Your Pet Food May Contain Carcinogens

To wrap up this week's discussion of cancer in pets, I want to highlight Mike Adams' guide, "Pet Health: How to secure your pet’s long-term health, safety and welfare." Adams' believes he's uncovered some startling findings regarding the pet food industry, and he's out to spread the word. For example, Adams claims that several common pet food preservatives have been linked to cancer. Furthermore, he says, "diabetes and cancer have skyrocketed in pets over the last ten years. That's because pet food is now filled with many of the same unhealthy ingredients that are causing these diseases to reach epidemic proportions in the human population" (NaturalNews Insider Alert). The guide also discusses pet exercise and other healthful tips. It's not free, but if you feel like spending $10 to own this guide, click here. I will leave you with this final quote from Adams:

If you saw the headlines about the recent Diamond Pet Food scandal, you know that pet food toxins can be deadly. Nearly 100 dogs died from eating contaminated dog food before the company recalled 34 million pounds of poisonous kibble. That story made headlines around the world, but the real story on pet food remains untold: That common pet food ingredients -- even those found in expensive, brand-name foods -- may be harming your pet right now. (NaturalNews Insider Alert)

Microchip Implants Cause Cancer in Pets

Yesterday, we learned that our canine pets are not immune to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and they too may someday have to struggle through the pains of chemotherapy. Today, I want to present some disturbing information regarding one particular cause of cancer in our pets: animal microchips.

Microchip implants were introduced in the 1980s and have become increasingly popular for pet tracking over the past few years. A recent report reviewed the research conducted on these microchips from 1990 to 2006, and the researchers found "in nearly all cases, researchers concluded that the microchips had induced the cancers."

In light of this upsetting research, animal rights attorney Steven Wise is suing Merck & Co. over claims that its HomeAgain® pet microchip caused malignant tumors in pets. To read more about this case, click here.

Our Furry Friends Can Suffer From Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Too

I have to admit that I never associated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with canines before today, but I recently learned that dogs suffer from NHL just like humans do. In fact, the veterinary community has a pretty sophisticated grasp on NHL symptoms, progression and treatment for pooches. For example, according to Powerscout, symptoms of NHL in dogs include:

• Generalized lymph node enlargement (swollen glands)
• Lethargy
• Weight loss & loss of appetite
• Increased drinking/urination
• Vomiting and/or diarrhoea
• Difficulty breathing
  

Diagnosis may be established after, "a thorough and full physical examination including, complete blood count, platelet count, biochemical profile, urinalysis & fine needle aspirate or excisional biopsy of the lymph node. Other tests may include chest and abdominal radiographs, abdominal ultrasound and ultrasound guided aspirates of the liver and spleen for cytologic evaluation, and bone marrow aspirate" (Powerscout).

Once the dog's cancer is identified, it is "staged," meaning the progression of the disease is determined. Then a treatment plan can be decided upon. Canines have many of the same treatment options as humans do, including chemotherapy.

Who knew that our furry friends risk the same battles with NHL as we do?