Typically, as your vet mentioned, aggressive treatments such as options 1-3 are the main approach for tumor treatment. However, aggressive treatment in a weakened state can often result in a ‘can’t see the forest for the trees’ scenario, leading to a condition where ‘although the tumor is gone, the life might also fade away.’ While melanoma is a highly malignant tumor, if your immune cells can function properly, you can expect to prevent tumor growth.

Though it is challenging to eliminate the tumor, you may aim to suppress its adverse effects and achieve a positive coexistence with the tumor.

Cordy aims to suppress tumor cell activity by restoring the immune regulation to its original state.

Because it imposes almost no burden on the body, it can be safely administered even to elderly dogs with low vitality. There have been clinical reports of administering Cordy to aged dogs with melanoma.

Additionally, if the dog has no issues with respiration, heart disease, or epilepsy, administering organic germanium can promote blood circulation, eliminate body toxins, and alleviate pain.
*Warning: If your pet is a brachycephalic breed with rapid breathing during normal times, or if they have lung or heart disease, or epilepsy, refrain from using supplements containing organic germanium.

Moreover, for dogs suffering from frequent soft stools or constipation, it is recommended to give supplements containing lactic acid bacteria to improve intestinal health.

Reviewing daily diet is also crucial.
Tumor cells absorb carbohydrates (specifically glucose) faster than normal cells and use it exclusively as their nutritional source, thus promoting growth.

By providing a low-carb diet, the tumor cells are deprived of their nutrients and thus grow less aggressively. Switching to a low-carb, high-protein diet is recommended.

Additionally, since it is an oral tumor, try to provide as soft a diet as possible to avoid stimulating the tumor.

Cavaliers are particularly prone to mitral valve disease, so it is excellent that you are conducting regular check-ups. Given your dog’s age and the presence of a tumor, his immune system is likely quite weakened.

By restoring the compromised immune system to its normal state, it is expected that the activity of the tumor can be suppressed, or even the tumor itself can be reduced.

Even if a reduction in the tumor is not observed, there are cases where dogs can peacefully coexist with the tumor while maintaining their quality of life (QOL).

Regarding the heart murmur in your dog, how severe is the heart disease?

As a basic approach, try to boost the immune system without putting too much strain on the body. Additionally, actively review his diet by referring to the articles summarized here.

Cordy conducts research with the goal of suppressing tumor cell activity by normalizing immune regulation. As it places almost no burden on the body, Cordy can be safely administered to dogs with heart conditions or elderly dogs with low stamina. There are clinical studies where it has been administered in similar cases.

If the heart disease is not severe and there is always someone available to monitor your dog, it is also recommended to give a supplement containing organic germanium. Organic germanium can potentially improve blood circulation and alleviate pain.
*Please avoid using supplements containing organic germanium if your dog usually breathes rapidly, has heart or lung conditions, or experiences seizures, and there is no constant supervision.

If your dog has poor intestinal health, experiences diarrhea or constipation, or has digestion issues, consider giving a probiotic supplement.

Since 90% of mammary tumors in cats are said to be malignant, they are prone to recurrence and metastasis even after surgery. Therefore, it is highly likely that this new lump is also a mammary tumor. Ideally, the tumor would be removed, and thorough post-operative care would be provided. However, if surgery is not desired, it is essential to quickly restore the imbalanced immune system so the body’s immune cells can fight the tumor.

Fortunately, the growth rate of the new lump is slow, suggesting it is not highly malignant. Therefore, it is essential to adjust her immune balance effectively while the tumor is still not very aggressive.

Cordy is believed to have an effect of balancing the immune system, which could be beneficial for cats suffering from mammary tumors.

If there are no issues with her respiratory status, heart disease, or epilepsy, supplements containing organic germanium can be safely used. However, if there are any concerns, it is advisable to avoid supplements with organic germanium.

If she has a tendency to have soft stools or constipation, it suggests an imbalance in her intestinal environment. In such cases, it is recommended to use supplements containing lactic acid bacteria.

Cordy can also be used externally. If the tumor increases and breaks through the skin (ulcerates), it has been reported that spraying the supernatant obtained by suspending Cordy in 100ml of water and allowing it to settle on the affected area can assist in skin repair and odor reduction.

The sedimented Cordy that does not dissolve in water can be used as an oral medication.

Since she is currently eating well, switching to a “low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet” is important to deprive the tumor of nutrients and build the cat’s own strength.

While daily meals nourish the body, cats are sensitive to taste, so make the dietary switch gradually and patiently.

There is a 50% chance that mammary tumors in dogs are malignant. While the current tumor is benign, benign tumors can grow larger over time and exhibit similar behaviors to malignant tumors. If the tumor grows larger, the surgery would require longer anesthesia and the incision would be bigger.

Since your dog is still relatively young at 8 years old and has a good appetite, the risk associated with anesthesia is not considered very high. However, as your dog enters the senior phase of life, the immune system will gradually weaken, which can lead to tumor growth.

