The Shock of Dog Cancer

When you first found out your dog had cancer, shock, disbelief, fear and anxiety are common reactions you may have experienced. Some people go into denial which is a protective mechanism to help cope with the initial shock.

Here are some examples of denial:

• “I don’t believe it. My dog seems fine and there are no signs that anything is wrong.”
• “There’s nothing I can do about it.”
• “I’ll just wait until he/she dies and then get a new one.”

Whatever you are going through, it’s okay. These are all normal reactions.

When my dog, Fergie, was first diagnosed with cancer, my initial reaction was one of immense fear. It was difficult to bear the thought of losing her. At first I cried and then became somewhat numb. I thought, “What am I going to do? Is there anything I can do?” After a few days this turned into, “I’m going to do everything I can. We are going to beat this.”

No matter what your initial reaction is, you will still need to respond and take action. Here are some strategies that will help you focus on your dog’s needs:

1. Take Care of Yourself. In times of anxiety and stress, it’s common for us to ignore ourselves. Make sure that you eat properly, get plenty of sleep, pay attention to your appearance and maintain your normal routine. Also consider getting some natural anti-anxiety remedies such as Bach Rescue Remedy and making time for some deep relaxation, at least twice daily. If you don’t know how to meditate, you can easily find deep relaxation CD’s and MP3’s at places like Amazon.com.
2. Talk About Your Emotions. Share your feelings with friends, family members, clergymen and professional counselors. Be open to your emotions. Talking about them openly will help you to stay grounded and prevent clouding your judgment.
3. Take Notes. It may be hard to concentrate at first on remembering what the vet said or information you have found on the web or elsewhere. It may also be difficult to remember the new words and terms you have never heard before. Keep a notebook and write everything down.
4. Educate Yourself. I recommend you start by focusing on getting information from those who have had experience with treating cancer in dogs. Otherwise, you will likely be confused by the daunting amount of information that can be found on places such as the internet. You will initially want immediate guidance from knowledgeable sources. Pick just a couple to start with. You may want to get a second opinion from a holistic vet. Books are also a good resource and likely to contain information that you won’t find for free on the internet.

Dog Cancer: The Holistic Answer was written with the purpose of providing you with information needed immediately to set your dog on the road to healing. You can download the first three chapters for free by clicking here.