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Spleen Qi Sinking

by drangiekrause - May 18, 2009

Hello,

I have been seeing an approximately 12 year old American Eskimo F that was rescued from a puppy mill. She presented to me in respiratory disress after being attacked by another dog (swelling around the trachea). A temporary tracheostomy was performed and the dog stabilized. For the past the several months she has been plagued with many problems including a low grade non-regenerative anemia, chronic intermittent diarrhea that is responsive to metronidazole, chronic otitis externa characterized by a yellow waxy exudate, occasional vomiting, occasional cough, hypothyroidism, seperation anxiety and intermitent lameness in her pelvic limbs. She recently came into heat and was spayed. I have been treating her with Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang with a diagnosis of Spleen Qi Sinking. She improved about 75% on this formula. Currently her pulses are superficial, slightly rapid and slightly wiry (although they are much less wiry after the herbs). Her tongue is a nice pink color with a lavendar middle. She is on a grain free kibble and canned.

What are your thoughts on switching or adding herbs at this point?

Thanks!
Angie

by naturevet

May 18, 2009

Hi Angie,

Congratulations on your success thus far. Some of those symptoms are open to interpretation, but the anemia, ears, and diarrhea all suggest a combined presence of Blood deficiency with Damp Heat. The common origin of both conditions is Spleen deficiency, and therefore diet, so changing the diet away from a refined carb-based diet is advisable and likely to be helpful.

If the dog seems 'hot' to you, I'd try Si Miao San with about 20g of Dang Gui added. If the heat signs are not really there, then Dang Gui Shao Yao San may help, and would be expected to potentially reverse the hypothyroidism as well. The latter formula is also a bit closer to what you have been using - Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. Really, it's just the yellow exudate that really smacks of Heat, so if the ears themselves are not particularly inflammed, perhaps we can try DGSYS first.

Hope that helps!

Steve

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