Should I worry about cancer-causing ingredients in my dog's food?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. While there are no anti-cancer foods, medications, or supplements, we recommend keeping pets at an ideal weight and body condition score (BCS), regularly exercising them, and feeding them a consistent diet. Avoiding human foods or very fatty foods can help reduce the risk of developing diseases such as liver disease or pancreatitis. Do not smoke cigarettes around your pet. That being said, cancer in dogs is unpredictable, and can occur even if you do your very best to keep Oscar as healthy as possible. I recommend at least annual check-ups at the veterinarian, and having him evaluated any time you feel that he is not acting himself! Sometimes subtle clinical signs such as hiding, skipping a couple meals, etc, can be signs of underlying disease. I hope this is helpful!

Hi there. Based on the ingredient list for this product, I'm not seeing anything that I would expect to cause either liver disease or cancer in dogs. I have also never heard of any case reports of this happening. So I wouldn't have any particular concerns about this - I think it's likely that the sources you're seeing for this are not credible. :)

I'm sorry to hear you pet has cancer. Making pet food is complicated and your best option is to work with a veterinary nutritionist. Many nutritionist offer online or phone consultations. Especially with the diagnosis of cancer, there are certain nutritional considerations now that are different from a dog without cancer. The nutritionist will formulate a diet to fit the exact needs of your pup. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I have no found any definitive research linking plastic bowls to cancer. From what I can see, it's anecdotal evidence. Unfortunately sometimes young cats get cancer. It's rare, but it does happen. Don't feel responsible, it's not your fault.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Chloe, what a great name for a Cavalier. As you know there are so many diets out there it's hard for anyone to keep up with all of them. What matters is that the diet is nutritionally balanced for the particular life stage of the pet, their body condition score, and their activity level. Diets vary in content, number of ingredients, energy density, fillers/additives, supplements, vitamins/minerals, etc. Some diets are what are called Limited Ingredient diets and these are for pets that may have food problems with certain foods such as a sensitivity or even an allergy to certain proteins. The grain feed fad appears to be just that. Since many humans now are cutting out grains, the pet food manufacturers have jumped on that as a marketing ploy but no evidence exists that grains in general are a problem for most pets. There are cases where pets do better without grains according to the owners. These diets tend to be higher in price and again, like I said, a marketing ploy. So bottom line, look for a diet that Chloe enjoys eating, is appropriate for an adult small-medium breed dog which fits her activity level, and fits your financial budget. Some nutritionists now believe that switching dog foods and brands occasionally (with a very slow transition to the new diet over a 2 week period) is good for pets since no one diet is appropriate for an individual pet. I hope this helps and gives you some guidance. The diets with fewer ingredients are usually meant for pets that are having medical problems or problems associated with their diet. Good Luck with Chloe.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I am sorry to hear that Petitte has cancer and that it has spread. I typically recommend using the prescription diet Hills and feeding N/D (neoplasia diet) with any diagnosed cancers. This diet is a proprietary blend of antioxidants and nutritional ingredients to help dogs with cancer especially going through chemotherapy. Your vet will need to prescribe this food as it is a prescription diet. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello. You can definitely feed the fish parts, but make sure they are thoroughly cooked to prevent the transfer of parasites or bacteria to your dogs. After cooking ( whatever method you prefer ), you can feed all parts if they are rather soft. Any sharp bones, scales or body part to tough for you to chew should either be discarded or ground up. High levels of omega fatty acids from fish are always a great supplement to any diet, especially a cancer diet. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.