#1

Hello everyone! This post is partially about rapamycin but also about the use of off-label drugs for sarcomas. I hope it’s okay to share this info here, and I want to highlight that this has been my personal experience and that the off-label use of the drugs I mention was initially recommended by a vet-oncologist AND an oncologist-radiologist medical doctor. On May 24th of this year, my Australian Cattle-Labrador (estimated 14 yrs old), was diagnosed with splenic hemangiosarcoma (2 tumors) and possibly pheochromocytoma. He had a large abdominal bulge and was having micro-bleeds regularly (pale gums). He is hypertensive and had stage 3 kidney disease, so surgery was out of the question. He was given 1 to 3 months to live without the recommended “gold standard” treatments which offered a terrible outcome as far as quality of life and survival. We declined all traditional treatments. He was already on a longevity treatment, eating low carb meals once a day. I immediately added sirolimus 3mg 3x week, and Metformin 250mg daily, as well as all anti-cancer supplements under the sun. The vet was expecting my boy to bleed to death. I requested a prescription for fenbendazole and Ivermectin at high doses. He was not a fan, but agreed to research the protocol. Between May and Sept.5th, sirolimus (Rapamycin) and Metformin seems to have slowed down the progression of the disease. He was not getting worse, but he was not healing either. Finally, almost 4 months later, I received the approval to give him 1500mg of fenben daily, and 6mg of Ivermectin once a week. By Dec. 2nd, his abdominal bulge was gone, his oncologist was now MIA, and the only doctor offering me guidance was Dr. William Makis who is successfully treating humans with the same protocol. Here we are, 7 mos since diagnosis and all the bleeding stopped, and he’s very stable, enjoying great quality of life. We also managed to reverse his kidney disease back to stage 1, his heart murmurs disappeared, and his blood pressure, although still high, stays steady at 140/150 with hawthorn extract, no hypertension prescription as they affect the kidneys. I’m sharing this to bring hope to other pet parents, and anyone faced with this heartbreaking diagnosis. I don’t know what the future holds, but it looks a lot brighter than the prognosis from his vets. Rapamycin was a very important as part of the initial protocol and he is still on it. I also have a boxer-pit, going on 17, that has been on Rapamycin for about 4 years now. He’s doing great! My apologies if the post is not appropriate, but again, my goal is to simply share our experience to bring hope to others. Dr. William Makis has a podcast on Substack and I highly recommend subscribing to his podcast if you are interested in the off-label use of Ivermectin. He is researching the use of ivermectin for conditions such as dementia and multiple sclerosis. Happy Holidays and a healthy 2025 to all!

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Thoughts on Cycling Rapa in dogs
Ivermectin And Cancer
#2

The apparent reversal of chronic kidney disease is even more amazing than the remission of the sarcoma. My border Collie died of kidney disease at 17. She had been taking Rapamycin for several years. Too bad the that we can’t determine which intervention helped the kidneys.

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#3

The kidney disease reversal was by design. I used the protocol from Five Leaf Pet company and added Azovast to it and a phosphate binder. His creatinine levels went back to normal-high in 2 mos. The FDA has been harassing this company for making the claims they do, BUT it works. The whole thing felt like a chemistry game. We watched for symptoms for 2 mos and did blood work every 2 mos to make sure all was well, especially with the liver, considering the high dose of Ivermectin and fenbendazole. I don’t know if it was the metformin, milk thistle, or Hepara extract from Five Leaf Pet, but his enzymes are just perfect.

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#4

What did you use for a phosphate binder? We made my dog a bunch of low phosphorus food. I think it helped a little.

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#5

What is the scientific rationale for using two antiparasitics for sarcoma ?
I can see how the rapamycin can halt the tumor growth and I guess metformin would reduce glucose substrate for cancer growth ???

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#6

I guess that’s a question for Dr. William Makis. He’s using this protocol successfully on his human patients. He has a podcast on Substack that you can check out, if you want more in depth answers. I honestly do not know the answer. Just so you know, the initial protocol although suggested by Dr. Makis was approved and prescribed by the Pinball’s oncologist (vet) and his colleagues in Europe (none of his Cornell colleagues in the US would even look at it), and the protocol included both Ivermectin and Fenbendazole. Some folks and their pets see results with just fenben in lower dosage according to reports from other pet parents and cancer patients on this program, others need higher dosage and the addition of ivermectin. Again, if anyone knows the answer it would be Dr. Makis. If you are a medical doctor, I’m sure he would love to share this info with you even more. We don’t see too many docs interested in off-label treatments not approved by the FDA. When my boy was given 1 to 3 months to live, I had to take my chances and keep a close eye on his liver and kidney values. It all worked out. The liver enzymes remained stable, his kidneys are hanging in there, the heart does not have any more murmurs, and the blood pressure is still high but stable. Sorry I don’t have more detailed answers for you.

