Nutritional Therapy for Canine Lymphoma

Nutrition is always important, but when canine lymphoma is the issue, proper nutrition can be vital to your dog and can even provide anti-cancer properties. Dogs and cancer have a long history and more and more vets are understanding the importance of nutrition for the treatment of canine cancers. Antioxidants are huge for their anticancer properties. Making sure that your dog's diet includes plenty of omega fatty acids and is high in protein are all ways to improve you dog's diet in an effort to fight lymphoma.

High Protein, Low Carbohydrate Diet

Limiting the amount of carbohydrates in your dog's diet isn't a bad idea at anytime. Studies show that too much carbohydrates can feed a cancerous tumor. Dog tumor growth can be slowed by making sure your dog isn't fed an excessive amount of carbohydrates. Make sure to read the labels on your dog's food to know what the carbohydrate amounts are.

Increase Intake of Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 fatty acids are found in a variety of foods, but not typically in your average dry dog food. It is important to pay close attention to the type of food you are feeding your dog while you are trying to help them battle lymphoma. Breast cancer dog forms are also lymphoma and studies have shown that increasing the omega 3 fatty acid intake can really slow the growth of tumors. Omega 3 fatty acids also have anti-inflammatory properties which may also prove beneficial to you dog with cancer.

Safflower Oil

Studies have shown the linoleic acid found in safflower oil can be beneficial in the fight of lymphoma. Adding this oil to your dog's food may be helpful. Studies have shown that some dogs will go into remission with this added to their diet, however, many of the dogs who benefited from the safflower oil were also receiving chemotherapy treatment at the same time. Also, safflower oil is an omega 6 fatty acid and the omega 6 fatty acids may promote tumor growth.

Most importantly when treating your dog's lymphoma through nutrition, you need to be working with a vet and most likely, be using nutritional treatment in conjunction with other cancer treatments. Nutrition alone won't cure your dog or put them in remission, but as part of a treatment plan, you and your dog may notice significant results.

 

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