How you can help restore health to your dog using non-invasive methods and support a healthier level of care. Thirty years experience by a research physiologist has had better than 90% success with dogs, even older dogs with other health challenges.
Part I: Who I am and What I have discovered
I am a research physiologist. That means that I study how biological systems work, how they adapt to stress, and how they recover from illness and injuries.
I have studied abnormal growths for nearly thirty years and have had a high level of
success with dogs, horses and human beings. Because my methods are non-invasive
and non-pharmaceutical, they will not make a drug company, veterinarians or doctors rich.
When someone has a dog with cancer, they usually find me through friends of people who have used my methods successfully on other dogs.
I am using the Internet to get the information on the method out into the world because there are too many dogs who are needlessly suffering and too many owners who suffer because they don't know how to help.
I have provided the information to more than forty people who had/have dogs with cancer. Almost all of these dogs were 7 years old or more and one was 18 years old when his owner began to use these methods. Most of the dogs were considered "garbage can" cases among traditional researchers. These are cases where the animal has multiple problems (diabetes, obesity, arthritis, blindness, etc) and would not qualify for testing experimental drugs or be viable candidates for surgery and radiation treatments.
The methods that I suggest require changes in the diet, bedding, and care of the dog. It takes more time than most owners have given to their pet in many years. About 1-2 hours every day. The benefits of this method are a significantly higher quality of life for the pet, a rejuvenation as if the animal were growing younger and more vital, and the comfort of seeing the pet happier and healthier with the prospect of more years of life.
There are many questions that come up as people use these methods with their dogs. There are variations in the environment, stress response of the dog, history of disease and injuries, length of time to heal from palpable tumors. That's why I am initiating publication so we can organize the information and make it accessible to folks.
In 1977, I had an insight that excess heat systemically would cause abnormal growths to occur and had theorized that cancer was a "hot house" effect. That is, that an excess of systemic heat would distort cells and stimulate the rate of growth. As this excess fluctuated, the cells would accommodate the thermal stress and the system would change its thermal set points to make and then defend the condition of excess heat that caused tumors to grow and the system to progress to points of multiple growths (metastasis). If the excess heat could be reduced and the system allowed to operate under low-normal thermodynamic conditions, the abnormal growths would reabsorb.
I had done work with two kinds of mice, Mammary Tumor Virus (MTV) mice, and athymic mice that had been bred to lack a thymus and had no immune system. I had complete success in eliminating tumors from the MTV mice and in dramatically improving the immune competence of the athymic mice so that they could exist outside of sterile conditions without becoming ill or diseased.
One day I was giving my spade 12 year old female dog a bath and found that she had seven "lumps" on the mammary lines. I brought her to my vet and he diagnosed her as having cancer. I asked him to monitor her since there were few treatment options, and after checking her liver and kidney functions, he agreed. Had she been in renal or hepatic distress, he would have insisted on putting her down.
I worked out a series of protocols for cooling her system and normalizing the heat distribution patterns of her body. One month later, I returned with her to the veterinarian. She had only two tumors left and both of these were reduced in size. Six weeks later, I returned again, and she had no palpable tumors.
I went on to share my methods with thirty two people in the local area. All had success with eliminating tumors and restoring their animals to health.
I later had experience with another vet where two dogs were the initial study: one responded as the earlier dogs had and one did not. When I interviewed the second person, I found that she had not followed instructions because she "knew" her dog was going to die and just "wanted to make him happy".
Since then, six more dogs have been assisted with the methods. One had a bone cancer that his owners decided was "unlikely" to change and were advised to put the dog down by their vet. The other five animals were greatly improved in overall health and had complete re-absorption of tumors. Two dogs are on the methods as of this writing.
In the following sections, I provide the methods that have been used to date. If your dog has some unusual needs or has multiple forms of degeneration and you need immediate help, you can email me and we can set up a telephone appointment. I must charge for such consultations and schedule them around my other work commitments.
