Nutrition for dogs with cancer

Paraphrased from Holistic Guide for a Health Dog, by Wendy Volhard and Kerry Brown, D.V.M.:

Combine conventional chemotherapy with a high fat, high protein diet. Tumors need carbohydrates to grow, so a diet high in fat and protein can starve the tumors. Noted vet cancer specialist Gregory Ogilvie of Colorado State University recommends a diet consisting of the following:

• 37% animal protein
• 32% fat–mostly from animal sources
• 21.6% carbs
• 3.5% Omega-3 fatty acids
• 2.5% DHA (another fatty acid)
• 3.4% arginine (amino acid)

From Complete Care for Your Aging Dog, by Amy D. Shojai:

• Dr. Ogilvie’s group along with Hill’s Pet Foods has developed Prescription Diet n/d, a diet specifically for cancer patients. It’s low in carbs and contains DHA, which is thought to prevent the growth and spread of tumors.
• Holistic vets say dogs eating homemade diets enjoy a better quality of life. It’s important to work with your vet on the recipe, however, to avoid making your dog sicker. Petdiets.com is run by vet nutritionists to help you and your vet design a diet.
• Dr. Susan Wynn, D.V.M., holistic vet and executive director of the Georgia Holistic Veterinary Medical Association and of the Veterinary Botanical Medicine Association, recommends a diet consisting of 50% poultry or fish, 50% veggies, and appropriate vitamins and minerals, such as Omega-3 fatty acids for their antioxidant properties and turmeric, which inhibits tumor spread and growth, reduces chemo side effects, and increases the efficacy of some chemo agents.

I plan to run these options by our oncologist.

When Star began having gastro problems and then was diagnosed with lymphoma, we fed her Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d (which I think is for gastrointestinal problems). She ate 1/4 can about 4 times/day, gradually increasing to 1 can 2 times/day.  She love love LOVES it and has gained 5 much-need pounds.  It’s a little expensive though — about $1.60/can from the vet. Now she’s eating Hill’s Science Diet for the Mature Adult, which costs $.30/can less, and she likes it just as well as the i/d. Neither products are on the list of recalled pet foods (http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/).