Shroom and Doom: Nature's Weapon Against Dog Cancer

That dreaded “C” word is what no pet parents ever want to hear after they have brought their beloved dog to the vet. Unfortunately, 1 out of 4 dogs will develop cancer during their lifetime, and for senior dogs over the age of 10, that number goes up to 1 out of 2.

Pretty scary numbers, right?

So what do you do if your dog gets a cancer diagnosis at the vet?

First piece of advice: Don’t panic. You always have options, which we’ll get to a bit later in this post.

And I say “don’t panic” as a pet parent who did, before I knew there were alternative ways to look at cancer. I received the “Your dog has cancer” message twice, most recently with my soul dog Nacho, after whom I named my business. Not only was it cancer, it was hemangiosarcoma, one of the most aggressive cancers out there, where the average survival time is 1-3 months.

Thanks to mushrooms (mostly turkey tail but I used a combination of various medicinal mushrooms), he lived almost a year past his diagnosis, and I will be forever grateful to these magical creations and is the focus of today’s blog post.

Mushrooms are not only great for cancer, but in my opinion, one of the most effective food and supplements for health and longevity in your pet, out there.

The many health benefits of mushrooms

Many medicinal mushrooms like reishi, turkey tail, and maitake contain beta-glucans and other compounds that can help modulate and strengthen the immune system in dogs.

Mushrooms like cordyceps and lion’s mane have anti-inflammatory effects that may help reduce inflammation associated with various canine health issues.

Medicinal mushrooms are also rich in antioxidants, and contain prebiotics that can support beneficial gut bacteria, potentially improving digestive health in dogs.

Dog dementia is a real thing, and the Lion’s mane mushroom, in particular, has been associated with potential neuroprotective effects and may support brain health in aging dogs.

I’ve also got many clients with liver disease, and the reish mushroom has shown to have hepatoprotective properties that could support liver health in dogs.

Certain mushrooms can also help support heart health by potentially regulating blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Overall, medicinal mushrooms can be a source of various vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that contribute to overall canine health.

But back to cancer… how do we handle this and what are our options?

What is cancer?

Here’s a simple explanation:

Our body is made up of trillions of cells that grow, divide, and die in an orderly way.

Sometimes, a cell’s DNA gets damaged, causing it to behave abnormally.

These abnormal cells start dividing rapidly and don’t die when they should.

As these cells multiply, they can form a lump called a tumor (though not all cancers form solid tumors).

Cancer cells can break off and travel through the blood or lymph system to other parts of the body, starting new tumors. This is called metastasis.

These growing masses of cancer cells can interfere with normal body functions, leading to various health problems.

Cancer isn’t just one disease – there are many types, each behaving differently depending on where in the body it starts and how it grows.

Cancer doesn’t have to be a death sentence

While a cancer diagnosis can be frightening to think about, I invite you to look at this health challenge through a different lens.

Conventional medicine and doctors often do a great job of scaring both humans and their animals when this disease is discovered. But should we believe that there is no hope?

Check out some key differences in how conventional and holistic medicine approach cancer:

Conventional: The disease is separate from the individual and focuses on treating the cancer directly, as if the particular body part is the main issue

Holistic: Views the body as a whole and sees that every part of the body is connected. Aims to treat the person (or dog), not the disease

Conventional: Targeted therapies to destroy cancer cells (e.g., chemotherapy, radiation, surgery)

Holistic : Strengthening the body’s natural healing abilities through supporting the immune system and focusing on bringing back balance the body, thereby focusing on getting to the root cause of why the cancer appeared in the first place

Conventional: Primarily focuses on the tumor and affected organs

Holistic: Considers the entire body, mind, and lifestyle

Conventional: Relies heavily on pharmaceutical drugs and often accepts side effects as necessary for treatment

Holistic: Emphasizes natural remedies, herbs, and supplements and aims to minimize side effects and support overall health

Conventional: Patient is often a passive recipient of treatment

Holistic: Encourages active patient participation in the healing process

Conventional: Focuses on early detection and risk factor reduction (which often is not a good indicator as we all have cancer cells in our body and not all of them will turn malignant)

Holistic: Emphasizes lifestyle changes and maintaining overall wellness

In essence, in holistic medicine we rely on the brilliance of the body to heal itself if it gets supported through natural modalities.

