Today is March 23 2015, four and a half months after symptoms began. Morgan has regained his weight and appetite. He is walking comfortably without limping and is able to run around a bit in the yard. He needs NO PAIN MEDICATION!!! The joint swelling has reduced significantly. He feels great and looks wonderful!
Morgan came up lame in early November of 2014.We waited a couple of weeks to see if the injury would heal. It didn’t. The swelling of his front knee joint got bigger and he limped badly.
We took him the vet in early December and tests showed he had no infection. The vet recommended an immediate x-ray. He mentioned the possibility of cancer. He insisted that Morgan have anaesthetic for the x-ray. Morgan was given Metacam for the pain. We took him home and again hoped that it was just an injury. Over the next two weeks the pain increased, he lost more weight, ate poorly and slept most of the time. He was hobbling around on three legs and couldn’t hold weight on his front legs to sit up. We were fortunate to have a wheelchair ramp outside because he couldn’t do stairs.
The day before Christmas we went to a different vet who did the x-ray without anaesthetic. His father in law, who has many years experience in Veterinary medicine examined the results with our vet. The news was the worst possible. osteosarcoma. Recommended was an x-ray of the lungs to see if the cancer had spread, a biopsy, immediate amputation of his front leg, chemotherapy and radiation. These medical facilities were all very far from our home and Morgan was too sick and weak to have an amputation. The prognosis if we did all of these things was abysmal. I read that after all of these procedures only 28% of dogs lived two years. For the others six months was the best they could hope for.
My best guess at that time, without treatment, was that Morgan probably only had two or three weeks left to live. I figured we would have to put him down mid January. I cried a lot, especially because Morgan was a rescue who almost died from starvation when he was a year and a half old. How unfair! The person who starved him was convicted of animal cruelty. It took Morgan months to regain his strength.
There was no time for me to study natural alternatives. I immediately purchased some orange brand turmeric extract (curcumin) at the health food store and gave him 3 ½ ml of the liquid three times a day, 20 minutes or so before food. I had to use a 3 ml syringe with the needle removed to get the extract out of the bottle and measure the amount. I got the syringe at the drug store. This plastic syringe makes it easy to squirt into the mouth.
That first week between Christmas and New Years I ordered the things I needed (see sources below) and scrambled to get what I could locally. It was a week and a half waiting for the pills to arrive in the mail. I got some of the pills at Walmart and the health food store in the mean time.
Morgan’s appetite was gone. I had the bones from the Christmas turkey and made a large batch of soup. I figured his nose would get him interested in it. It did. I started him on the rice and sweet potato dish that was cooked with the turmeric. I added some turkey soup to it and he was back eating again.
The following Monday I went to the vet and he prescribed 50 mg prednisone to reduce the inflammation. The dosage was too high and Morgan was wetting his bed and urinating frequently. He was distressed, as were we. I cut the dosage down and down to a quarter of a pill a day. That would be 12.5 mg a day. That week, as the inflammation subsided, I was able to stop his pain medication .
I used the dog Lucy’s website by Gary Tippner. She had nasal cancer, but the author had thoroughly studied what she needed and listed it all. Lucy is alive and well several years after her diagnosis. The author discusses what each of the supplements do, so you can find this info. I added some things that I knew as well. http://dognasalcancertreatmentforlucy.blogspot.ca/2012/12/dog-cancer-supplements-and-herbs-i-use.html
All of the supplements except the ‘stasis breaker’ and ‘wei qi booster’ are for humans and the best prices I found for most are at http://www.swansonvitamins.com The colloidal silver bottle shattered during shipment so I just didn’t use any. The Oregon Grape is illegal to import into Canada.
The stasis breaker and wei qi booster are from http://www.wellpetdispensary.com/. Now this website requires a prescription. The human version is at http://www.activeherb.com/fuzheng/
PLEASE read the information at Lucy’s site. Some types of cancer are of special concern and there are variances and warnings about ingredients and dosages. She also needed another supplement that I didn’t need for bone cancer.
Three weeks after visiting the vet and getting the prednisone I returned with Morgan walking again on four legs and free of pain meds. The vet didn’t understand how this could happen, but he was very pleased. He suspected that the cancer was a local primary tumour and that it hadn’t spread before I started treating him.
Today is March 23, 2015 four months after symptoms began. Morgan has regained his weight and appetite. He is walking comfortably with no limp. He needs NO PAIN MEDICATION!!! The joint swelling has reduced significantly. He feels great and looks wonderful. I don’t understand but I am so very grateful.
All I can do is share what I did. Here it is.
