Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Gerry has had a number of little bumps and lumps in the three years I've had him. Most of them completely harmless. But his latest one was a mast cell tumor that could have been serious and could reoccur. (It was removed with clean margins, was a low grade - he's good!). Even if he never gets a life-threatening lump or bump, I could sure use a break from them! Two things I've heard about most as far as being anti-tumor or anti-cancer (along with a number of other desirable qualities) are kelp and kale. I'm curious what others can tell me about those two in particular. Other diet supplements known for lowering occurrences of lumps and bumps would also be most welcome.
But, that at this time I'm not willing to consider a total diet change. I had lots of trouble finding a food that worked for Gerry (even great quality grain free foods did not work for him - rich diets with a variety of proteins and/or potatoes in particular he didn't seem to handle). Wellness Simple Solutions finally settled his belly, so I want to stick with that. And I don't doubt raw diets are great, but he wouldn't be able to do dog therapy in our area, if he was on a raw diet. Organization regulations. So, just healthy additions to his diet for now! Thanks!!
Gerry has been a tripawd since 12/16/2009.
He was a shelter dog with a mysterious past and an irrepairable knee injury.
Videos and pics of Gerry's pawesomeness can be found at: http://gerry.tripawds.com
Afraid I don't have any info to add, but that is interesting about kale and kelp. I hadn't heard that. I know that Rita loves it when I make kale chips, and will happily eat a bunch of them. Guess I'll keep giving them to her!
Jackie
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
Hey Bri, how did I miss the fact that Gerry's tumor was low grade? Well shucks, CONGRATS! That's awesome news. So, how many gray hairs has that boy given you? Tell him he has GOT to stop scaring us like this!
I'm not a nutritionist (although this subject would make a GREAT Nutrition Blog post....any takers?), but as far as I understand it, kale and kelp are part of the "superfoods" group that help in SO many ways....here's a good description of kale and kelp benefits that I found online:
Sea vegetables, most commonly referred to as seaweed, are great sources of vitamin B, magnesium, iron, folate, and calcium. Furthermore, seaweed is a better source of minerals than any other vegetable. Seaweed contains all the minerals found in human blood, as the minerals in seawater are similar to those found in our blood, with nearly identical concentrations.
Kale has primarily stood out among nutritionists as an anti-cancer food due to the high amounts of organosulfur compounds it contains. Food and health scientists believe that these important compounds fuel the body to detox carcinogenic substances in the body, thus warding off certain types of cancer.
In addition to its cancer-fighting qualities, kale has also been shown to lower the risk of cataracts, the most common cause of vision loss among people aged 55 and older. This is due to the presence of carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin), which have been proven to ward off the debilitating eye disease.
Kale is also packed with additional nutrients, such as vitamins A, C, E, and B, as well as manganese, copper, calcium, and iron.
When it comes to dogs, kelp is a GREAT teeth cleaner too. If you buy it in granular form, instead of powder, sprinkling it on food will add an abrasive, safe teeth cleaner!
Dr. Dressler's new EverPup supplement has both of these ingredients, I believe. Super healthy stuff that you just sprinkle on food. We are trying it on Wyatt, and plan on posting a review soon.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks! I emailed Gerry's regular vet about my interest in kale and kelp and she told me she can refer me to another vet she knows who is more versed in supplements/nutrition by the sound of it. Yay! So we'll meet with her/him. Still, open to more info from you all though! The more I know going in, the better questions I can ask when we have our appointment.
Besides a possible record number of surgeries, I think it's also very likely Gerry has/will hit a record number of vets to consult with.
Gerry has been a tripawd since 12/16/2009.
He was a shelter dog with a mysterious past and an irrepairable knee injury.
Videos and pics of Gerry's pawesomeness can be found at: http://gerry.tripawds.com
Let us know what the new vet is like. It's always so nice to be able to connect with docs who are more well-versed in nutrition.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
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