fatty tumors prevention diet?

Question
Hi-My female lab,7 yrs, has developed all sized fatty tumors and little cysts. She also seems to be getting a little stiff and lame. She's on Hill's prescription T/D for clean teeth. Approx. 2 months ago, her vet tested her largest tumor-(benign).  We're told we could end up spending a ton of money having her tested continuously, so,unless she seems to be bothered by them, maybe we shouldn't put her through that.  I believe that this could have to do with an internal pH imbalance, so I started giving her 1/2 tsp. powdered greens twice daily.  Also, I started giving her a basic joint/skin supplement, which I take (and it really helps ME. It's Biocell Collagen II) I started the supplements about 3 weeks ago, so there's no noticeable improvement yet.  Do you think I'm on the right track? I certainly don't want to do her even more harm. Her only meds are Comfortis for flea prevention, and Iverheart Max for heartworm prevention.  Do you think she should be on food other that what the vet put her on?  Thank you very much.

Answer
Barbara,

While I am not a veterinarian and can't know the entire reasoning that your vet would suggest Prescription T/D for your dog, my personal searches on cancer indicate that cancer cells thrive on sugar. Carbohydrates are converted to sugar and canines are carnivores so they don't need carbs anyway. When you look into foods, I would suggest carb free canned or a raw diet as all dry foods contain a large portion of carbs. You can find more information on http://www.fightcaninecancer.com/cancerdiet1.html

On a side note, you are much better off giving your dog the occasional raw bone for tooth and gum health. Dry food is not good for canine dental health no matter what the manufacturer tells you. My 14 year old Golden Mix has been raw fed for 3 years and hasn't needed a dental cleaning since we switched him.

Also, high quality fish oil is a good addition to any diet especially for anti cancer properties and to minimize arthritis inflammation. I wrote an article about fish oil benefits here - http://www.trianglepet.com/blog/2010/03/omega-3-fatty-acid-positive-health-impac...  Biocell has HLA and Chondroitin which are both good but you want to do liquid supplements whenever possible for maximum absorbance / efficacy. I use NaturVet Arthrisoothe Gold for my senior. I have seen improvements as have customers who try it. http://www.trianglepet.com/wellness/supplements/naturvet-arthrisoothe-gold

Finally, unless you are in a year round flea area, such as Florida, I would minimize the use of Comfortis to the months when fleas are an issue since all flea preventatives are pesticides and long term exposure raises concerns of the side effects. If you are in a low flea area, I would suggest discontinuing monthly flea preventative and keeping Capstar on hand. Only use if / when you notice fleas, scratching, or plan an outing to a place likely to have fleas, such as the beach.

By improving your pet's diet, supplementing, and minimizing chemical exposure you will be giving your dog the best possible chance at healthy senior years. I hope you find this information helpful!

Best,

Tracie Fowler
www.TrianglePet.com