I think you get the idea of the differences between holistic and conventional medicine from these comparisons, but in essence, even if your dog gets a tumor, he or she can still live a good quality life as long as the right precautions are made.

The purpose then, may not be to get rid of the tumor or cancer or reverse the illness, but finding ways to live with it while enjoying a good quality life through a fresh, species-appropriate diet, natural supplements to support the immune system and of course, lots of love and attention from their human companions.

It’s a different way to look at it, isn’t it? We become very conditioned to believe that the only way to treat cancer is with chemotherapy and/or radiation, but the truth it these are poisonous to the body and will eventually kill your dog, regardless. In my case, chemo might have bought me 2-3 additional months with Nacho, while when I choose to go the natural route the body had more of a chance to fight the cancer and he lived 10 more months.

Now, I’m not saying that all cases are successful because we have to remember that every dog is an individual with their own situation and lifestyles that may affect the cancer, but this is why having a holistic dog health coach by your side is so valuable.

They will take the time to assess every angle and provide you with suggestions for how to support the cancer diagnosis accordingly so that you have the best chance possible to improve your pup’s health.

Which mushrooms might help fight cancer

While all mushrooms are beneficial here are some of the more well-known mushrooms in supporting the fight against cancer:

Turkey Tail Mushrooms

This mushroom has been the subject of several studies for its potential immune-boosting and anti-tumor properties, particularly around hemangiosarcoma, the cancer Nacho had.

Polysaccharide peptide (PSP) and polysaccharide-K (PSK) are key bioactive compounds found in turkey tail mushrooms. PSP has gained approval as an anti-cancer medication in Japan and China, while PSK is the primary ingredient in Krestin, an approved anti-cancer drug in Japan.

Turkey tail mushrooms also contain ergosterol, another compound with notable antitumor and antioxidant properties.

Research suggests that turkey tail may have potential as a complementary therapy during cancer treatment. A study comparing turkey tail with the chemotherapy drug cyclophosphamide found that the mushroom’s anti-tumor effects were comparable to those of the chemotherapy agent. This indicates that turkey tail could be considered either as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with chemotherapy for additional support.

An advantage of turkey tail is its relatively benign side effect profile compared to conventional chemotherapy drugs. While chemotherapy often suppresses the immune system, turkey tail tends to support immune function.

Reishi

Reishi have been part of cancer treatments in China and Japan for a long time.

One component of Reishi is triterpenes. These have many health benefits. Studies have shown Reishi may stop cancer growth and even shrink tumors in some cases. They can also help prevent secondary cancers.

Reishi mushrooms also contain beta-glucans, which help to boost the immune system.

Cordyceps

Early studies indicate cordyceps might inhibit the formation of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow. Cordyceps may stimulate the production and activity of natural killer cells and macrophages, potentially improving the body’s ability to detect and destroy cancer cells.

Other studies suggest cordyceps extracts may inhibit tumor growth and proliferation in certain cancer types.

These mushrooms, like the others, contain antioxidants that can help protect cells from oxidative stress and DNA damage, which may contribute to cancer development.

Chronic inflammation is linked to cancer progression, and cordyceps have shown anti-inflammatory properties that might help mitigate this risk.

Shiitake

Shiitakes contain beta-glucans and lentinan, a compound that has shown some promise in supporting immune function during cancer treatment and also helps control inflammation. Shiitake mushrooms are rich in antioxidants, which can help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals and potentially reduce cancer risk. When exposed to sunlight, shiitake mushrooms can produce vitamin D, which have shown to play a role in cancer prevention.

Maitake

Like shiitake, maitake mushrooms contain beta-glucans, particularly D-fraction. These compounds may stimulate the immune system and enhance its ability to fight cancer cells.

