November is Pet Cancer Awareness Month
First let’s start with a quick lesson:
- Neoplasia is the formation or presence of abnormal tissue growth – a tumor. Cancer is uncontrolled neoplasia that invades other parts of the body, creating malignant tumors.
- Dogs get cancer at roughly the same rate as humans. Approximately 1 in 4 dogs will, at some stage in their life, develop neoplasia and almost half of dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer. Woof!
November is recognized as Pet Cancer Awareness Month, with November 7th being specifically Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day. Lymphoma, also known as lymphosarcoma (LSA), is a type of cancer that affects white blood cells called lymphocytes. These cells are important for the immune system, but when they become cancerous, they grow uncontrollably.
Canine lymphoma can show up in different ways, but it often causes the enlargement of one or more lymph nodes. It can also affect other organs such as the liver, spleen, bone marrow, skin, or digestive system. Common symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, lethargy, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
Some cases of lymphoma progress quickly and require aggressive treatment, while others progress more slowly and can be managed as a chronic condition. Without treatment, however, a dog with lymphoma typically has a life expectancy of just one month.
The exact cause of lymphoma in dogs is unknown, but it’s believed to result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The most common type of lymphoma in dogs is high-grade B cell lymphoma, which responds well to chemotherapy.
Although lymphoma in dogs isn’t usually curable, treatment can achieve temporary remissions. Treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, cryosurgery (freezing), hyperthermia (heating), and immunotherapy.
In addition to traditional treatments, there is growing interest in holistic therapies, which often involve the use of medicinal mushrooms and cannabis.
Research suggests that certain mushrooms, such as shiitake, maitake, and reishi, contain compounds called alpha and beta glucans, which help regulate the immune system and may slow the growth of cancer cells. These mushrooms are also known to support the body during chemotherapy and radiation treatments, helping to counteract their side effects.
Full-spectrum CBD, which contains a wide range of cannabinoids, is another promising holistic treatment. It can help manage chemotherapy side effects, such as nausea and pain, and has anti-cancer properties. Full-spectrum CBD may inhibit tumor growth, trigger cancer cell death, prevent blood vessel formation that feeds tumors, and reduce the spread of cancer to other areas of the body.
“Full-spectrum” means that none of the cannabinoids were purposefully removed; there is much more to the cannabis plant than THC and CBD, all of which is beneficial in one way or another.
Cannabinoids are compounds found in cannabis that interact with receptors in our ECS – endocannabinoids bind to them in order to signal that the ECS needs to take action. So it stands to reason that full spectrum CBD is an effective way to fight cancer and help improve quality of life with anti-nausea, pain managing and immunomodulatory effects.
Research into cannabis for veterinary use began in the 1990s when scientists discovered that all mammals, including dogs, have an endocannabinoid system (ECS) that regulates important bodily functions like pain and inflammation. Since then, studies have shown that CBD can help treat various conditions in pets, including cancer.
The first study on CBD for dogs with cancer was published in 2020, showing that CBD can help trigger apoptosis (the natural death of cancer cells) and autophagy (the process of clearing out damaged cell parts). Further testing is needed in order to make any medically serious claims, but the research is continuing and very encouraging.
With so much information available and so many possible avenues to take, we’re here to guide you on your pet’s wellness journey.
At The Big Bad Woof, we support integrative and complementary approaches to pet health, and offer a range of CBD, mushroom, and herbal products to help improve your pet’s health and quality of life.
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