Know More, Do More
There’s a popular saying that comes up often in the fresh food feeding community. “When we know better, we do better.” But I think there is an even more insightful twist on this, that I thought of while looking through some old photos. “When we know more, we can do more.”
I’ve been blessed with some amazing dogs in my life. It’s hard to believe that I have shared my home with more than fourteen Aussies over the years, as well as three Labradors. Each dog taught me something, and inspired me to learn more about a more natural, integrative approach to dog health. From natural diets to immune mediated diseases, alternatives to drugs and pesticides to more enlightened approaches to behavior and training, my dogs were some of my best teachers.
One of the hardest things to learn about was cancer. Two of my dogs, Pesto and Flit, suffered from cancer. He, from prostatic cancer, she from lymphocytic leukemia. What did they have in common? Breed champions, obedience titles, herding titles, clear health screenings. Raw fed, minimally vaccinated, naturally managed. Not to mention they were both from my breeder-mentor, who considered health when choosing dogs to breed, and performed all the health screening tests that were available at the time. It would have seemed the odds were all in my favor, yet the reality was that I joined the ranks of owners of cancer-afflicted dogs.
Naturally, my dedication to knowing more and doing more grew with each experience. Alternative and integrative veterinary medicine was in its infancy when Flit and Pesto were diagnosed. There was conventional oncology, based on human oncology. There were anecdotal reports of herbal remedies, but they were few and far between, with little guidance on sourcing, dosing, interactions, or other factors. I will never forget the conventional vet oncologist based at the Animal Medical Center in New York City telling me that I needed to bring my dog to her for weekly IV chemotherapy, and if I was lucky I would get three months. If I could not do that, I would lose her in 6 weeks or less. The take-home message was that cancer diagnosis and treatment was a cold, dark, and hopeless world.
Today, thankfully, we are in a vastly different place. We can do more, because our knowledge base has broadened and expanded. We have more options in the natural and integrative veterinary space, with not only great success rates but also significant improvement in quality of life for both owners and pets. And this now extends beyond cancer treatment to prevention, which begins the moment a new pet enters your life.
The preventative approach to cancer is rarely talked about in veterinary medicine — it is almost too “common sense” for veterinarians to wrap their treatment focused minds around. Integrative veterinarians, however, embrace prevention as a key part of pet health, and strive to help their patients avoid problems rather than waiting to react to them. And now that help is available in the cancer field from integrative and board certified veterinary oncologist Dr. Kendra Pope.
Dr. Pope has created the Prism Pets Academy as an educational resource for pet owners, focused on wellness and cancer prevention. Her Pet Cancer Prevention Course is a foundation health program for all pet owners, but especially those who have a special concern about cancer. Her insights go far beyond those of traditional veterinarians. Right from the start, you will be able to take action steps to enhance your pet’s health. You will also have the opportunity to connect with like minded pet owners in an online community setting. And of course, you get lifetime access to the course content.
I wish I had access to this course when Pesto and Flit faced their diagnoses. While they did well with what I knew at the time, I believe they would have lived longer and better with the knowledge Dr. Pope shares in the course today. While we can’t go back in time, when we know more, we can do more. Click here to learn more about the course so you can start doing more for your pet.