Signalment

• Age: 11 years
• Breed: Labrador Retriever
• Species: dog

Disease Notes

• Certainty: confirmed
• Final Status:

Treatment and Outcome

Problem Notes

• ID Cysts: I first saw Bennie 1/17/24 for primary complaint interdigital cysts on the right dorsal forepaw. At that time they were kind of dry bumpy lumps that he would lick occasionally and owner said sometimes became more inflamed. Has a beautiful coat but has some small flake dander and dry pads. Also has a lot of ear wax in the right ear and he has not been swimming yet (we are in Phoenix so many labs swim all year:)) Has been going on for the past 6 months. His tongue was pale purple, cracked, with some phlegm lines. Pulse had tone, seemed strongest mid depth and weaker deep. He has had recent few episodes of mucoid soft stools and needed anal gland expression.
  
  Previous history included elevated ALT levels between 3-7 years old highest levels 4/15 and 12/20. He has also had aural hematomas on both ears, at 1 year of age fractured108 and had root canal.
  
  O makes all food and treats with proteins in rotation (chicken, turkey, pork, beef, rabbit, duck, with added: bone broth, pumpkin, vegetable blend, golden paste, rotation of green tripe, eggs, sardines, salmon, clams. Treats are freeze dried chicken, turkey or duck hearts, chicken breasts, sweet potato (homemade). She does use a vitamin blend, DEs, pre/probiotics, colostrum powder, chia, flax, sprouted seeds, MCT oil, and rotation of sardine/anchovy, salmon, cod liver oils.
  
  At that time I thought he had Liv Bl deficiency causing wei qi deficiency (decreased blood circulation and immune surveillance), possible Shao Yang disharmony. I started him on NP BZYQT worked up to 1 tsp BID.
  
  Saw him on 2/7/24 and his ID cysts opened up on the right forepaw, and now had more waxy ears. Tongue similar appearance, pulse was more full all levels. I switched to NP XFHMY, added french green clay to open oozing sores.
  
  Just rechecked on 3/7, and now has lesions on both front feet, still has waxy debris and mild otitis AD, licking feet a lot more past few days, butt scooted and licking prepuce more. He is also eating potting soil daily--he searches it out of owners planters. He has not had any more mucoid soft stools since I started seeing him, no vomiting, belching etc.
  His tongue seemed a bit more pale today, with phlegm coat, cracked and dry. His pulse was broad fast, and weakest deep level, after AP was more toned all depths.
  
  So he definitely has damp, poor spleen function?-- needs cooked food perhaps? Blood deficient, Shao yang?? Not sure where to go with herbs--XCHT with SWT, and SMS or SRT?
  
  Thanks for any suggestions,
  Peg