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Natural Ways To Prevent Cancer in Your Pets


Cancer is among the leading causes of pet deaths in both young and old age. According to some recent research, one in ten dogs will die of cancer. While you may be able to seek certain treatments after a diagnosis, dog owners are more and more looking for ways to best protect their pets against this dreadful disease. 

Here are a number of ways that you can look after your pets’ health by implementing some preventative health measures against the risks of cancer. 

1. Diet

Diet is important for your pets health because it can either help or hinder when it comes to cell regeneration. Best practice includes looking at a species-appropriate diet to support the genetic code of your pet’s DNA. Just like us, dogs and cats function best with foods they are genetically programmed to obtain nutrients from. For dogs a balanced combination of meat, fish, eggs, organs, bones and other appropriate foods is best suited to prevent diseases including cancer. 

Cats are obligate carnivores and do best on an all-meat, fish, organ and bone diet. This will eliminate the harmful ingredients found in commercially prepared diets such as high starch (sugar), low quality processed meat products, rancid fats, preservatives, dyes and more. Some of these ingredients are known carcinogens and all can be contributors to chronic disease and cancer formation. 

Instincto provides Australia’s best raw pet meat for dogs and cats.  Our beliefs are based on what our companion animals would eat in nature. We know that many diseases start from the mouth and that a clean healthy meat and bone diet assists in keeping our favourite companions around for longer healthier lives, with fewer vet visits.

At Instincto, our fresh raw pet food range is processed 3 times a week and delivered around Brisbane with no:

  • Preservatives
  • Additives 
  • Fillers 

2. Exercise 

Exercise is extremely important for vascular health which increases uptake of oxygen and nutrients of cells and body tissues. It also greatly affects endocrine and cardiovascular which, in turn, affect every other system and cell in the body. Metabolic dysfunction is a key component of tumour formation in many forms of cancer. You and your pet should be getting at least one hour of vigorous exercise per day, as long as your health permits it. The more, the better, for increasing endurance, enhancing cell function and reducing cancer risks. Train smart, not hard, to avoid injury and reap the full benefits of cardiovascular exercise. 

Good quality exercise ideas for your pets include a combination of:

  • Running 
  • Agility
  • Swimming
  • Balancing exercises 
  • Walking long distances

Be mindful of older animals that may benefit most from more swimming and walking to further reduce joint stress. 

3. Supplements 

Research shows that antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, E, the B vitamins, phytochemicals, and anthocyanins may be a key to preventing cancer and inflammatory disease within the body. Fresh, species appropriate foods for dogs and cats that contain them include muscle meat, organ meats, fish and eggs. 

On a raw diet pets mainly get all the nutrients from the raw source, rather than from supplements. For instance, raw Green Tripe is better than fish oil for Omega 3, grass-fed red meats are high in Omega 3. Sometimes it is more convenient to supplement, but you need to be careful not to over-supplement. Some supplements are helpful when taken occasionally but can actually be detrimental to a healthy dog when taken too often (daily). For example, digestive enzymes can be very helpful when your pet is switching to a new raw diet, but if given continually, they can hinder the body’s natural production of enzymes. Another reason is that dietary needs differ for every individual pet. Not every dog needs the same supplements as another.

Feeding a raw diet means your companion will receive what they need through their natural diet but just like humans if you wish to add for extra protection do on a small scale and if you are concerned please contact your holistic vet.

4. Reduce Stress

Doctors widely acknowledge that reducing stress is key for cancer and disease prevention. This might be partially due to the metabolic chaos that stress can create. Genetic processes may become confused with an endocrine system that is not at its best. Hormone dysfunction is a contributing factor in most forms of cancer.

Along with exercise and mental stimulation, you can reduce household stress by ensuring the relationships in the household are positive and happy. It’s also important to ensure that everyone in the home gets along with your pets.

Pets who display behaviours such as tail tucking, panting, hiding, excessive whining, pacing, excessive display of calming signals (yawning, avoidance of eye contact, licking, etc) or lack of appetite should be checked by a holistic vet to rule out health problems.

Natural stress relievers that can help with a behaviour modification program include homeopathic remedies, herbs, Bach flower remedies, aromatherapy, massage techniques and more. Find out more about How Natural Scents can Help Anxiety.

5. Chemical-Free Environment

Chemicals pose very serious health risks, not only to humans but also our pets. Your pets should live in an environment that does not have chemicals that cause/increase the risk of cancer. If you’re a smoker, your pet should be far away when you’re smoking. When your dog inhales the smoke, the smoke can directly attack the sinuses and lungs and increase the risk of cancer.

Lawn treatments are another serious threat to your dog’s health. Herbicides, pesticides, dangerous household cleaners and other chemicals can get into the bloodstream and increase the chances of cancer development. Here you will find All Natural Solutions for your Pet Spring Clean. Always ensure that your pet does not walk or play in areas that may be contaminated. If you suspect that your dog or cat has walked in such an area, wash paws immediately with chemical-free shampoo and water.

6. Reduce The Use Of Tick And Flea Products

It is unfortunately a necessity in the Australian environment, that treatment needs to be consistent, especially for ticks. At Instincto we continue to look for chemical free forms of treating our furkids for fleas / ticks.  We prefer products that are natural and are a broad spectrum product, and if you have to use a chemical we prefer you not use digested types as then it keeps our dogs / cats digestion system free of radicals that they don’t have to spend time settling or fighting reactions. Look, instead, for natural flea and tick remedies.

Always check with your holistic veterinarian before making changes to your pet’s health routine, especially if you’re concerned there might be something wrong. Pay close attention to the early warning signs and, if you have a dog that shows any health related complications, get a medical checkup and cancer screening as soon as possible. If cancer is found in its initial stage, it stands a much better chance of being treated successfully.

To browse the full Instincto range visit our online shop.

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