Before any anesthesia procedure, a blood test is always conducted. If there are no issues with the blood test, surgery might be worth considering.

However, if you are particularly fearful of surgery, maintaining and boosting your dog’s immune system can help suppress tumor cell activity.

Cordy is being researched to see if it can suppress tumor cell activity by restoring the regulatory function of the immune system.

It’s generally very safe and can be administered even to dogs with lower energy levels. There are clinical reports of Cordy being administered to dogs and cats with benign and malignant mammary tumors.

Additionally, unless your dog has respiratory issues, heart disease, or epilepsy, you can use organic germanium to promote blood flow, eliminate toxins from the body, and alleviate pain.

As dogs enter the senior phase, circulation can become sluggish. Enhancing circulation and detoxifying the body with organic germanium can stabilize the immune system.

*We recommend avoiding supplements containing organic germanium if your dog is a brachycephalic breed with rapid breathing at rest, or has pulmonary diseases, heart diseases, or epilepsy.

For dogs with frequent loose stools or constipation, giving supplements containing probiotics to improve gut health is also recommended.

Switching to a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet can help prevent the activation of tumor cells and potentially suppress tumor growth.

For pets with epileptic seizures, it is considered best to avoid stimulating blood flow and nerves as much as possible.
Organic germanium has a blood circulation-promoting effect, so it is advisable to refrain from using supplements containing organic germanium.

Moreover, since tumor cells grow by using carbohydrates (specifically sugars) as nutrients, it is highly recommended to significantly reduce the amount of carbohydrates in their diet.

Considering the physiological needs of dogs and cats, which require more protein than humans, ensure they receive ample animal-based proteins such as meat and fish. In particular, it is expected that actively consuming DHA found in fish can help suppress epileptic seizures.
We recommend using bluefish rich in DHA and salmon, which also contains the antioxidant astaxanthin.

Tumor cells use carbohydrates (specifically sugars) as a source of nutrition, so we recommend a “low-carbohydrate high-protein diet“. However, in the case of renal failure, protein must be somewhat restricted.

Most commercially available therapeutic diets for kidneys tend to excessively restrict protein.

Because protein is overly restricted, these diets contain a high amount of carbohydrates to supplement the necessary calories. This can result in tumor growth and a lack of energy, causing your pet to break down its own muscles for energy.

As a result, the muscles can become emaciated, leading to difficulty walking, and the metabolic rate drops, making it harder for immune cells to function properly.
Therefore, we recommend a diet with “moderate protein” rather than a “low-protein diet”.

The tolerance to protein in pets with renal failure varies from individual to individual.
Gradually increase the amount of protein and determine the appropriate protein level for your pet through regular blood tests.

Additionally, by ingesting “amino acids”—after the protein has been broken down in the body—rather than protein itself, it is possible to reduce the burden on the kidneys.

We recommend using “amino acid supplements such as BCAA” or conducting “amino acid infusions” at veterinary clinics.

Furthermore, to reduce kidney inflammation, we recommend supplementing with “krill oil that contains EPA and DHA“.

For more details on the diet for pets with renal failure, please refer to the article below.

Lymphoma is a type of tumor that generally responds well to chemotherapy, but it is crucial to consider the overall condition, such as age, general health, appetite, and blood test results, to determine whether the treatment is suitable.

Given the advanced age of your cat, its poor appetite, and ongoing diarrhea, initiating chemotherapy immediately poses a high risk of side effects.

In cases of gastrointestinal lymphoma, there is a concern that the tumor may grow and obstruct the intestines (intestinal blockage). Therefore, it might be beneficial to calm the tumor’s swelling with steroids while addressing diarrhea and improving appetite in the meantime.

Steroids have been shown to be quite effective in treating lymphoma, and studies have reported that combining steroids with Cordyceps can help manage lymphoma symptoms.

⇒ ‘Case Report 2: Lymphoma’

However, steroids have the effect of suppressing the immune system, which means prolonged use could create an environment where tumor cells can thrive.

Maintaining immune strength can potentially mitigate the side effects of steroids.

Additionally, supplements containing organic germanium may improve blood circulation and reduce pain, which could be considered. However, if breathing issues or heart disease are present, it is safer to avoid supplements containing organic germanium. Supplements with lactic acid bacteria are recommended if the intestinal condition is poor (such as chronic diarrhea or constipation).

Regarding diet, it is essential to ensure adequate food intake for strengthening the body, and forced feeding may be necessary if the cat cannot eat on its own.

However, allowing the cat to eat “anything it wants” might result in consuming nutrients that could feed the tumor.

Tumors derive their nutrition from carbohydrates, specifically sugars. Therefore, it is best to avoid feeding rice, bread, potatoes, and sweets to the cat as much as possible.
Instead, focus on providing adequate protein as it can starve tumor cells and helps maintain muscle mass, improving overall strength.
Especially for cats, which are obligate carnivores, the intake of protein is indispensable.