Joan McKenna
2811 M. L. King Jr. Way
Berkeley, California 94703
(510) 548-4000
http://www.joanmckenna.net
Part II: Factors to Consider: Food, Water and Elimination
Food, treats, chewies and toys
Dogs love the food recommended in this method. They will often lick their empty bowls long after the food has been eaten. They will tend to be extremely territorial over this food, so separate feeding may be needed if there are other dogs/cats in the house.
I recommend that you only give your dog meat, fish and fowl. Raw or only lightly cooked. Your dog's genetic history is that of a wolf. Your dog's gene pool ate what they could hunt and when ill, various weeds and grasses. The weeds and grasses provide a plant based sodium.
You will need to purchase one pound of frozen or fresh meat/fish/fowl for each 50 pounds of body weight to feed each day. Lamb, turkey and salmon (canned) are recommended. Beef may have hormones and growth stimulants that are not found in the recommended foods.
To the meat add one tablespoon of organic coconut or corn oil (linoleic acid) and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per thirty pounds of weight . These substances ease elimination of toxins.
To this mixture add a quantity of deionized water (available at health food stores, Whole Foods and other markets with water machines or use Aqua Fina bottled water)
.
To determine how much deionized water, use the ratio of one ounce per pound of the dog's weight. So a 30 pound dog will have 30 ounces (slightly less than one quart) of deionized water added to his food.
Mix the meat, oil, vinegar and water together to make a "gruel". In cold climates or for dogs that have become emaciated, the gruel can be warmed.
If the dog has a poor appetite to start, divide the gruel into two or more portions and offer the dog several portions during the day.
If the dog's coat/skin has become dry, add an additional one or two tablespoons of coconut oil.
If there is history of gum problems, tooth loss, arthritis or bone cancer supplement the gruel with 500 mg of silica (Alta Brand tablets or a liquid equivalent) per 50 pounds of body weight. Vegetal silica is a material which the animal's body can convert into any form of calcium needed.
If open sores or skin lesions are present, add one Norweigan kelp tablet twice daily.
No other foods, please. The program is designed to return your dog's body to normal physiological functioning. This means the elimination of manufactured food, human food and table scraps, all grains and soy products. It means eliminating undigestible material suc as raw hide chews and pigs ears.
It also means avoiding sweets like fruit and "kongs" containing frozen peanut butter and honey. Even those healthy vegetables that you need in your diet are not going to be part of your dog's diet for some time.
Your dog's ancestors thrived without the manufactured items. The "healthiness" of grains for dogs is like sugar for humans. The results are the same and the stress on their livers, gallbladders, pancreas and nervous systems impact sooner. What takes 20 years to damage a human takes two years in a dog.
Dogs will generally eat whatever you give them. Just because they eat something and want more does not mean that it is good for them.
Do you need to give them food to show love? Hold back some of the meat from the gruel and cook it up in some "meatballs" that you keep refrigerated or in the freezer.
There are other ways to show you love your dog.
Water
Change the dog's water every day. Keep the bowl full or have more than one bowl. Use deionized water. If at first the dog does not recognize it (it has no odor) add a little tap water in.
Lower the lid on the toilet bowl and be sure that the outside area has no standing water for the dog to drink. Even rain water now brings down petrochemicals and other toxins. These stress and overheat the liver. If you bring your dog to a lake or a river or to the ocean, you have to wash the dog afterwards because of the toxic materials he may be exposed to.
Elimination
Dogs with cancer need to urinate three to five times more frequently than healthy dogs.
Their bodies form a caustic, irritating urine that irritates their bladders and causes the bladder sphincter to spasm.
If your dog does not have open access to a place he can urinate, be sure to walk him four or more times each day. Even if he has been able to hold his urine for long periods, it creates great stress on his body
As his health improves, he may have two to four bowel movements and some may be loose or watery. Do not reduce his water intake or the water portion of the gruel.
