7 Ingredients That Protect Your Dog From Cancer
As dog lovers, perhaps one of the only downsides to owning a dog is that they don’t live long enough. It is estimated that 1 in 3 domestic dogs will develop cancer, causing cancer to be the leading cause of death in dogs. Much like us, dogs can develop a variety of cancer that are quite similar to cancer in humans. Over the years, selective breeding of dogs has caused certain pure-breed dogs, such as Boxers, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Golden Retrievers and more, to be at a higher risk of developing cancer. While there is no absolute way to completely protect your dog from cancer, there are definitely steps you can take to decrease the chances of it happening!
Whole Food
This almost goes without saying, but feeding your dog whole foods with quality ingredients is one of the best ways to prevent cancer from developing. While the debate is still out on grain-free dog food, it has been proven that dog food with low levels of grain are better for your dog. While selecting the right dog food, try to look for foods with minimal ingredients coming from reputable facilities.
Preparing your dog’s meals from home is also a great alternative to dry food, but takes up a lot of time and research. To make your life easier, we recommend Kakato's Dry Dog Food, available in 2 delicious and healthy options.
Green Tea
Green tea is known to be super beneficial for humans, but did you know that your dogs can benefit too? Green tea contains substances called polyphenols and catechins, which gives it antioxidant properties. These properties help destroy the harmful enzymes in the body, which helps prevent cancer cell growth. While beneficial in small amounts, do keep in mind that you shouldn’t let your dog drink green tea as it contains caffeine!
Looking for a grain free pet food brand with green tea? Look no further than Boreal’s Grain Free Dog Food, which comes in 2 sizes and 4 delicious flavours!
Vitamin D
Just like us, dogs need their vitamins to stay healthy and strong! Vitamin D helps the body utilize calcium and phosphorous, which promotes healthy bones and teeth. On top of that, Vitamin D also helps with cellular differentiation, decreases cancer cell growth and reduces tumor blood vessel formation. Rule of thumb: a little is beneficial, a lot is not. Compared to humans, dogs can easily get poisoned from too much Vitamin D, so remember to keep your health supplements away!
Most high quality dog food brands have Vitamin D in their dog food, but we recommend Wellness’ Grain Free Dry Dog Food for their wide variety of dry dog food that caters to the different needs of each individual dog.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3s can do wonders for us and for our dogs! Armed with the ability to restrict tumor cell growth, Omega 3s can even decrease the number of cancer cells. Omega 3s and Omega 6s work together to balance the amount of healthy fats in your dog, so make sure to do thorough research if you plan on introducing Omega 3s to your dog’s diet by yourself.
For your own convenience, you can also add Omega 3s into your dog’s diet through BLUE’s Life Protection Formula Dry Food for Dogs, which is already pre-balanced for you - just pour!
Oils
Coconut, olive, and flax oils are all great sources of natural fats for your dog, helping prevent cancer in your dog by making sure your dog is at his or her utmost health! Oleic acid, which can be found in olive oil, have been linked to cancer prevention. Similar to the Omega 3s, your dog will require a healthy balance of fat (found in oils) to ensure a long and healthy life.
Interested in incorporating a grain-free, freeze-dried meal made from healthy oils and fats into your dog’s diet? Try Stella & Chewy’s Dinner Patties in Rabbit or Venison flavour!
Blueberries
Known as one of the most popular natural antioxidant fruits, blueberries are often used to promote well-rounded health. On top of containing lots of vitamins and dietary fibre, blueberries also contain multiple nutrients and acids proven to have cancer fighting properties. Ellagic acid present in blueberries helps block metabolic pathways that lead to cancer, while Anthocyanin also restrains tumor growth.
Add blueberries and other beneficial ingredients such as ginger, protein, and flaxseed into your dog’s diet by treating him or her to Solid Gold’s Superfoods Grain Free Chewy Dog Treats!
Greens
We all know to eat our greens, and the same logic should apply to our dogs! Greens such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale all contain sulforaphane, which helps boost the body’s protective enzymes used to flush out cancer causing chemicals by targeting cancer stem cells, preventing tumor growth.
Greens in the form of dinner nuggets? Yes please! Check out Northwest Naturals Freeze-Dried (and Grain Free!) Dinner Nuggets for a complete and balanced meal for your dog!
---
Interested in purchasing a dry food for your dog, but not sure how to pick one? Add our $1HKD Sample Pack for Dogs and let your dog(s) pick for themselves!
If your dog has specific needs, sensitivities or health issues, try out our world-class filtering system to make your life easier! From special diets such a Taurine added to health features such as sensitive skin, we’ve got the product for your dog’s needs.