This may all seem like too much work, too overwhelming to do. But it isn’t. It took me a few days to get organized, get the supplies and order what I needed online. Then I just got in the routine of the three meals a day with the turmeric extract about 20 minutes beforehand. I cook up a couple of broccoli clusters once a week and keep them and the cooking liquid in the fridge. I cook the rice and sweet potatoes every few days. And I buy two or three tubs of cottage cheese when I’m food shopping. No problem!
First meal
3 ½ ml of curcumin (extract of turmeric) wait 15 or more minutes before eating
Dry meal containing no grains.
Stir and add pills
Low dose Prednisone from doctor’s prescription for inflammation if needed
About 14 stasis breaker tea pills-dosage by weight
About 10 Wei Qi tea pills- dosage by weight
Wolfberry Standardized Extact 500 mg (from Swanson)
Koren Red Ginseng extract pills (I used JaImieson brand from Walmart)
Alpha Lipoic Acid 100mg (Walmart)
Triphala standardized extract –(Nature’s Way brand from Swanson)
Astragalus 470 mg (I used now brand)
NAC (with selenium and molybdenum)
Coenzyme Q10 150 mg (walmart equate brand)
Chaga tablets 1000mg (from Swanson)
Reservatrol 100 (Swanson Ultra brand)
After one of the meals.
Hollow bone or kong filled with peanut butter (about ¼- 1/3 cup) mixed with extract of turmeric. This is to try to get the curcumin in saliva under the tongue where it will be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Cooked turmeric or extract is mostly flushed by the liver so little gets into the bloodstream. Unlike with a person, I can’t tell Morgan to keep something under his tongue.
To prepare, mix filtered extract of turmeric (instructions for preparation below) approximately 1 part extract to 5 or 6 parts smooth peanut butter. Store in a jar. It will mix together well, even though at first it won’t want to.
Second Meal
3 ½ ml of curcumin (extract of turmeric) wait 15 minutes or more minutes before eating
About 1 ½ cups rice and sweet potatoes (recipe below). Because Morgan is such a big dog with a big appetite I mix it with some dry meal that contains no grains. (grains-carbohydrates are like sugars to the body and cancer loves sugar) I use Corey Nutrition Company’s Holistic and Inukshuk foods. Their website is www.corey.ca
About 14 stasis breaker tea pills
About 10 wei qi booster tea pills
Cat’s claw 485 mg
Full spectrum Phellodendron 400 mg (swanson brand)
Boswellia Phytosome 300 mg (swanson brand)
Beta-1,3/1,6-D-Glucan 100 mg (now brand from Swanson)
Licorice Root 450
Ashwagandha ( I used a couple of squirts from orange brand liquid extract)
Chaga 1000 mg (Planetary herbals from Swanson)
Reishi Mushroom 600 mg (from Swanson)
L-Arginine 1000 mg (I used now brand)
*Bone Essentials (or Bone Building Formula with Boron) (from Swanson)
Some pepper
Third Meal
3 ½ ml of curcumin (extract of turmeric) wait 15 minutes or more minutes before eating
1/2 medium tub cottage cheese, about 1 cup broccoli with broccoli juice, sprinkle of pepper
Sulforaphane 400mcg (from Swanson)
High lg Colostrum 1 g (from Swanson)
Moducare (from Swanson)
Milk Thistle 500 mg (Swanson brand)
IP-6 Inositol Hexaphosphate (Swanson brand)
3 omega 3 fish oil pills
Artemisinin 100mg for one week. The next week alternate to
Melatonin 10mg Alternate weekly
Use Artemisinin I WEEK ON AND I WEEK OFF to keep cancer from adapting to the wormwood. Use the artemisinin with late meal, long after iron containing foods have been eaten. It adheres to iron and deprives the iron craving cancer cells of the iron they need. Normal cells stay healthy. Always use at least 8 hours away from antioxidents. Do not use Artemisinin within 20 days of radiation. I didn’t use Artemix but when I looked it up there was lots of interesting reading about it.
*Note; I didn’t use calcium bone supplements for the first two and a half months because of my concerns about vitamin D for dogs. I believe this was a mistake, especially with bone cancer. I have included them above in his list of supplements and have ordered some from Swanson to begin giving him.
Note; Morgan is a Great Dane. I gave him more food but the same dosages as Lucy took, even though she is smaller.
I’m working with Morgan’s vet and you must do this too. I’m not responsible for any outcomes. I’m just saying that this is how I helped Morgan. I am aware that the leg bone could shatter at any time. I balance this with seeing the health and happiness that he is having today.
Note; Whatever you buy, be sure it DOES NOT have Xylitol or anything with ***itol in it. It is toxic to dogs. It is a sweetener used in many chewable products. I strictly use capsules.
Recipe for rice and sweet potatoes
About 2 cups rice, salt, pepper, butter, 1 TABLESPOON TUMERIC, some roughly chopped, unpeeled sweet potato. Cook all together.
Formula for turmeric/curcumin extract/tincture MUCH CHEAPER to make it yourself!
Into a glass bottle about a liter/quart size put 12 level tablespoons of turmeric powder and ½ tsp pepper.
Add a 750 ml bottle of vodka. Shake bottle a 2-3 times a day.
Tinctures/extracts are recommended to be used four weeks after preparation but this one seems good after just a couple of days!!! In fact, I removed some for use after just four days and it seemed good and strong.
Pour some through double coffee filters in a funnel into a smaller bottle and use a syringe to measure dosage and administer.
Continue to shake the big bottle every day while using the tincture from the small bottle for daily use.
Recipe for turmeric paste (basis of Golden Milk)
Golden Milk Paste
Gently simmer for about 25 minutes, in a non-stick pan, stirring frequently until water has disappeared.
1 cup virgin coconut oil (butter is cheaper)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ginger powder
2 tbsp turmeric powder
¼ cup water
Pour into a container when cool enough
When the paste is at room temperature stir well with a knife.
If the water is all evaporated, which it should be, it doesn’t need to be stored in the fridge.
I didn’t use this for Morgan but in the case of a dog that runs out of the room when he sees the turmeric syringe coming I might use this 3 times a day instead.
For myself, I microwave a cup of cow’s milk and stir in some of the paste. It’s the best bed-time drink I’ve ever found.
It is now over a year since Morgan became lame. He has been in remission all this time. It’s clear to me that his cancer hadn’t spread to the lungs and it was local. He has been happy, healthy and limp free. Mind you, he’s not allowed to go on a run with the other dogs. He’s just allowed to poke around in the yard.
Slowly over the last eight months I’ve put him back to a less rigorous regime. He hasn’t had the rice dish for many months. I removed the Chinese pills after about 6-8 months. I can’t remember exactly. I removed the peanut butter after about eight or nine months. For a long time now he’s been on two meals a day and it’s no extra work for me.
No breakfast. Dinner is four cups of grain free food with a little broccoli and cooking water. I alternate the daily meds, giving him the morning meds one day. The next day I give him the dinner meds. At night I always give the full meds.At night I always give the full meds.
I do give him the turmeric extract 3 times a day, like always.
His vet, Dr. G. Raval, just looks at him and says, “It’s impossible!”
I’m so grateful. If you try this, I wish you well with all my heart.
Sue Soules sueharv@bell.net
This is an update 18 months after Morgan’s remission.
Well, he’s still alive and a lot has happened. Everything was going along perfectly when one day mid November 2015 he fell on the stairs and hit the bottom with the bad leg. It was painful for a couple of weeks and I knew some damage had occurred. I now believe the accident broke the large leg bone but the smaller (ulna) was still intact.
The leg swelling started to return. Every week or two a minor injury occurred and he was in pain for a while. The leg swelling continued to increase and some nights he needed pain meds. By spring the swelling was large and I started considering an amputation. Hoping for a prosthesis, I searched online and got quite discouraged. If the problem was near the foot I’m sure I could have found something, but it was too high up the leg.
In early June he had another injury. After this, he only used three legs. The fourth leg was dangling all the time. Even dangling it would hurt after movement.
The time was right for amputation. I figured that if his brain was now tuned in to having three legs he would not fall if the other leg was removed. I was right!
Talk about a great surgeon, Dr. Sidhu!! Morgan went to the Airport Animal Hospital in North Bay Ontario. After an overnight stay Morgan returned. Dr. Sidhu said that I must keep him on leash for a week. After the second day Morgan was pulling me off my feet so I gave up on the leash. We’re lucky to have a ramp up to the back deck so he had no difficulty going out to do his business.
Morgan 3 days after amputation!
Morgan began to triangulate immediately when walking. His good front leg started to go straight down in the middle of his body and the shoulder amputated side kind of moved upward. This gave him excellent balance. His back legs have become stronger and he has less difficulty getting up and down from lying than he had before any cancer. It’s remarkable!
The stitches are coming out this week and the hair is growing back. He is very handsome again!
His pre-op ex-rays showed clear spine and lungs. How can his lungs and spine be clear after 20 months with bone cancer?
June 2016
On the next page is his leg x-ray. OMG what a mess!
I’ve been told to continue the supplements after surgery and after looking at this I sure will!
The biopsy confirmed osteosarcoma.
Dr. Raval says this is a typical sunburst osteosarcoma. Can you see where the leg bone broke off and fell?
“Life’s better with 3 legs!”
