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Osteosarcoma and bone cancer in horses - McDowell's Herbal Treatments

Osteosarcoma (or bone cancers) in horses, are a rare tumor, with the majority of reported cases occurring in the head. They are beginning to appear in horses following the increasing trend in dogs, where this cancer is now prolific. In dogs, bone cancers appear to result from a serious distortion in feeding patterns and a lack of the correct balance of minerals for healthy bone growth and maintenance. 

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It is a little harder to see the cause of bone cancers in horses but it's been thought to be tied up in the lack of highly mineralsed fibrous feeds found in a natural variety of grasses and an imbalance of other minerals and trace elements esential to healthy bone growth. 

It is thought that osteosarcomas occur in the lower jaw or jawbone (the largest, strongest and lowest bone) of large animal species through trauma, viral infection, exposure to radiation, and genetic factors (2). Surgery, as the sole treatment, does not appear effective.

Horses are increasingly subject to chemical overloads, derived from the pollution of feed treated with herbicides and pesticides. This, along with the fact that their digestive systems which were meant to be full continually as they graze pasture most of the day, is now being exposed to concentrated comercial feed and supplements and a lack of variety of natural feeds caused by our 'improved' pasture farming practices.
'Improved' meaning to 'look' better and to provide more commercially viable hay rather than improved nutrition.

Scientific advances over the last 10 years have shown that about 70% of our immune function is in the gut, also associated with the 'friendly microbes'. This powerful herbal program, coupled with rehabilitative exercise programs and free-range grazing on healthy, natural feed or the provision of healthy meadow hay, will provide the horse's immune system with the boost needed to help them fight this nasty cancer.

My Osteosarcoma Cancer Support formulation is given with my Tendon and Bone Healing program and contains the following herbal tonics; Bladderack, Hawthorne, Elecampane, Wormwood, Violet Leaves, Yarrow, Equisetum, Buchu, and Thuja along with a variety of Bach Flower Remedies. This is all mixed into the Tendon and Bone Repair supplement and given twice daily.

 

References
(1) Equine Osteosarcoma: A Series of 8 Cases. J. M. Bush, R. L. Fredrickson, E. J. Ehrhart. March 1, 2007

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1354/vp.44-2-247 
(2) Livesey, MA, Wilkie, IW: Focal and multifocal osteosarcoma in two foals. Equine Vet J 18: 407–410, 1986+
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Have a question? Contact McDowell's Herbal Treatments

McDowell's staff Herbalists can not diagnose your disease or illness. What they can do is offer a herbal program to assist with healing, after you have had advice from your doctor or specialist. If you have unexplained pain or symptoms, seek medical advice.

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