Switching to a special chemo diet will help your pet feel better and recover more quickly after chemotherapy.
Read on to learn more about how chemotherapy affects the body, and how to feed your pet to counteract its side effects.
What is Chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer using cytotoxic and other drugs.
Doctors use chemotherapy to kill cancer cells that have spread to parts of the body away from the original tumor.
Chemotherapy works throughout the entire body, while surgery and radiation only eliminate cancer cells in a certain area.
Unfortunately, the chemotherapy drugs used to destroy cancer often destroy the body’s healthy cells during the process.
How Chemotherapy Affects Your Pet’s Body
Because cancer cells grow fast, doctors choose drugs that kill fast-growing cells for chemotherapy treatments.
But, because chemo drugs travel throughout the entire body, they often kill normal, healthy fast-growing cells at the same time.
Damage to healthy cells causes side effects.
Chemotherapy often damages:
- Hair follicles
- Blood-forming cells in the bone marrow
- Digestive tract cells
- Reproductive system cells
Chemo Diet Foods to Restore Harmony After Chemotherapy
In TCVM (Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine), experts agree most forms of chemotherapy affect the “Blood” component of the body.
Accordingly, we recommend a Blood building recipe as a chemo diet for pets.
In TCVM, “Blood” has a different meaning than blood in regular Western medicine.
Likewise, Eastern philosophy views “Blood” as a substance providing nourishment and moisture for the entire body.
For example, The “Blood” component keeps tendons, skin, and hair healthy, strong and flexible.
“Blood”also lubricates the joints, nourishes the mind, and ensures good, restful sleep.
Classic Signs of Blood Deficiency:
- Pulled ligaments
- Cruciate rupture
- Dandruff
- Dry skin and hair
- Pale, dry tongue
- Depression, apathy, lack of spirit
- Sallow or dull coloring
- Arthritis
- Anemia
You can boost your pet’s Blood component by adding more blood building foods to your pet’s current diet.
In addition, feed your pet according to the Blood Building Recipes for maximum blood building benefits.
Blood Building Recipe for Dogs
Blood Building Recipe for Cats
Chemo Diet Blood Building Foods
Meats and Dairy
Beef, red meats
Eggs
Kidney beans
Liver
Oyster
Sardine
Seeds
Tuna
Vegetables and Fruits
Sea vegetables
Beets
Dandelion
Carrots
Kale
Leafy greens
Seaweed
Spinach
Spirulina
Grains and Beans
Barley
Oatmeal
Brown rice
Whole grains
Others
Nuts
Seeds
However, food alone does not address the root cause or imbalance that allowed cancer to grow in the first place.
Also, a TCVM examination may reveal your pet’s individual needs may require a different diet to help address root imbalances.
And lastly, the Blood Building chemo diet works best when combined with TCVM Herbals, sufficient water, and moderate exercise.
More Powerful Tools for Overcoming Pet Cancer
You might not be aware, but many cancer-fighting tools are easy to get and use at home.
To realize your true cancer-fighting potential:
- Learn more about pet cancer.
- Boost your pet’s immune system with medicinal mushrooms. PET | TAO Complement Immune Mushroom Blend blends together the most powerful immune-boosting medicinal mushrooms on the market in a single product.
- Ease your pet’s stomach upset naturally. Many dogs with cancer suffer stomach upset as well. PET | TAO Harmonize GI naturally provides all the digestive enzymes and probiotics your pet needs for optimum gut health.
- Try a Blood-building TCVM Diet. According to TCVM theory, pets suffering from cancer also often suffer from Blood deficiency. Blood deficiency may be caused by chemotherapy or by cancer itself. PET | TAO Zing dog food builds Blood.
- Learn more about TCVM Herbal Remedies. Chinese medicine offers many amazing natural solutions for dog cancer challenges and palliative care. Some good examples are:
