicable to others' contexts)...
Please keep us all updated with how Jack is doing!
Things are moving...
