While I have been able to find info related to essiac tea for pets with cancer, I have not been able to find out whether there have been applications for other disease processes - i.e., kidney failure. My 12 year old male neutered cat has recently plummeted in his red blood count and sky-rocketed in his blood pressure -- his condition is extremely perilous at this point. He is being treated (without much promise) with Norvasc and Epogen. Any recommendations are very much appreciated. Thank you!
Jane

Jan replies...

Hi Jane,

Wow, I don't know much about cats, but I hope the following will give you a start. I just found this book, called The Nature of Animal Healing, by Martin Goldstein. He is a vet with a clinic (Smith Ridge) in South Salem, New York. He recommends something called "Ren Suis", which is homeopathic pig kidney, also high doses of vitamin C.

He put the animal in the case he uses to describe this (a dog) on intravenous fluids which included the vitamin C. He took her off all 6 conventional meds she was on, as she was dying anyway (he does not usually do this cold turkey, I would not do it unless your cat is very near death.) He injected the pig kidney homeopathic, but I would think oral would be better than nothing if you could find this stuff. The dog recovered fully and was still alive two years later. I don't know how really hard it might be to find a vet who would inject homeopathic pig kidney, if you could find the homeopathic pig kidney. And I don't know about vitamin C and cats. If it is okay to give it to them I would do that. Goldstein uses ascorbic acid primarily.

Dr Goldstein uses injectable homeopathic organs all the time in his practice. It sounds like voodoo stuff, but he is a real vet. He does it because it works. His position is that if it works, it is not necessary that we understand how and why it works. I love hearing this. He was trained as a conventional vet and has practiced over 30 years, his holistic approach has evolved and he uses conventional treatments when they make sense.

I couldn't find "Ren Suis" (which is French for pig kidney) on the internet, but you can get Renatrophin PMG from http://www.naturevites.com/catalog/alphabetic.htm. It is made by a company Goldstein relies on for organics. It is not homeopathic, it is bovine pig kidney.

I cannot recommend the Goldstein book enough. I got halfway through it and ordered four more copies to give to people, including my vet. It is worth a panic search for it. You can get it at Barnes and Noble on the web for a pretty good discount. More than enough to pay for the shipping. You might also be able to get help from his Smith Ridge clinic, they have a web address:  http://www.smithridge.com/.

There is a huge amount of information on the web, but the very best course is if you can find a holistic vet to help you. Failing that, I would call Smith Ridge. An animal with kidney failure should not be given essiac -- I am making a broad generalization here, but that is what I believe.

Jan

Hello Jan,

Back in June 1999 our 7 1/2-year-old white, blue-eyed, deaf house cat "Snowflake" had a breast lump removed. This was the third in a year and a half, and it was cancerous. The first was not and we are not sure about the second because the vet did not send it to the lab for testing. We brought her to a specialist because two-pea sized cancer lumps returned near the site of her last surgery and one a little further up on her side. He suggested a radical mastectomy of the remaining breasts and lymph gland removal followed by chemo. We could not put our "fur person" through all of this surgery and ruin her quality of life for whatever time she had left, our baby has brought us great joy.

My wife Mary did not want to see her deteriorate so she looked for alternative treatments on the Internet and found "essiac". Skeptical, I went along with her on this venture.

I boiled up the first batch and bottled it as the instructions said. We gave her 1 Tablespoon twice a day mixed with tuna juice (spring water squeezed from can of tuna). She loves it and thinks it's a treat! I based the dose on some human treatments I read about. Two ounces twice a day for the average person. I figured about 125-150 pounds, then reduced it down for a 7.5 pound cat.

Three weeks after we started, the two lumps near her last surgery disappeared. Three weeks later the last lump was gone! It was stubborn. We continued for 16 weeks total (the same amount of time the vet wanted her on chemo). The entire time we gave her lots of love and sent up some serious prayers. After about the third week her energy improved and she is very playful again.

