Dog Nutrition & Diet: Foods That Prevent Cancer

Adopting a pet not only makes you a pet parent but also makes you a good person. Unfortunately, dogs’ lives are too short and this is nobody’s fault. And as a pet parent when you know this fact, it is crucial to take the utmost care of your Fido. Ensure to give your pets the best healthy life no matter how many years they live. There are many diseases waiting to haunt your pet but it’s you who can protect them. Among many diseases, Cancer is one of the greatest threats to the health and well-being of our four legged friends. And that is the reason why Pet Cancer Awareness Month is so important. The month of May is Pet Cancer Awareness Month which is a great time to spread pet cancer awareness and educate others about this dangerous disease as well the ways to prevent it.

A healthy life begins from a healthy diet and providing a healthy diet is the first step toward cancer prevention. There’s a link between dog food and cancer. There are foods that can ignite cancer cells while there also are food items that can protect your dog from cancer trap.

Hence, with the motive to spread awareness, here is a list of foods that can help prevent cancer in dogs.

Fresh Veggies

Dark–green leafy vegetables and cruciferous veggies are healthy for dogs, especially to prevent cancer. Here’s a list of veggies that acts as a savior from canine cancer.

• Broccoli

Broccoli contains high-quality antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that help to fight cancer. It protects your dog from menacing viruses and bacteria and ultimately boosts their immune system. Glucosinates compounds found in Broccoli are broken into biologically active compounds. These compounds make the carcinogens inactive, instigate cell death in tumors and prevent forming tumor blood vessels.

• Cauliflower

Cauliflower is rich in variety of vitamins and includes a significant level of antioxidants. It contains phytonutrients and isothiocyanates that are helpful to prevent cancer. Moreover, it also contains sulforaphane that helps the liver produce anti-carcinogenic enzymes

• Kale

Kale is an impressive superfood that possesses a balance of maximum nutrients and minimum calories. It helps to boost your dog’s immune system due to available phytonutrients in this cruciferous veggie. Kale provides antioxidants that mutilate free radicals before they can damage cell membranes and DNA.

• Eggplant

On the contrary to general belief, eggplant is way safer for your dogs. Eggplant contains nasunin, a nutrient that improves brain function. It also helps to fight dangerous bacteria, viral infections and improves circulation. The chlorogenic acid present in eggplant helps to fight bad cells and cancer.

Finest Fruits

Fruits are filled with minerals, vitamins and antioxidants which are good for your dog. But some fruits are super fruits that help fight cancer.

• Blueberries

Blueberries have many other qualities along with being tasty. These berries provide a rich source of fiber as they are rich in Vitamins C and K. Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants and contain ellagic acid which blocks metabolic pathways that leads to cancer.

• Cranberries

Cranberries are rich in minerals, Vitamins A, B1, B2 and C. These berries help with urinary tract infections and help relieve pain associated with them. Cranberries also help to improve memory and cardiovascular system and can also boost the overall immune system. They are rich in polyphenol antioxidants which make them a great prevention against cancer cell formation.

• Pumpkin

Pumpkin contains high level of beta carotene which is converted in Vitamin A in the body. This Vitamin A is an antioxidant that prevents damage caused by free radicals. Beta-Carotene slows down cancer growth and boosts enzymes that help clear cancer-causing substances in the dog.

• Apples

Apples are the antiangiogenic foods that block the formation of new blood vessels from the existing blood vessels. Antiangiogenic food starves the tumor with 60% response rate and prevents them from advancing.

Animal Fat & Protein

Tumors make your dog weak by extracting a lot of protein from other areas of the body. Therefore, there’s less protein available for disease immunity, wound healing and muscle growth. Cancer causes reduction of appetite in your dog and their body will start extracting fat. Hence, they will need a high protein and fatty diet and animal fats and protein that form a majority of diet for dog cancer.

• Fish Oil

The fatty acids found in fish oils include omega-3 acid, docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA). These acids shrink tumors and help to prevent cancer cachexia. Fish oil is often recommended for dogs as it can slow the growth of cancer.

There may be many vegetables, fruits or food items that your dog might be allergic too. Pet parents should do some research and consider making your dog’s food on your own. As responsible pet parents, we need to be aware of the ways to fight and prevent pet cancer and also educate others to do the same.