[cmoorewv]

I have a 9 year old St Bernard with possible/probable mammary cancer. She's had a lump on her chest under her front armpit sort of, that has been there quite awhile. Vet doesn't want to put her under anesthesia due to her advanced age, and the location of her lump doesn't lend itself to easy or quick healing. Age may get her before the lump will. I call it a lump, because it hasn't been actually diagnosed as cancerous. I started searching cancer diet for dogs on the net. From what I read, cancer cells utilize carbs for growth, but are unable to use fats. So I have put her on a lower carb diet with plenty of protein, and higher fat content. I have also started supplementing her diet with plenty of fish oil, Kyolic immunity complex (has mushroom and aged garlic), extra C and E, and korean ginseng. When we first found the lump it was pretty small and felt like a fatty tumor. By the time we suspected it to be cancer it has grown to the size of a chicken egg. In the months I've been supplementing her diet, the tumor has not changed, and may even be smaller. Anybody have any anecdotal experiences with diet supplements and tumors? She's getting about eight pills in her food, but she wolfs them down no problem. She still has a healthy appetite and feels good for her age. Anything else I can do to further supplement her? I have considered apple cider vinegar in her water.

[CorkyMax]

Of course I can't say it isn't cancerous--but usually these are fatty tumors. My Cocker Spaniel has had 2 of these lumps for a long time--He is now 12+. They are very slow growing and vet doesn't seem too concerned about them. There is one located on each side in the front kind of behind or beside each elbow. I am a little surprised that your vet didn't mention anything about fatty tumors?

I am going to give you a link here to a thread another member started because her Lab had cancer--It was not the same kind of cancer to do with 'fatty lumps.'---This was a bad type--not curable but she did a lot of research and gained a lot of knowledge about supplementing--- Hemangiosarcoma Diagnosis

You may find more info (other threads) by going to the top of the page(s) in this forum--find the blue strip that goes across the page with all the white words--find the word Search--click on it ---It will bring up a list of threads to search through for more info on the subject. I put cancer supplements in the search box (and leave the little green dot on the threads selection) to find the link I gave here. I know there are other threads listed that you may want to see. You may find more threads on cancer by just putting the word cancer in the search box but I would use cancer supplements 1st !

Just my thoughts here--no expert!----Can you talk to your vet and ask what he/she has to say about possibility of a fatty tumor? And is it possible to do a biopsy to determine if it is cancerous or not? If that is a way to find out and it isn't cancerous (and if it is like my dog's fatty lumps--You are worrying for nothing and to go to all the expense of supplementing and changing your dog's diet if it isn't necessary -- seems like an extreme thing if not necessary! Not sure what a biopsy would cost--if it is possible to do this--but I doubt if it is that expensive and to supplement, etc may be more expensive anyway depending on how far you go with it!

Keep in touch! Hope you like this forum!

[cmoorewv]

Well, we have gone back and forth as to whether it is a fatty tumor or cancer. It started out a year ago as a small lump under the skin. I can't remember how big it was-maybe a little bigger than a grape. She has so much fur on her stomach, I didn't really find it til I gave her a good grooming. The vet wasn't worried at the time, so I sort of forgot about it. It is now about the size of an egg. A few months ago I had her in for another growth on her flank, and I had him feel the lump on chest again. He was concerned about it then, thinking it could be cancer, but a slow growing one. Now we're back to the possibility of a fatty tumor. The one on her flank started out the size of an engorged tick (In fact, that's what I thought it might be) and got to the size of a grape and busted open in the middle. My other dog who is outside with her "cleaned" it to the point it was oozy and nasty. We did remove that one, but are leaving the other one alone due to it's location. I suppose we could do a needle biopsy, but haven't done so. Supplementing her diet has at least seemed to give her more spring in her step. Maybe some dogs just get lumpy in their old age. From what I've read, mammary tumors tend to hit the lower mammary glands usually, rather than the anterior ones. It is sort where you described-on her chest, down near her armpit. As long as she's eating well and is happy, I'm going to leave her be.
I will check out the link you posted as well.
Thanks,
cmoore