Notes:  "Brodie" is a 15 year, male, neutered Jack Russell Terrier X. Brodie has a history of chronic coughing since 2015. He has been managed with fluticasone delivered by aerodog spacer, twice a day. The cough is normally dry but sometimes becomes moist. When this happens he is typically placed onto antibiotics by the regular Vet, which immediately improves the cough. Other symptoms include shortness of breath and wheezing, particularly when he is moving around or anxious.
Brodie had laryngeal tie back surgery performed a few years ago and also has a heart murmur, which has previously been evaluated by a Veterinary Cardiac Specialist. The owner monitors the resting respiratory rate diligently and this is always less than 30bpm.
Photos (quality of images received were not great) of thoracic radiographs recently taken by the regular Vet indicate tracheal collapse, small amount of pleural fluid, suspected broncho-interstitial pattern and VHS = 11.

I first saw Brodie on 25/10/18. Brodie is an overweight geriatric. His symptoms get worse in hot weather and prefers cool areas to rest. His eyes were red and his head was warm to touch. The abdominal flanks and hypochondrial region were tense. His tongue was purple and pulses were so weak they were almost absent. (Unfortunately I cant recall what his back shu points and alarm points were like). I performed an acupuncture treatment and started him on Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang.

Acupuncture points were stimulated

Notes:  I next saw Brodie a week later on 1/11/18. The owner reported that Brodie had significantly improved since starting the herbs. He was breathing better, had improved energy and cognition. He also seemed stronger when walking and less short of breath. His tongue was dark pink/red and purplish, with no coat. The pulses were almost absent, again. I performed another acupuncture treatment and continued the XFZYT.

Acupuncture points were stimulated

Notes:  I saw Brodie the following week on 9/11/18. This time the owners went away for a long weekend where the weather was warmer and humid, and Brodie seemed worse in this weather. The coughing was still reduced but Brodie was wheezing a lot. The owner showed me videos of this. This time Brodie seemed a bit tense over his flanks again, and his eyes were red and and his head was warm to touch. The tongue was dark pink and purple, with no coat and some tacky white saliva. Again, the pulse was almost absent. I performed another acupuncture treatment and continued the XFZYT.

I am due to see Brodie again tomorrow. However, I spoke to the owner on the phone today. It sounds like Brodie developed a mild to moderate form of idiopathic geriatric vestibular disease 2 days ago, and is showing slow and steady signs of improvement. I advised that he be checked out by his regular Vet (the owner lives a long way from our practice and I wasn't at work today) and I will see him tomorrow as planned.

Here in Melbourne we are in the midst of Spring, and I believe the geriatric vestibular disease may be caused by the "unrestrained" movement of Yang to the exterior.

Acupuncture points were stimulated

Notes:  Episode of idiopathic geriatric vestibular disease occured on 15/11/18, (4 days prior to this visit)
Brodie seemed to return to normal (since vestibular syndrome) 4 days ago
He can walk, no stumbling
Signs of heat (panting, red tongue) present, these seem to occur more in the evenings (4-5pm)
Brodie is getting more active, pacing/restless
The tongue was red, moist, no coat, did not appear purple any more
Pulses: the left was weak, deep, choppy, the right was superficial, weak. Overall the left pulse was much weaker than the right.
Back shu points hat elicted a response when palpated were BL17, BL21
Alarm points that elicited a response when palpated were CV17

Acupuncture points were stimulated

Notes:  mobility much better - stronger in the legs, more sturdy, wobbles just a little
eddu normally
breathing well - no coughing
lost a bit of weight
sleeping well

stiff in HLs
tight over shoulder girdle
BAR

P: weak, absent
T: dark pink, dripping some clear saliva
back shu: BL18, BL17
alarm: CV12 / CV14

has been on CHJLGMLT for a week
still on XFZYT

Acupuncture points were stimulated

Notes:  has been doing very well over the holiday break
still walking up and down the hill at home
has been a bit weaker in HLs
HLs weak and stiff
LHL stiffer than RHL
papillomas appear more prominent and red today
abdomen appears a bit distended
T:
dark red with a touch of purple, moist, small amount of tacky white saliva
P:
deep, very weak, fast
left pulse much weaker than right pulse
back shu: BL11, BL17, (BL18), BL21, BL22
alarm points: ok

Acupuncture points were stimulated

Notes:  after last treatment had a good sleep that night, was a bit sleepy the next day
no change in mobility this week
still stiff in HLs and weak
coughing a bit more - tracheal collapse cough, sometimes with a mild honk

BAR
eddu normally
has been sensitive to the heat
tight around neck and shoulder girdle
abdo distended
stiff HLs

T: was pink outside when relaxed and dipping his toes in the water bowl, inside tongue was dark pink/purple with clear wet drip at tip of tongue, no coat
P: almost absent, very weak, superficial and slightly toned on R, L absent

back shu points: BL18, BL20 and GB25 (costovertebral angle)
alarm points: mild hypochondrial discomfort

Acupuncture points were stimulated

Notes:  over the last couple of days there has been:
increased rate of respiration
wheezing - mostly in the mornings
shortness of breath

today (this morning when deep asleep) RRR = 20 (normally around 16)
weather has been extremely variable lately
suspect Brodie gets worse in hot and humid weather
3 days after acupuncture last week, his legs seemed to improve

T: dark pink with some purple (improved since last week), no coat, wet drip from tip of tongue
P:
L pulse absent, R pulse very weak
surrogate pulse taken today: deficient LU and SP, mildly deficient PC, KID, comparatively stronger HT and LIV pulses
back shu points: BL17, BL22
alarm points: LIV14, CV17

Acupuncture points were stimulated