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MCTs And Heartworms In A Dog

by BridgetQuatmann - November 2, 2014 View Case Report

Orwell is a 4 year old, 77lb, m/n white boxer. He presented in Feb this year. He was fresh out of a shelter in South Carolina, had undergone surgery first to be neutered, then a second surgery to remove 8 mast cell tumors. He was heartworm positive but had not been treated. He had horrible diarrhea. Shortly after the 8 MCTs were removed, his primary care DVM found 3 more which are still present. Orwell initially went through doxycycline treatment (to kill wolbachia prior to immiticide but he has not received immiticide). Current treatments: Wei Qi booster (this seemed to stop the diarrhea), Dispel Stasis Palace of Blood (2 bid); when gave Open the Liver Canals he became aggressive so we did not persist with this; 2 Benadryl bid, 20mg famotidine bid, heartgard plus and advantix monthly, Earthborn dry and yogurt; A fellow holistic practitioner added Kalawalla, Colostrum, Silymarin, AHCC and IP6 Gold.
Orwell is currently happy, has a big thirst, urinates and defecates normally, hiccups daily, only eats grass occasionally has some increased tearing recently but no inflammation noted from eyes, he gets yellow/brown waxy discharge in his ears, his feet are cool to the touch, his pulses toned but not wiry, his tongue dark pink to red with lavender in the body and moist. Several "stable" MCTs present.
Orwell seems to be treading water with his MCTs. Is asymptomatic for his heartworm disease. The young couple that has adopted Orwell has 2 other boxers. They are not sure they can afford fresh food/raw unless Orwell can come off a lot of what he is taking. Are there other approaches to treating the MCTs? Would the presence of the heartworms somehow be tied to the Blood Deficiency/Stagnation tumors of the MCTs? And, if so, would it help Orwell to treat with Immiticide to eliminate the heartworms in order to help the MCTs?
Many thanks for your time and wisdom.
Bridget Quatmann, Roanoke, VA

by naturevet

November 4, 2014

Hi Bridget,

My thinking here is Xian Fang Huo Ming Yin (Angelica and Mastic). It is anti-neoplastic; a Blood mover; and clears Heat. The tongue indicates Stasis Heat and the toned pulse a need to move and disperse. XFHMY addresses Stasis secondary to Damp Heat and Phlegm accumulation, supported by the wax ears and high thirst. It's content of Chen Pi should help a lot with the chronic hiccups.

I do think it's really useful to feed a raw or homemade diet, and don't see XFHMY as adding that much incremental cost.

Note that herbs can be applied topically to help shrink mast cell tumors, too, in addition to being used orally

If the heartworms are causing circulatory compromise, I can see that contributing to mast cell tumor growth. If the immiticides can be used safely, they are probably worth a try.

Hope that helps,

Steve

Xian Fang Huo Ming Yin

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