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#7

I used and still use a calcium based product. It worked really fast, so I had to be careful not to overdo it. The one I use is called “Dog Greens Seaweed Calcium.” I purchased it on Amazon but I think it was sold by Five Leaf Pet as well, or one of their associates. The kidney protocol was purchased directly from the Five Leaf Pet website, I purchase the Azovast (for nitrogen) from Amazon, and I give one a day to my old boys first thing in the AM, on an empty stomach, along with zinc L-carnosine and serrapeptase, which was recommended by a lung cancer patient on the same protocol as Pinball. She said she used it as a carrier for the fenben and recommended the administration of this supplement at least a couple of hours before the fenben. I added curcumin and krill oil to the fenben as well as milk thistle. I must confess that I was reading so many journals and articles on cancer, as well as speaking cancer patients that I was not able to research everything. In Brazil, for example, vets are using mistletoe extract to fight cancer. Injections would be best, according to the vets, but my local vets have never even heard of it, so I knew my chances of finding someone to do the injections were slim. I bought and use the extract. I rotate it with graviola extract and sulforaphane. I am currently reading the book “Cancer as a Metabolic Disease” by Dr. Seyfried. My MD has a YouTube channel and interviewed him. I found the interview intriguing, and just had to learn more.

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#8

So the doctor has the cure for cancer, but puts it behind a paywall?

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#9

Dr. William Makis does not provide the protocol for a fee; it’s a form of support through subscription, and we also have a subscription with him. The protocols are available for free on X on his profile; he does not sell the medications themselves.

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#10

Congratulations, great job and excellent choices. We have just started our adventure with RAPA and giving it to our pets. So far, our nearly 17-year-old female dog has been taking it for 1.5 months and she’s visibly livelier and more energetic than before.

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#11

Can you tell me what you are giving prophylactically to your other dog for kidney health at the moment? Dog Greens Seaweed Calcium and Azovast? I give my dogs calcium citrate because we constantly struggle with calcium levels below normal with our diet.

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#12

I recently lost a cat from CKD and am now treating my two others (imagine our luck!.. I guess when they stay alive longer than usual, this is what happens!)

I am a part of a CKD group on facebook and have learned all sorts of tips and tricks.
I also use possibly the best internal medicine vet in northern CA to manage their care, so if anyone happens to need advice on CKD, please ask me incase I have learned the hard (and expensive!) way. I know more about this than my own health!!

I personally use aluminum hydroxide from Thriving Pets. Theirs is supposedly more pure than the other common aluminum hydroxide binder called Phos Bind, which is readily available on Amazon, which is also a fine choice. You mix it with a little water so it dissolves, and then mix the food into it. My cats don’t detect it. (Well, my cat who passed needed so much at the end that he did, but I fixed that with adding some tuna water). My IM vet helps me with dosing.

Another option is chitosan as a binder. It’s not usually the first recommendation, but seems to be after aluminum hydroxide. I was feeding a food that contained it for a bit. I THINK chitosan might elevate calcium levels or something like that, so do look that up and closely monitor blood levels if you use it (do consult your vet because this is fuzzy to me). It could just be that the product that most people reach for happens to contain calcium and it’s not the chitosan at all (Epakitin). sorry I can’t be more specific

Also, for my cat’s mast cell tumors, she has been on palladia for 2 years. This week we are switching to Imatinib (Gleevec).

There are other highly praised probiotics for cats with CKD, but I don’t know enough to compare it to Azovast. Many do a protocol with Visbiome and Kibow fortis. I have both here but have become lazy since having caregiver fatigue from my last cat who was practically a full time job. I need start again! If anyone needed the info, I will look up the suggested protocols and share it.

@Mdecrasto I have two cats with heart murmurs. Which thing are you using that potentially helps this condition?

#13

I also have the same question, so I used AI to clarify, not sure if it’s reliable:

The rationale for using fenbendazole and ivermectin for sarcoma, or other cancers, is based on their potential anti-cancer properties observed in some studies and anecdotal reports. Here are some key points:

  1. Fenbendazole: Originally an anti-parasitic drug for animals, fenbendazole has shown potential in inhibiting cancer cell growth. It is believed to disrupt the microtubule dynamics in cancer cells, which are essential for cell division and growth¹.

  2. Ivermectin: Known primarily as an anti-parasitic medication, ivermectin has demonstrated anti-cancer effects in various studies. It is thought to induce cancer cell death by interfering with multiple cellular processes, including mitochondrial function and the WNT signaling pathway².

  3. Combination Therapy: Using these drugs together may enhance their anti-cancer effects. The combination is thought to target cancer cells through different mechanisms, potentially leading to more effective treatment outcomes¹².

It’s important to note that while these findings are promising, they are largely based on preclinical studies and anecdotal evidence.

Source: Conversation with Copilot, 12/27/2024
(1) Is a combination of Fenbendazole and Ivermectin a real cancer killer?. https://www.canceractive.com/article/is-a%20combination%20of%20fenbendazole%20and%20ivermectin%20a%20real%20cancer%20killer.
(2) Ivermectin & fenbendazole anyone using these - Macmillan Cancer Support. Ivermectin & fenbendazole anyone using these ? - Macmillan Online Community.
(3) The Cancers For Which Ivermectin Has Been Demonstrated to be Effective. https://www.brightworkresearch.com/the-cancers-that-ivermectin-has-been-demonstrated-to-be-effective/.

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#14

How did you get AI to even discuss this topic? That’s awesome. I tried asking questions on Google’s AI before and the responses were in accordance with the status quo, if you know what I mean. Thank you for sharing this info. Dr. Nir Barzilai and his TAME research is about metformin as an anti-cancer drug as well. I don’t know if it’s more as prevention, but from my experience with canine sarcoma, rapa and metformin didn’t reverse my boy’s condition. The large abdominal bulge was still there; no fluid was present. So after 2 months on fenbendazole and Ivermectin, the bulge disappeared. I don’t need an ultrasound to tell me the tumors shrank, but it would be nice to know if they are still there or not. The vet asks $1200 for an ultrasound, but I’m not going back. He chose to be out of the picture, and I understand his reasons, but I can’t go back. For now, I will keep doing what I am doing. He’s getting better and better every day. Better apetite, more energy, better mobility in his hind legs, etc. If you guys want more information on this treatment for humans, I get almost daily emails from Dr. William Makis with updates on his patients and his recommendations when a treatment doesn’t seem to be working. I love these types of stories that give folks real hope. Cancer is so devastating for all involved. :disappointed:

#15

Five Leaf Pet kidney protocol plus the two other supplements you already mentioned.

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#16

I used 600mg of CoQ10 (very high dosage) for my two 64 and 75lbs boys. They were already on Rapamycin but still had murmurs. I have always given them CoQ10 but never this much, maybe 100mg. I gave them 600mg daily, after reading a study on therapeutic dosage. A couple of months later, I took them to 2 different vets, and neither the doctors nor any of the nurses could detect any heart murmur. The CoQ10 had been the only dietary change at the time, so I attributed to that, although I can not be 100% sure. My boy with hypertension also takes 1 full dropper of full spectrum hawthorn extract twice a day, recommended by the Five Leaf Pet folks. I now alternate the CoQ10 with methylene blue. They both affect serotonin levels so I have to be careful with the dosage and how they interact with other supplements. The methylene blue temporarily raises blood pressure, but a 2mg dosage every other day has worked well for him. As I said before, it feels like a chemistry game, and I’m now alone on this path because the vets don’t like the protocol and at first didn’t think any of these conditions could improve, until they saw the blood work. Now they all know if works, but no one is interested in this cancer treatment. Chemo and surgery are still the only recommended approaches, and they don’t always work for everyone. I’m just a layperson doing the best I can to give my senior furbabies quality of life. Thank you for sharing your own CKD story. I will read it again slowly and take notes. It’s always good to know what works for other, so thank you!!

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#17

I think the protocol is available for free somewhere, but I have not looked. I just believe in contributing to someone who has given me advice for free. He emailed me the protocol before I was a subscriber, and also confirmed that it would work for sarcoma, and gave me the dosage he recommends to his patients. After that, I chose to contribute by subscribing to his podcast and I also donated to help him with legal fees. He’s being of service to so many folks and he lost everything to do what he believes in, so I gladly help out as I can. You don’t have to, he will answer emails regardless. These days, he’s been busy trying to stay out of jail, so I’m not sure how quickly he will respond.

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#18

Yes, that’s a problem. He needs to get out of Canada. But his vaccine stance is not going to help him.

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#19

Yep, I know. We should be able to express our ideas freely and have open and transparent discussions, but who am I kidding. :cry:
If you need more info, Karl, I can send you what I have, so you don’t have to subscribe. I hope your furbaby is well! He/she is beautiful. :slight_smile:

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#20

Incidentally, our Cavalier was diagnosed with undifferentiated tumor, it’s palpable on her abdomen. We were told she has 6 months, that was about 2-3 years ago. She is currently 12 years old, avg. lifespan for Cavs is 9-14.

She is mostly fed once a day with variety of typically low glycemic human food.
I have her on 3 mg/week of rapa, Zesty Paws supplements (eye/joint), sulforaphane and taurine for about one year.

I am not convinced the tumor diagnosis was very exact since it wasn’t biopsy just looking an X-ray. I am also not sure what exactly is helping, but the old girl seems to be doing pretty well - active and always super hungry !!! Oh and her, terrible keratoconjunctivits improved 80-90% after adding the rapa/supplement cocktail.

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