When his system was overheating, he became like a dried out plant. Water just runs through at first, but if watering continues, water can be held in a normal way.
The deionized water serves to cool and rehydrate as well as to dilute toxins being eliminated.
Do not worry about the deionized water causing mineral loss. Bone gets laid down when the system cools down or there is weight bearing activity. You are cooling him down and you will be playing with him to keep him an active dog.
Part III: Physical Cooling: Brushing, Bathing, Swimming and Rolls in the Snow
When an animal has cancer, the blood is overheated and has a low partial pressure of oxygen. This causes the hypothalamus to concentrate the low oxygen overheated blood in the internal organs and the brain. Circulation is now distorted and metabolic function is compromised.
(Boyle's Law explains how gas solubility decreases with the heat in a fluid and increases as the fluid cools)
To restore normal circulation and cool the total body of the dog daily misting and brushing is required.
Have a natural bristle brush with bristles long enough to reach the skin. Have a one quart spray bottle filled with water. Have a towel underneath the dog or spray outside if weather permits.
If the dog has very long hair, have the dog's hair trimmed to between one half and one inch long. Heavy coated dogs who are not living outside in a cool to cold environment are chronically overheated. Trim long haired dogs down all year long if you live in a temperate or warm climate.
At least once each day, lightly spray or "mist" the coat of the dog. Then brush beginning at the head and move down in the direction that the fur grows or falls. Brush the whole body of the dog until you feel waves of heat radiating from the dog's body. You can spray again and repeat the process. Be sure the coat is thoroughly dry when you finish.
Your dog will generally love this. Do not focus on palpable tumors but treat them equally with normal tissue areas. If there are open sores or lesions, brush around them but include them in the general spraying. If there are multiple skin sores, use the deionized water which is sterile water in the spray bottle.
Bathing Your Dog
If your dog needs to be bathed (most do not if they are daily brushed), use a very simple shampoo such as castile, glycerine or baby shampoo. Do not "scrub" but just lather and rinse.
Dry with towels. Do not use a hair dryer. After the fur is just damp, you can brush as described above.
Swimming
If your dog is a swimmer, you can bring him to swim. Afterwards, towel dry him, then when you bring him home, bathe him. The ocean, lakes, rivers and streams may have pollutants, contaminants, bacteria and other debris that can cling to the dog's fur. Later, the dog may clean himself and ingest this material. So bathe and then brush your pet.
Rolls In the Snow and Runs In the Rain
Many dogs love to romp in the snow and will roll in it or lie down in it and resist leaving it.
Cooling this way feels good and invigorates them. But like swimming, pollutants can be found in the snow and it is important to wipe them down, then rinse them off or fully bathe them when you get home.
Folks living in the country or in the mountains may be reluctant to do this, but the fact is that pollution is everywhere. Acid rain and air pollution come down even in remote areas. In rural areas, factories are often located where the environmental contamination is tolerated to allow for jobs. If you discover that there is an epidemic of cancer among farm animals and pets(or humans), you may want to address this with local agencies.
In some areas where there has been a long history of mining, radioactive materials have been brought to the surface and smelting has resulted in a higher level of radioactive contaminants in the air, water and soil. This means that local plants will contain a higher concentration of radioactive material even when grown organically.
If you live in an area where mining or processing occurs, grow your own flats of grass indoors so your pet can have access to the benefit of eating grass when he needs a laxative. Overheated, dehydrated conditions in a pet can cause very hard stools or actual constipation.
Part IV: Environmental Issues
If your pet has developed cancer, take an inventory of what has changed in your pet's environment. This should include what has changed in your personal life as well.
Some possible causes of increased anxiety in a pet would include: jealousy over a new partner or a new pet; new carpeting or flooring; new appliances in the home; new heating or cooling system; new animals in the neighborhood; new neighbors with new sounds of people, animals or equipment; new cleaning chemicals being used in the home; change in access to people or rooms in the home; change of residents in the home (kids off to college, kids home less due to sports); change in grooming; longer time between dog walks; new dog sitter; longer stays in kennel.