Maitake has been shown to activate various immune cells, including natural killer cells, T-cells, and macrophages, which play crucial roles in identifying and destroying cancer cells.

Some studies suggest maitake may inhibit angiogenesis – the formation of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow and spread, while other studies have shown maitake extracts may help prevent the spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body.

Maitake has demonstrated the ability to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in certain cancer cell lines.

Chaga

Technically not a mushroom, chaga is an adaptogen, and may help the body cope with stress, potentially supporting overall health during cancer treatment.

Chaga is rich in antioxidants, particularly melanin, which can help protect cells from DNA damage caused by free radicals.

If prevention of cancer if your goal, chaga is great to feed your dog as its anti-inflammatory effects may help reduce the risk of cancer and has also shown to stimulate the production of certain immune cells.

There has also been some interesting research indicating that chaga may trigger apoptosis (programmed cell death) in some cancer cell lines.

In summary, common to all mushrooms, these are rich in various vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that support overall health and may contribute to cancer prevention.

Now aren’t you motivated to go feed your dog some mushrooms?

How to give mushrooms to your dog

The most common ways to give mushroom supplements are through extract powders or tinctures. There are varying opinions on which is better, but the most important thing is to make sure you select a high-quality product. According to Medical Herbalist and mushroom specialist Lee Carroll, tinctures are not more bioavailable to the body than powders, but there are distinct differences in the way powders are extracted and made. Also, the way mushrooms grow, whether on myceliated grain in an indoor, controlled environment or naturally in outdoor forests (the latter is what you want!).

A tincture is a liquid extract and easier to make than powders, which is why we see more tinctures on the market. Knowing what to look for and how these tinctures are made become important when deciding which brand to go for.

Powders may be more bitter and harder to administer than tinctures, so depending on your dog, this may be a factor when deciding. Currently I give my dog a tincture that I just administer directly onto her gums, and she tolerates it fine. When I was supporting Nacho’s cancer battle I gave him powders, which seemed to truly help and elevate his wellness on a daily basis.

But there is also another way to give your dogs mushrooms and that is as in whole, fresh foods!

Edible mushrooms can absolutely be fed to dogs, and you can safely feed them mushrooms you pick up in the store for yourself such as button, cremini, shiitake, oyster and portobello mushrooms. Obviously don’t go into the woods and forage mushrooms unless you are a mushroom expert, mushrooms can be deadly and so many are poisonous to both humans and canines!

In order for mushrooms to be fully digested and provide your dog with all available nutritional benefits, I recommend always cooking them. Adding butter when sautéing them can increase the uptake of vitamin A and D, as some nutrients in mushrooms are fat-soluble.

Supplements can be easier to give your dog if you live in an area where access to whole mushrooms aren’t readily available. Supplements are also more concentrated and easier to control and measure if you’re looking to add certain components.

I sometimes make a nice and flavorful mushroom broth (a recipe for this will be available in my upcoming recipe e-book for dogs!) that I spoon over my dog’s daily meals, and she loves it!

I recommend to all my clients to give a mushroom supplement daily from when the dog is a young puppy all through their senior years – it’s truly the best thing you can do to strengthen your dog’s health and immune system and helping them fight off many of the common diseases we see out there. Dosage and methods are relative to the individual dog’s condition and status. If you’re interested in booking a health consultation and learn more about how you can add mushrooms safely and effectively to your dog’s regimen, you can do so here.

In Conclusion

Mushrooms can be a valuable addition to your dog’s daily routine as well as a powerful partner in your dog’s fight against cancer.

Remember the foundation: Fresh, whole foods and a species-appropriate diet is key, while trying to eliminate as many toxic chemicals our dogs ingest in the form of medicines, vaccines and environmental factors, as possible.

This will give dog’s bodies a fighting chance when battling cancer. And don’t sleep on mushrooms – they are a secret tool still undervalued that I believe can make a huge difference.