What kind of Innova dog food should I use for a dog with a tumor?

Question

He is on nd Prescription now, but he has started to bite his paws. I think it's from this food. I want to switch to an organic dog food. What type do you suggest?

Answer 1

I would ask your veterinarian before you switch to anything because the N/D is a diet formulated for dogs with cancer and since it is a prescription you really need to ask first. I think that Science Diet is the only company that currently manufactures a diet designed for dogs with cancer, but I am not positive.

I have heard of a study where the dog with cancer was put on high level of fish oils and it helped some, but there have been no definitive tests saying that it helped.

Answer 2

switching to an organic food may help with the chewing or it may not. if the chewing is truly because of a food allergy, trying different food is a place to start but depending on what component of the food it is that your dog is allergic to, it may be hard to find any over the counter food that will completely eliminate his allergy.

What food did your dog eat before the N/D? There either may be something new in the N/D that your dog has never encountered before that the body is sensitive to, or your dog may have just now developed a sensitivity to a common ingredient in the N/D and other foods that your dog has eaten in the past.

If you want to look at other dog foods, take a look at the labels to see what is in them. "Organic" simply means in this day and age that the ingredients are natural with minimal processing. If your dog is allergic to a carbohydrate source in the N/D (corn gluten meal, etc) your dog may still have allergy problems if the Innova food has a corn derivative in it, organic or not. The same goes for meat sources that your dog may be allergic to. Because of this, finding an over-the-counter or non-prescription food that will not make your dog itch could become a trial-and-error process.

The N/D diet has been specially formulated to support your dog's health while it lives with the cancer in its body, and there are not really any over-the-counter foods that are comparable. You could talk to your vet about your delema, and see if his answer is to switch foods, or maybe he would suggest some other therapy for the chewing and itching of the allergy. Cancer is serious, and your dog will eventually die from it. Without this special nutrition that could come much sooner than you would like. The stage of which your dog's cancer is in, and the severity (whether high or low) of your dog's discomfort caused by the itching from the food will indicate which direction this should go. You may end up having to ask yourself, which is more important to treat? The tumor in your dog's body, or some itching? Before switching foods, it is best to consult your veterinarian and alert him of your dog's new symptoms

Answer 3

We used Solid Gold "Barking at the Moon," when we were fighting cancer in our dog. Odd name, but it's an excellent holistic food. High in protein, low in carbs, which is what we were looking for. From what I've learned, some studies have shown that the cancer seems to feed off of the carbs, so a high protein, low carb food is suppose to be more beneficial when you have a dog with cancer.
http://www.solidgoldnorthwest.com/products/pro_dry/pro_barking.html

I've suggested the following book and website to other people in dealing with their dogs with cancer. The book was excellent. I ordered my through my local bookstore and had it in a few days.

http://www.helpyourdogfightcancer.com/

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/endlesslove/

My German shepherd had a very aggressive cancer called prostatic transitional cell carcinoma. I worked with my regular vets, one of them is a holistic vet, and a board certified veterinary oncologist. ALWAYS check with your vet before switching foods or adding any supplements. My heart goes out to you. Good luck!

Answer 4

The Innova Evo is the newest form and it is great. It doesn't contain any fillers or additives only natural ingredients. It's what I feed my dog. They also have small and large bites.