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- Feb 23, 2017
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I was inspired to write this post a few weeks ago after I learned about a malignant cancer tentative diagnosis in a middle-age (IMO) male, intact and incredible Golden who was a patient.
He is also the father of many other great pups and is in vigorous good health otherwise.
His wonderful NR (natural rearing) breeder asked a very important question which I will answer here because it might be helpful.
However, first a warning. This information is from my opinion and is not "standard of veterinary care". What I write below is NOT the current understanding of cancer in dogs.
The question was "why" did this happen to a raw fed, unvaccinated dog who had minimal exposure to environmental toxins?
IMO,the answer has 2 pieces. One is easily controlled and the other can be modified but not directly controlled.
Those two things are early age vaccination and genetics and they also determine whether a pet eventually develops cancer.
The genetic association with cancer is well understood. However all of the epi-genetic factors that determine if genes get turned on or off remain to be fully elucidated.
The ones we know are the healthy lifestyle like varied fresh food feeding, exercise, engagement, avoiding toxins, etc. However, it is also my personal belief, as taught by Dr. Hahnemann and homeopathic medicine, that whether we work with the body or against it also has major epi-genetic effects.
He wanted us to embrace symptoms as friends and proved how effective this approach was by saving thousands of lives.
He didn't know about genetics or infectious agents like viruses, but his keen empirical observations and incisive mind let him form a whole system of medicine based on combatting sickness using an understanding of genetic, infectious, and toxic influences.
However, even considering none of his incredible system, there is strong scientific evidence that working with existing mechanisms of the body conserves cellular energy and lets cells do their jobs.
This is because the process of translation, which is making new proteins, is the most energy consuming process in the body.
Anyway, this was a long-winded and confusing way of saying that coming down with cancer, and most dis-eases (imbalances), starts at birth with genetics.
Unfortunately, some breeds like Goldens, are genetically predisposed to a number of dis-eases and cancers.
The other factor that helps determine whether a serious dis-ease develops despite doing everything right, is early age vaccinations.
By early age, I mean 12 weeks. Pups or kittens who live in an area where there is an outbreak locally of parvo or distemper may need a vaccine by 8 weeks of age.
Ideally puppies and kittens would not receive any toxic insults at all.
I'm not going to discuss vaccines here, and strongly advise anyone interested to read the reference list of the vaccinosis ebook.
This brings me back to the Golden who had never had any vaccines, but had cancer. The same applies for any purebreed animal where everything possible was done to avoid (adult) vaccines, and maintain health.
That's it for now. The two factors that determine if a pet who had "everything right" done develops a serious dis-ease are.
1. Genetics
2. Early age vaccination
I look forward to discussing this over the next few weeks.
He is also the father of many other great pups and is in vigorous good health otherwise.
His wonderful NR (natural rearing) breeder asked a very important question which I will answer here because it might be helpful.
However, first a warning. This information is from my opinion and is not "standard of veterinary care". What I write below is NOT the current understanding of cancer in dogs.
The question was "why" did this happen to a raw fed, unvaccinated dog who had minimal exposure to environmental toxins?
IMO,the answer has 2 pieces. One is easily controlled and the other can be modified but not directly controlled.
Those two things are early age vaccination and genetics and they also determine whether a pet eventually develops cancer.
The genetic association with cancer is well understood. However all of the epi-genetic factors that determine if genes get turned on or off remain to be fully elucidated.
The ones we know are the healthy lifestyle like varied fresh food feeding, exercise, engagement, avoiding toxins, etc. However, it is also my personal belief, as taught by Dr. Hahnemann and homeopathic medicine, that whether we work with the body or against it also has major epi-genetic effects.
He wanted us to embrace symptoms as friends and proved how effective this approach was by saving thousands of lives.
He didn't know about genetics or infectious agents like viruses, but his keen empirical observations and incisive mind let him form a whole system of medicine based on combatting sickness using an understanding of genetic, infectious, and toxic influences.
However, even considering none of his incredible system, there is strong scientific evidence that working with existing mechanisms of the body conserves cellular energy and lets cells do their jobs.
This is because the process of translation, which is making new proteins, is the most energy consuming process in the body.
Anyway, this was a long-winded and confusing way of saying that coming down with cancer, and most dis-eases (imbalances), starts at birth with genetics.
Unfortunately, some breeds like Goldens, are genetically predisposed to a number of dis-eases and cancers.
The other factor that helps determine whether a serious dis-ease develops despite doing everything right, is early age vaccinations.
By early age, I mean 12 weeks. Pups or kittens who live in an area where there is an outbreak locally of parvo or distemper may need a vaccine by 8 weeks of age.
Ideally puppies and kittens would not receive any toxic insults at all.
I'm not going to discuss vaccines here, and strongly advise anyone interested to read the reference list of the vaccinosis ebook.
This brings me back to the Golden who had never had any vaccines, but had cancer. The same applies for any purebreed animal where everything possible was done to avoid (adult) vaccines, and maintain health.
That's it for now. The two factors that determine if a pet who had "everything right" done develops a serious dis-ease are.
1. Genetics
2. Early age vaccination
I look forward to discussing this over the next few weeks.