Essiac Capsules and Our Labrador's Thyroid Cancer

by Todd Jewett
(Gold Bar, Washington)

In November of 2009, our beloved yellow lab Tooty Anne was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. We were heart broken as she was not yet even 6 years old. The vet told us the only hope was to remove the tumor surgically and start her on chemo therapy for up to a year. He said the cancer would likely return but it may buy her a little more time. The cost would have been staggering and we could not afford it. We asked the vet his opinion on how long she might live with the stage the cancer was at. He told us she may live 3 months, four at the most.

A friend of my wife's suggested we put her on essiac capsules and that she would make them up for us. Nothing to lose. So twice a day wife began giving Toots, as we call her, the capsules in pill pockets for dogs. Toots progressively got worse and was eating less and less. She had lost 12 of her 74 pounds and had become lethargic. She could not jump into the car anymore and would do nothing but lay on the floor. Although she had lived 2 months longer than expected, we made the decision to have her put down on June 1st as that would be her sixth birthday.

Now for the good news. On May 25th, my wife and I awoke to a sound we had not heard for a long, long time. Toots was in the living room throwing her favorite stuffed toy into the air and catching it. She began to jump up on the furniture and and chase our other small dog around the house. my wife and I looked at each other in utter amazement.

We put a bowl of food down for her and she devoured it. Her eyes became clear and bright. We cancelled her trip to the vet and watched her all through June, never stopping her treatment with the capsules. To everyone's surprise, Toots began to regain her weight. As of August 17 2010, she had put all of her lost 12 ponnds back on. The tumor that was the size of a golf ball on her throat has shrunk to the size of a very small pea and gets smaller every day. She has the energy of a puppy, chases frisbeees, jumps in the car, and swims to her hearts content.

The vet on her recent visit was completely mystified. The cancer had not spread to any other organ and was in complete remission.

Just food for thought, I was a sceptic at first too. I am looking forward to many more years with my pal at my side. Good luck to all.