Here we go again......

Glad to hear he's still doing well - you've put a lot of effort into that pooch and it's no wonder you're now his favorite person.

Animals reach the end of their life much quicker than we do. Sometimes the last kindness we can show is to put our senior dog or cat to sleep and stop the suffering. We feel the loss, but can celebrate a life well lived.

kay

You DO realize that BONE cancer is generally BONE cells that have gone crazy....

Yeah Kay - that's where it stands with Dudes (cat). He's already around 17 and he's already weak. I have no clue about cats - don't understand their metabolism, don't know what is bad for them, and even if I did, I don't think I have time to help him, or I would do something for him, too. Right now he's been put on pain meds and they seem to have him comfortable and he's eating and keeping it down, but beyond that - I don't know what to do for him. So we are just letting him be comfortable - when comfort isn't working, she'll be putting him out of his misery. Like I said, it won't be long.

Right now - I'm trying to figure out why all the cancer around here. Not just animals either - lot of people with it. Something isn't right.

That is so great, that you are able to help that sweet old dog, Sal! Way!

Please give Ricky a big hug from me. (you deserve one too!)

Keep up the good work!

Kay - yeah, cats are different, alright. Never having one of my own, I know zero about them. These guys like me and I pet them, etc - but as far as telling what is what with them, forget it. My sister is having a bit of a melt-down right now - (relationship dissolving and financial crap) so I actually had to convince her that Dudes was not just "skinny as always". I've got my hands full over here right now. Trust me on that one.

Pat - every time that little guy smiles or wags his tail, I get my hugs.

I'm fairly new here and a just getting to know everyone.....

What treatments are you providing to Ricky?

I also have a home filled with rescue animals (not as many as your sister). I usually find visits to the vet not very helpful so I tend to try holistic approaches.

It sounds like Ricky, Dude and the rest of your animal family are very lucky to have you and your sister to love them so much!

Jacqueline.

The first thing you have to understand about cancer is that there are two different types - one is caused by genetic mutation, and you can control it a bit but you probably won't be completely curing it. The second type is basically allowed to fester because it is the result of the immune system crashing or becoming over-taxed. Also note - that once it goes far enough there is enough damage to organs that it can be difficult if not impossible to resurrect them. So you can never be sure if you can do enough - but you can extend quality time at any rate.

Here's My regime for Ricky:

Glucosimine/MSM/Chondroitin -- this one is bone support, but not just because it is bone cancer he is suffering. Support for bone means support for the body's ability to produce disease fighting cells. I give him one each day - gave him two a day for 8 weeks.

Ubiquinol - the absorbing form of CoQ10. Regular CoQ10 doesn't absorb well. 100mg per day for 8 weeks, then stop for a few weeks then 4 weeks on - two weeks off and stay at that level. Must be taken with fat (meat or cottage cheese - keep reading)

Pancreatic enzymes and protylitics (sp?) such as bromine, protese, papain
You can get these in tablets that include acidophilis from Spring Valley called Multi-enzyme Probiotic Formula. These he ALWAYS gets with his food to help digest it correctly -- he is also given these twice a day on an empty stomach. If fed on an empty stomach they go into the bloodstream where they scavange all foreign proteins. Because they support intestinal health, they also strengthen the immune system.

Turmeric - 100 mgs of turmeric extract with black pepper included. Cucurium (active ingredient in Turmeric) does not absorb well. The black pepper has a subtance in it that aids absorption (a lot). I found the capsules that already contain the necessary pepper so I don't have to worry about absorption. He gets one 950 mg capsule every 5 hours for a month, then I lay off for a week to let his body rest. This stuff also needs to be given with fat (cottage cheese again - keep reading).

Lycopene - because it's cheap and helps support prevention so he's not producing extra cancer. Not real sure if it actually helps kill what's there. I give him one of these every day.

Ellagic Acid -- raspberry seeds, ground. You can get already ground, but it's best when you can find the seeds whole and grind them in a little coffee grinder yourself so they don't degrade. DO NOT BE FOOLED by supplements - they have raspberry leave and Ellagic acid supplements - they are garbage.
Get the seeds or at least the seed flour. 3 grams a day is maintenance only. For therapeutic I give him 6 grams 3 times a day - every day.

L-Glutamine (digests into glutathione) Helps build more T-cells and supports immune system in a lot of ways.

Organic cottage cheese with ground flax seed in it. I grind the flax myself, keeps it fresh and active. Not only does this provide him with omega 3's he needs, it has calcium for bone support -- also, the mix of flax and fermented protein form some sort of sulfuric that cancer just can't hack. I feed him around 6 or 8 ounces of this in the AM with his other supplements in it so I don't need to just stuff things down his throat all day. He eats every drop and loves it, supplements and all.

Water - NON-fluoridated with a half spoon of baking soda in each bowl - especially just before bed. This creates an alkaline ph and cancer doesn't like that either. AGAIN - do not be fooled by alkaline water that you buy. Some of that isn't all it's cracked up to be.

When I give him anything between the cottage cheese and dinner, other than when he gets enzymes on an empty stomach, he gets cod liver oil with it - that has omega 3 oils so his body can absorb the supplements, and it has vit A and D, which are vital, too.

We walk daily without fail even if we don't go far or fast because his tumor is right against his shoulder joint so when it's inflamed it hurts.

He also has pain meds (not sure what her vet gave him. Sue gives him those) and he gets aspirin for swelling. I try to hold off on aspirin as much as possible and only use it when he's not doing so well. Sometimes I give him a capsule of ginger and one of cayenne at the same time - that helps both pain and swelling, but I don't like to give a lot of cayenne, both for his stomach and to avoid toxic doses of capsaicin (sp again, lol).