Raw Diet for Canine Cancer
According to the K9 Immunity website, dogs can still have long lives with cancer, but they suffer from the damage the disease causes to their kidneys and liver. Furthermore, sugars fuel the growth of cancer cells. Providing your cancer-stricken canine the right combination of foods helps boost its immune system.
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What Is A Raw Diet?
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A raw food diet is comprised of 75 percent protein and 25 percent fruits and vegetables. The food is uncooked. The portion size is equivalent to 2 percent of the dog's body weight, or slightly higher for active dogs, per day. The food can be chopped up into bite-sized pieces or blended together in a food processor to a consistency similar to canned dog food.
Raw Food Options
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Just about any type of protein is suitable for a dog, such as chicken, beef and lamb. Some dog owners prefer to slightly cook the meat to a rare temperature as a way of safely easing the dog over from a commercial dog food diet to a raw one, but cooking the meat isn't necessary. Broccoli, spinach, apples and pears make for good fruit and vegetable options. Garlic, cottage cheese and yogurt are acceptable options as well.
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Purpose of a Raw Diet
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A raw diet enables dog owners to better control a dog's food intake and ensure it receives the proper nutrition.
Dangers of a Commercial Diet
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According to Canine Cancer Awareness, cancer feeds on sugar. Sugar exists in a variety of commercial dog foods and treats. Controlling a dog's sugar intake therefore inhibits the spread of cancerous cells. A raw diet allows you to monitor sugar consumption. Cancer also causes the dog to use up a lot of proteins and omega fatty acids to build tissue. A dog's body finds these nutrients in muscles and kidneys when not enough exists in its diet. Muscles weaken and kidneys lose function when proteins and omega fatty acids become depleted. Dogs suffering from cancer need a diet high in protein to ease digestion and replenish nutrients needed for normal cell maintenance and body function. K9 Immunity also recommends a grain-free diet for cancer patients to improve digestion.
Warning
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Canine Cancer Awareness warns raw meat should never be fed to a dog with a suppressed immune system and/or undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Consult your veterinarian prior to placing your dog on a raw diet.
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References
- Photo Credit the dog image by hupper from Fotolia.com
