Signalment
- Age: 9 years
- Sex: female spayed
- Breed: Dachshund
- Species: dog
Disease Notes
- Certainty: confirmed
- Comments: Gigi initially presented to colleagues for diarrhea and anorexia, very unusual signs for her. When she failed to respond to conventional treatments, and nodules were seen on abdominal ultrasound, she was taken to exploratory surgery. 8 nodules were seen on the mesenteric border of the jejunum, 3 were biopsied. The samples were extensively inflamed with a proliferation of an atypical round cell population. Special stains were performed, PAS and GMS neg for fungal organisms and T blue was inconclusive. Giemsa stain showed metachromatic granules in a significant number of the infiltrative atypical cells, supporting a diagnosis of mast cell neoplasia, and intestinal mast cell neoplasia is consider to be most likely.
- Final Status: better as of day 87 of treatment
Treatment and Outcome
Notes:
My first visit with Gigi was 4 weeks post-op. She was bright and alert, healing well and had gained 2 lb since the time of surgery. She is eating well although her taste is different now. She is not interested in the foods she has typically eaten (mom used to home cook everything) and wants more fruits and vegetables. Her principle diet is a vegan diet by Halo, canned and dry. Mom supplements with strawberries, blueberries, occasional banana, some vegetables. She vomited once about a week ago but otherwise her gut appears to be functioning normally at this time. The only medication she is currently on is a capsule that includes coconut oil, black pepper and turmeric, concentrations unknown but is a human supplement and dose is 4 capsules for an adult and she is getting one capsule a day. She is also on a vitamin and mineral supplement--Dynovite for dogs.
TCVM exam: tongue is red, pulse is wiry on the surface with a slippery feel deeper (I'm not sure I understand this--am I getting better at pulses or am I not able to tell anything?!); She was warm across her entire back with a somewhat foul, pungent oily (not sour/yeasty though) odor to her hair coat. She had fine flakes throughout.
I did not do any acupuncture on her first visit so cannot share any response in the pulse to various points.
I am looking for an herbal recommendation for her. I considered Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang but this neoplasia (at least at the time of biopsy) was inflamed and is not peripheral so I questioned my choice. I suggested she start CBD oil and continue the black pepper/coconut/turmeric supplement since Gigi is doing well.
Any advise is appreciated.
(I apologize in advance if I am not entering data correctly)
Notes: Hello. I have treated Gigi with acupuncture three times. Tongue red, pulse varies but tends to wiry. Points today Gv20, an shen (not much response in pulse), Bl 20, 40, Sp9 to drain damp. Bl 20 makes pulse feel more relaxed. She is on Si Miao San tablets, 500 mg, 1 BID. She is doing well, appetite great, energy great. We are planning an ultrasound to monitor the nodules and I will let you know what we find.
Acupuncture points were stimulated