Like people, dogs are sensitive to their environments and the beings who are there with them. Some dogs are so sensitive to their owners that when the owner experiences grief or loss the dog may become depressed or anxious. This can create changes in the dog's behavior, eating patterns, behavior toward other pets and heightened anxiety about intruders, dogs, cats, squirrels or humans.
The key may be to ask yourself and your family about what has happened in the last 6 or 8 months and how did that impact your pet.
If you have moved to a new location at a distance from your previous home, there may be other environmental factors that will impact your animal sooner or later. Animals have been shown to exhibit health problems from environmental pollutants and toxins. In some areas, where radioactive materials are mined, the surroundings have a much higher level or radioactive material in the soil, water and plants that can be carcinogenic for pets. Local spraying of trees, grasses and lakes may leave toxic residue that your dog picks up on his coat and then ingests when he grooms himself.
A change in altitude can stress an animal's body if they have not been slowly acclimated to the higher altitude. Driving a pet to a new high altitude home over a day or two is more likely to create successful adaption to this form of "stress" than a trip by plane. A change of altitude of 1500 feet or more triggers major physiological adjustments in the blood volume and bones. A change sufficient to decrease oxygen content of the blood can cause panic and chronic anxiety in the dog. Make these changes slowly so your animal can adapt with little stress.
Part V: Owner Issues
Harmony in the Home
Your pet is sensitive to the emotional atmosphere around him or her. Fighting, even the cold, silent kind, communicates itself to your pet and increases your pet's anxiety. This results in stress to your pet's kidneys, over stimulation of the adrenal glands, irritation and exhaustion.
Make peace with each other and the world for your pet's sake or take the fight outside. A peaceful environment is best for you and for your pet.
Avoid Grieving About Your Pet
Your pet may have a life threatening form or state of cancer. You may be very upset by it. Your family and friends may start grieving when thinking of a future loss of your pet.
Your dog does not know this is what is happening. He only knows that your are upset, sad, and frightened. It makes him anxious. He wants you back to being his "alpha owner" and friend. Your grief may actually frighten him.
When you feel the grief coming up, go take a walk, without your pet. Go to a friend's house and have a good cry.
If you lose it thinking that your dog might die, remember that all dogs go to heaven. Now, go home and take good, helpful care of your very much alive dog.
If you find that your dog is suffering or that the cancer was not found before extensive damage made recovery unlikely, bring your friend to your vet or a Humane Society and wish him well. He will love you forever.
Noise Pollution
Consider the use of headphones rather than blasting the stereo or the tv. Dogs have more sensitive hearing than humans, and avoiding noise pollution (no matter how much you love the band) avoids hurting your animal's ears. Remember: pain is caused by and causes an inflammatory reaction. Your pet needs to cool down and heal.
Bladder Control
If your dog could go eight, ten or twelve hours without urinating, you may have thought there was no problem.
The problem is you. Healthy dogs need to be walked-and urinate--three or four times each day. An animal with cancer may need to urinate six to eight times each day because he may be eliminating a caustic urine that irritates his bladder sphincter.
Your pet will try to hold it until you walk him or let him out. If you are not home, he can't get out himself. Holding the caustic urine is painful. It is also unhealthy in that it irritates the bladder and backs up and can cause kidney infections.
Have water bowls in several locations so that he will never be without water. This does not make him urinate more. It dilutes the urine so it is less irritating to his bladder.
Walk your dog often.
These procedures are beneficial to all dogs, but especially those with cancer and diseases associated with aging. Your care and attention is therapeutic and will extend the life of your pet. I often hear from veterinarians and owners that the effect of the program is a revitalization of the dogs. One doctor commented that the improvement in a 13 year old dog was as if the animal had grown five years younger.
Joan McKenna
