More than fifty percent of dogs age ten or older will be diagnosed with cancer and the incidence in younger dogs is growing. We need only look around at our environment to find many of the causes – chemicals on lawns and gardens, air and water pollution, noise and light pollution, stress, and poor diet – the same culprits that create a plethora of health problems for us humans.
As individuals, we can't directly control all the factors that could cause cancer in our dogs – but we can do our part. I find that my lawn grows just fine without any toxic herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers. We grow a big garden each year, using leaves from our many trees and poop from the chickens as compost, so we have a good supply of organic veggies and some fruit; we started our chicken flock to provide fresh, organic eggs for the dogs and found that we loved them too.
I feel a little guilty in the stress department. The adoption of our two boys from foster care has not been easy on the dogs. Nicholai, in particular, is highly attuned to human moods via obvious signals like tone of voice or stomping, but also it seems, by invisible forces. I suspect hormones (like adrenalin) and other biochemical activity clues him to a stormy affect, or a brewing temper tantrum. Over the years, he's made a couple of hiding spots where he can duck away from human conflict, but I think it has taken its toll on his sensitive nature. I attempt to compensate by making sure he has good long walks, great food, plenty of snuggles, and free time from intemperate humans.
Everything I need to do to create a healthy environment for the dogs turns out to be what I need to do to create a healthy environment for myself, my kids, and well … for the whole world. Daily it becomes more apparent that we are all connected and each action comes back around to us. I wish that my efforts had prevented Nicholai's cancer, but alas, they have not. But I wonder, if not for the health supporting lifestyle that he has, would he still be alive? Still kicking? Still showing me on a fabulous February day that life is beautiful?
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