What Is Cordyceps for Canines?
Cordyceps is a type of fungus used in Chinese medicine that grows inside insects, particularly hepialus armoricanus. The spores of the fungus enter the host insect in the winter and gradually absorb the internal material of the insect. When the host insect dies, the fungus grows into a mushroom reaching 3 cm to 10 cm by summer.
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Medicinal Properties
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Cordyceps is rich in vitamin B12, amino acids and proteins, and is said to nourish the lungs and kidneys, improve the respiratory system, stop coughing and panting, strengthen the body and improve the immune system in humans and animals.
Statistics
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Cancer is the leading cause of natural death in older dogs. Cordyceps' benefit to the immune system has led it to be used to treat cancer in people as well as pets.
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Therapeutic Use
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Cordyceps is used in "immune modulation therapy" in dogs, meaning it is used in addition to conventional radiation treatments and has achieved significantly better results than radiation alone.
Clinical Trials
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It has been reported that 50 to 85 percent of dogs treated with cordyceps immune modulation therapy went into remission.
Caution
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Proponents of cordyceps therapy do not claim it to be a replacement for conventional medical treatment.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Emery Way