Right now she has a problem that may be a bacterial bladder infection. The vet can't feel any lumps and he hopes it is only a bad infection and not a stone or tumor.

We told our vet about essiac and he was very supportive (actually a little excited) and reminded us that many medicines are natural in origin. He even took the essiac box for reference. He warned that cancer can come back in force and agreed that we should keep her on a maintenance dose for as long as we need to. After she recovers from this infection we will put her back on essiac. We plan on giving her one-tablespoon a day on her food or with tuna juice. Small price to pay for all the love we get in return.

John

Jan replies...

Thank you for this great story. I don't know about bladder problems, but I agree that she should not have the essiac until they are resolved. Even if the lumps come back later, I am sure you have extended her life. A maintenance dose is a good idea when she is not having kidney problems.

First - I am sorry to hear about the Great Dane, Sven. Our pets are very precious to us. Secondly - a story I wish to briefly share. My Aussie pup was only 11 weeks old when diagnosed with an oral /viral based, very fast and rare cancer in the front of her mouth. In a two week period it went from raisin sized to walnut sized. The vets at the University gave me 2 weeks to a month with her at the rate of the growth.

That was in mid July -- two and a half years ago!  By the following December that first year, after treating her religiously with essiac and echinacea (and some other herbals to promote both growth and to stop the bleeding), the cancer was gone from the surface. When she turned 2 years old and had to have her hips x-rayed for the breeding society, I had her jaw x-rayed, too. Not only is the cancer completely gone, but all of her teeth are present (not in line - but there) and her jaw bone is present -- when it had not been evident during the initial stages of the cancer. She is alive and wonderful!

My ex-husband is a large animal vet and he is amazed, so is the small animal vet we took her to. I believe, if caught early, and by being very consistent with the dosages, essiac and other herbals do make a difference. As you said, it makes them more comfortable even if it does not rid the body of the cancer. She is my miracle!

Rawna

Jan exclaims...

Dear Jan:
Our dog was diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma, located in elbow of his right front leg. The vet wants to amputate. Could essiac or any other therapy help this type of cancer?

Shirley

Jan replies...

Oh Shirley, I am so sorry to hear about your dog. If your dog could function without the leg, I would certainly amputate immediately if he was mine. Then I would use every treatment available and affordable, whether chemotherapy, radiation or herbal.

This cancer can be survived with aggressive treatment if every cell of the cancer can be removed. It is what my Sven had, but it was initially in the soft tissue on his chest, not possible to get it all, nor could he have functioned with an amputation when it moved finally to the bone. By that time it was all through him I am sure, anyway. Essiac and the other herbal things I did extended his life from the expected two months to eight.

But if you are in a position to amputate the leg and get rid of every bit of the cancer, you have a good chance of having your dog survive for years. Then I would do the other treatments also. That is only what I would do. If there is a holistic vet near you they might have other advice, but you must move quickly, it spreads very fast. There is an urgent need for speed. You have all my best wishes,

My furperson (Paws, a cat), was diagnosed with mast cell tumors that his vet had initially said were just "skin blips", nothing to worry about. It seemed like he had a new one every day and they range in size from pencil point size to dime size. I want to treat him with essiac, but am unsure of the dosage and if it can be mixed with say, clam juice, and if so what would the proportions of each be. I've tried just the essiac but he won't take it. He has gingivitus so I don't want to have to force his mouth open and hurt him. I don't want him to fear or dread treatment. Thanks.

Jan replies...

Hi Linda,

One cat owner reported, "We are now back on maintenance dose of 3/4 tablespoon of essiac mixed with one tablespoon of tuna juice (the spring water from a can of tuna)." Other people have mixed it with clam juice.

I think it is better to get it in the cat than not. I am not sure about mast cell and essiac, is your cat allergic to a lot of things? He may be allergic to it. Mast cell is related to histamine reactions in some way. My Greta (Great Dane) has it, although not the way you describe. She seems to be on "hold", she has had it for around 18 months that we know of. She gets shark cartilage, she cannot take essiac. She is allergic to so many foods I have to cook for her.

