View Question

Dermatitis Dog/diarrhea

by LJH - July 13, 2009

Dear Dr. Marsden
I've seen a 7yr M(N) Springer that was used as a stud dog prior to the age of 1 yr when owners got him. Two years ago they moved from Calgary to our temperate rain forest and have had recurrent ear/skin problems since. Year round, improves with antibiotic and steroid from regular vet but returns every 6 weeks. Dog has alot of anxiety issues and is hard to maintain weight dispite good appetite and normal feces, though will have undigested food particles if fed anything but commercial dry fish and potatoe diet. Skin consists of reddness and collarettes esp inguinal and axillary but also brown scabs and crusts on ventral neck and sternum. Getting quite itchy again and skin feels moist in axillary. Had a hotspot dorsal rump a few months ago. Licks feet and has red staining there and around lips. Black areas of haircoat often have reddish tinge.Anytime he swims, is bathed or walks in wet grass skin will flare up. Neg scrapes and fungal culture. Seeks cool spots to sleep (digs under shrubs)sleeps deeply and snores alot. Eats alot of grass. Has quite a bit of flatulence and when rides in car will often vomit slimy liquid.Tongue a bit pale but color is red brick not pink. Pulse was fairly strong but a bit thin and wiry. As I was seeing both Damp Heat and Blood deficiency signs my intention was to start Si Miao San and digestive enzymes. Considering adding homeopathic Sulfur (skin worsened by wet)and discussed will need some diet changes and possibly added Dang Gui or change to Blood tonifying herbs depending on response, if SMS too drying. Started at 1/2 tsp BID though owner said he didn't like herbs and didn't get them all eaten. After about 5 days started with mucousy soft stool then frank blood with stool going from brown to greenish to orange color and ALOT of straining,increased frequency, small, volume. Herbs were stopped and he improved on metronidazole. Nothing on fecal. This dog has never had a digestive issue previously so worried I precipitated a problem, but at the same time it coincided with our weather going to 30's C and humid. Wondered on your thoughts if I should try SMS again or consider Qing Ying Tang due to the blood def and pruritis or even Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan in light of Heat with possible Yin def /Sp issues with difficulty maintaining weight.Many thanks for any suggestions
Llewanda

by naturevet

July 13, 2009

Hi Llewanda,

Definitely there is a Damp Heat issue there. The question is what formula to use on it. Basically you have a choice between formulas that improve blood flow to the skin (and a subsequent immune response) and those that move it away. SMS consistently moves it away, not just from the skin but the GI mucosa. So it's much better suited to patients with a superficial and even slippery pulse.

To move blood outwards, you're looking at Chu Shi Wei Ling Tang or perhaps San Ren Tang. If the dog is highly tolerant of antibiotics, then SRT is potentially the place to start. I wonder, though, if it was the cooling effects of SMS from a Chinese point of view that created the GI aggravation. If so, then CSWLT might be a better choice, given that we think of it in animals that are aggravated by antibiotics. The SMS may also simply have reduced mucosal circulation, just as it does with the skin, allowing a potential bacterial overgrowth, or at least impaired absorption. Either way, I think you're looking at SRT or CSWLT. If the dog enjoys the sun (you'd be surprised how many itchy dogs do), then CSWLT would be my next choice.

Sulphur is also an excellent choice. I'd put that in play even if the dog is off any herbs.

Good luck!

Steve

by landauvet

September 26, 2009

Steve,

I have a question in using BL-40 diagnostically to evaluate this patient.

If Tonifying BL-40 helps the pulse, am I putting wind into the system and therefore need an aromatic formula (like SRT,CSWLT, or HXZQS)?

If sedating BL-40 helps the pulse, then I have drained wind, and I need a formula that is cooling and draining (like SMS)?

Is this thought process correct?

Do animals that need QYT for severe itch with cold extremities usually have a deep pulse? Would tonifying BL-40 help the pulse of these animals?

Thanks,

Kevin Landau

by naturevet

September 26, 2009

Animals benefiting from QYT have a deep wiry pulse. It helps move the circulation peripherally to cool off the body core and kill off pathogenic organisms. So, as you might guess, it expels 'Wind'. Winds are expelled through the outer or Tai Yang (Wei Qi) layer. Thus we can use BL 40 to expel them. Sedating the point is tantamount to reaching in, grabbing the pathogen, and hauling it down the Bladder channel and out to the external environment through the exit points of the Bladder meridian. All Wind expelling formulas thus would be worthy of consideration any time you sedated BL 40 and moved a deep wiry pulse more peripherally. It is the aromatic compounds in the formulas that duplicate the effects of sedating BL 40 in moving the circulation peripherally.

Tonifying BL 40 to improve a deep pulse implies you have pumped in hot Tai Yang energy. This would only happen if you were dealing with a Kidney Qi or Yang deficient animal. Tonifying BL 40 to improve a superficial pulse would call for sour, astringing, or salty herbs that pull the Yang inwards and close the pores. Gui Zhi Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang is an example formula. Single herb astringents include Wu Wei Zi (Schizandra) and Huang Qi (Astragalus).

Hope that clarifies!

Steve

You must be logged in to reply

CuredCases.com