Help! My dog has a small lump on her neck

[new2health]

Hello Shelley,

I am writing about my 4 year old, 16 lb standard Dachshund. I found a tiny lump on her neck about 3 weeks ago and immediately brought her to the vet. Needless to say, I was extremely nervous and anxious about what the vet would say after examining her. Once the examination was over, my vet told me that the lump or cyst was too small to biopsy and that I should just keep an eye on it in case it changes in size, gets worse, etc.

I've heard that these lumps/cysts are usually just benign fatty deposits that build up in one place, causing a lump; nothing to worry about. I don't want to have it surgically removed unless absolutely necessary. But my feeling is, I am not going to wait around for something to get worse if there is something I can do about it right now. That lead me to wondering if there was a remedy of some kind that I could give her to dissolve this fatty deposit. I've heard things like raspberry, blue green algae, spirulina, grapefruit seed extract and other tannic acids are supposed to help with this but I'm a little nervous about experimenting or combining things. I've also heard that a raw diet is good too. My mother likes to give her cooked eggs or egg whites every day. Is this ok?

Do you have any recommendations about what I could give her to help dissolve this lump on her neck?

Also, how do you feel about giving filtered water to dogs? I normally give my dog water that has been filtered but the problem with this is that it is not only stripped of the bad stuff but the good stuff (minerals) as well. I heard Daily 72 is a good product to add to filtered water for both animals and humans alike. Neither animals nor humans get ALL their minerals from water (we can get minerals elsewhere) so is this something really necessary to add to our filtered water? What is your take on this?

Finally, how do you feel about Bach flower remedies for humans and pets and emotional healing/well-being?

As always, I appreciate all of your guidance.

[shelley]

Clean water is essential, as is re-mineralizing it occasionally with whatever trace mineral product you trust. Definitely go for it!

I've heard good things about flower essences, but when I tried with my own dogs I did not see any concrete results and so have stopped using them, sigh. I used to use them a lot for myself but now I think the benefits were all placebo effect. I did see good results from herbal products for calming dogs down during fireworks and thunderstorms.

Some dogs are more prone to cancers than others, and when that happens it's best to go for a medium-low protein diet for a time. They always need some protein, but some dog foods are way too protein rich, and this acidity causes problems.

A month or two of a very simple diet, such as one protein (usually lamb or venison, something they don't eat often) and one carb (sweet potato is excellent), plus carrots, will help your dog stay strong and yet cleanse. If the cyst doesn't get bigger, or even starts shrinking (rare), then you'll know for sure that's part of what's going on. There are "prescription" diet dog foods available that make their blends this simple, or you can buy canned meat that's all meat and then boil the potatoes yourself. My dog really likes his share of my buttered sweet potato.

Raw food diets are a mess, and I've never met a dog that really liked it, but I did find one brand that is excellent, Prairie has frozen medallions that are quite convenient and not a bad diet to try every now and again.

Good luck!

[new2health]

Hi Shelley,

Thank you for your prompt response concerning the lump in my 4 year old, 16 lb standard Dachshund's neck.

Is the Prairie raw dogfood made by Nature's Variety? I think that was what you were referring to. What about the Nature's Variety - Instinct canned formulas? Or do you think I should stay away from canned and just get the medallions? The canned version claims to be 95% Meat, 5% fruits and vegetables, grain-free and has no no hormones or steroids. Isn't 95% too protein rich? Is the canned version cooked???

So, after feeding the raw diet for a couple of months, I should go back to the dry dogfood (Newman's Own Adult Dog Dry Formula) I normally feed her? Or should I alternate between dry and raw during the two months? Perhaps I should do away with the dry formula all together??

I'm so confused!

You hadn't responded to what I heard about raspberry, blue green algae, spirulina, grapefruit seed extract and other tannic acids that supposedly help with dissolving fatty deposits (which turn into lumps). Is it safe to say these things are useless? I've also read about herb supplements like Only Natural Pet B.S.S.T. Herbal Formula, which is supposed to help reduce tumor growth. Are products like these worth it? Herbs make me nervous.

Regarding the water filtration system I use... it turns out this particular brand I use is not reverse osmosis and therefore does not remove the good stuff in water (only the bad). How the filter is able determine what's good from bad remains a mystery but this is what the company told me. So, basically, they said I don't need to add a mineral replacement to my water. Although it doesn't hurt, I guess.

Thanks again! I really appreciate your advice

[shelley]

Yep, 95% is too rich for a therapeutic diet.

The canned is probably cooked.

Use the dry when you need the convenience, but give her real food as much as possible.

Blue green algea and spirulina may be worth trying, but the others might cause complications.

I'd still mineralize the water a little bit. When tissues start doing wonky things like cysts, chances are very good that minerals are skewed somehow, deficient.