[Note: Jan Hodges' beloved Greta passed away on August 9, 2001. Greta had mast cell and was very frail, but her passing was allergy-related and not caused by the cancer.]

I would try it but stop immediately if you see any problems. Your little furperson would probably like shark cartilege.

I have a 12 year old cat that is suffering from hyperthyroid. She is on Tapazole (5mg) 2x a day, but after an initial boost it does not seem to be working. Although she has always been a small cat of around 7 lbs, she is down to under 5 lbs. I am getting desperate. My vet says that her kidneys and liver are not yet affected; however, Kitty is occasionally sick and throws up her food. The only other option my vet has offered is a radical dosage of chemotherapy, which I don't think Kitty could withstand. In general, Kitty is happy and not in pain, but her weight loss and stomach upset is disturbing.

I have a friend who had a 13 year old cat diagnosed with multiple tumors. His vet suggested putting the cat to sleep. However, my friend gave his cat essiac and the tumors went away. It has been one year and Snowflake is healthy and tumor-free.

Have you ever heard about essiac (or any other remedy) helping thyroid disease? I am desperate to help my best friend.

Jan replies...

I know about Snowflake, see above. I don't know enough about cats or essiac to tell you if it might help. I do know that essiac can be hard on the kidneys, so if kidney failure is an issue with this disease you might want to be careful with it. On the other hand this problem can be caused by a tumor, so maybe it is worth that risk.

Mary Wulff-Tilford in "All You Ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for Pets" writes that Bugleweed slows thyroid function. She says the dose would be 2-6 drops of extract three times a day per 20 pounds of body weight, and that it would take at least a week or so to be able to see any effect. I would guess that would be one drop three times a day. It is not as strong as the drugs but might be worth a try. She says it is not harmful to cats. She also recommends lemon balm for this in cats but does not provide a dose.

Mary Wulff-Tilford says Hawthorne is useful for moderating an erratic heartbeat, valerian or skullcap may calm the jitteriness. I assume the doses would be very small, like one drop of extract. You should avoid anything with much iodine in it, such as Kelp. I think a lot of ocean fish may be high in iodine, but I am just guessing that.

She confirms the treatment your vet has recommended as the conventional way to treat this. There is a web site for alternative vets at www.altvetmed.com, they have a listing of vets by state. Some of them will do telephone consultations. You could also contact Dr. Martin Goldstein's clinic in NY state, they might have some recommendations for you (see www.smithridge.com for contact information).

I think you should get help from an alternative medicine vet, it really makes a lot of difference. I sure hope you find a way to treat this, please let us know if you do.

Jan

Hi, my dog has developed liver damage. The onset was sudden, cause unknown, He has lost weight, and has other symptoms due to the toxins circulating in his system. The only thing the vet can suggest are extra vitamins, and special diet, so as not to overload his system to much. They couldn't tell me anything about milk thistle, and I was finding it very difficult to find any info until I came across your site. Could you tell me if it is okay to give him milk thistle, and are there other herbs/treatment I can try?

Chris

Jan replies...

Hello Chris,

I believe it is safe to use milk thistle under almost any circumstances. I suppose some might be allergic to it, but other than that it is fine. The part of the milk thistle that is used is the seed. The book "Your Guide To Standardized Herbal Products" by Rebecca Flynn et al, says it has no known toxicity even in large doses. The active liver-protecting things in it are silybin, silydianin and silychristin. The liver protection provided by milk thistle has been demonstrated in clinical trials, unlike so many herbs.

I advise people to use this whenever they are using something that might hurt the liver. The dose for a human of standardized extract (84.5% based on Silibin, I don't know what that means) is 300-600 mg a day.

If you are giving your dog Rimadyl, stop it immediately.

Can you give me any information an the effect of the essiac herb on a condition called hip displacia? I was told that it helped and would GREATLY appreciate any help I could get. Thank you!

Jan replies...

Hi Jessika,

I have never heard anyone say that essiac would help hip displasia in a dog,. I suppose one of the essiac herbs (Burdock) might reduce inflammation and relieve some of the pain, but other herbs that help are Yucca powder and Devil's Claw. I take them for joint pain, which is similar to but not as severe as hip displasia. Other things that might help are Glucosamine Chondroitin, MSN and Adequan, discussed in the email below.

You should avoid Rimadyl unless it is absolutely a last resort, sometimes causes liver or kidney failure and death in dogs. Not often, but if you use it you should do frequent blood work to monitor kidney and liver function. Mostly it is to be avoided until the only alternative is euthanasia (in my opinion). Then you might as well use it.

I received the message below from a friend who has Great Danes, it might be of help. While I cannot attest to how good any of the information is, it can give you a start in doing your own research. Good luck!

Cosamin DS is IDENTICAL to Cosequin DS, made by same company.

CosequinDS for dogs by Nutramax Laboratories is a patented combination of dietary ingredients and each has its own function in connective tissue synthesis. Each capsule is designed to help rebuild the articular cartilage and prevent cartilage breakdown, and contains the following ingredients:

COSEQUIN DS
Glucosamine HCL 99+% 500 mg
Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate 95% 400 mg
Mixed Glycosaminoglycans 5%
Ascorbate (Manganese Ascorbate) 66 mg
Manganese (Ascorbate) 10 mg
Initial Dosage: After 6 weeks, dosage can be cut in half

COSEQUIN DS or COSEMIN DS FOR DOGS:

Under 10 lbs: 1/2-1 cap daily
10-25 lbs: 2 caps daily
25-49 lbs: 2 caps daily
50-100 lbs: 3 caps daily
Over 100 lbs: 4 caps daily

Other Links:

Glucosamine http://www.inergy.com/johnnyray/growthenhancers.html

http://www.chiromanis.com/page6.html has "Damaging Factors of Cartilage and Glycosaminoglycan Processing":

• Antidepressants Endanger Bone and Joints
• Steroids Cause Bone Loss, Increase Fracture Risk
• Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) Depress Gag Production and Synthesis, Destroy Cartilage
• Salicylates (aspirin) Deplete Gag Synthesis in Disc, Lead to Osteoarthritis, Weaken Bone

======= MSM ==========

It's OK to give human version/type, but why pay more than this?

KV Vet Supply 1-800-423-8211  ~ sells it by the pound.
Item # 40820 1lb $21.95

======== ADEQUAN =========

With Adequan, surgery is no longer your only option! Read these two sites and print out information for your Vet. Save your Dog!

Adequan Manufacturer Site: http://www.luitpold.com/canine/

Hip dysplasia
Ruptured cruciate ligament(s)
Osteochondritis dissecans, or OCD
Spondylitis
Traumatic joint injury
Geriatric osteoarthritis

Vet Testimonial Site: http://www.dclink.com/mastiff/rppharm.htm
by Lester Mandelker, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, published in Veterinary Forum, April, 1992. This is snip from his long article, go read the whole thing!

"I have used Adequan in the treatment of hip dysplasia, degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis, osteochondritis dessicans, following patella luxation surgery, following ruptured cruciate surgery, spondylitis, disc degeneration, discospondylitis and non-specific arthritis in older dogs and even in cats. early cataract development (results still pending), lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. Results vary with the stage of the disease; however, every case showed at least some improvement while most cases reported dramatic improvement and "temporary" recovery."

"Since this drug appears clinically to be non-toxic, it offers a welcomed change from the damaging effect of repeated steroid usage. The treatment regimen is the same for most cases and included weekly injections of Adequan (50mg-150mg) IM for four to six weeks, then one injection every two to four months for maintenance. On several cases of confirmed osteochondritis in Rottweilers, Adequan appeared to clinically cure the pain and lesions before any joint disease and osteophytes occurred."

Adequan NADA: http://www.fda.gov/cvm/fda/infores/foi/141038/141038071597.html