Question Details
Painful Terrier
by landauvet - September 26, 2009
Hi Steve,

I have been working on a Boston Terrier MC 8 year old for the last 2 months. He had chronic eye inflamation and glaucoma that led to two separate enucleations, at age 5 and 7. 5 months ago he had mange to his arm pits and shoulders. He was treated with antibiotics and steroids which seemingly helped the problem. 4 months ago, he fell very ill. He was painful, lethargic, reluctant to climb stairs, unable to lay down and get comfortable, and developed submandibular lymphadenopathy. Somewhere in there is a history of low back arthritis and compression. He was fed bad food and has a history of being a finicky eater.

I began seeing him 2 months ago to help manage these painful episodes, submandibular lymphadenopathy, and general lethargy. I had this dog under control for the last two months with LDXGT and XFZYT. He consistently had reactivity @ BL-18, GB-34. A thin deep and fast pulse. Pink tongue.
I performed chiropractic as well which seemed pretty unremarkable at the time.
3-4 days ago he deteriorated. All of his pain returned. Unable to settle, reluctant to lay down extreme trembling of the neck and arm extensors (L>R). His pulse was slow, erratic and choppy. His pulse was deep and wiry. His tongue was red. Orthopedically, he is hard to evaluate. Since he has no eyes and is also deaf, he tends to move very tentatively. I did not localize any overtly painful areas. The owner ran out of herbs three days prior to this last episode. I restarted herbal therapy and added XCHT, being captain bupleurum. I was wondering about the extreme presentation and the trembling neck and legs. I n class we talked about the trembling arm or neck but this is my first real tremble in practice. BGT seemed like a rational choice also.

What do you think about his pulse and his spasm? If it were simply pain, I would have expected a different presentation. Fast pulse, superficial, heat or swelling over the low back or neck.

Kevin Landau
Replies
by naturevet
September 26, 2009
Hi Kevin,

You didn't mention being able to actually localize a spasm. If you do, then inserting a needle will usually release it.

LDXGT will generally drive the pulse deep, and fight against the dispersing effect you're trying to have with XFZYT. Hoxsey is dispersing and heat clearing, and was invented to treat lymphadenopathy.

Severe pain, deep pulses and heat signs also make me think of Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang (Bupleurum and Kudzu), especially where the neck is involved. Interestingly, it was also indicated for orbital pain and inflammation.

Given the intensity of the presentation (and therefore its excess nature), I'd steer clear of using Bu Gan Tang for now, unless you can identify multiple overt spasms.

Hope that is useful.

Steve
by landauvet
September 27, 2009
Hi Steve,

Hoxsey will disperse inflammation making the pulse more superficial?

Is Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang the same as Bupleurum and Kudzo clearing formula (Jia Wei Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang)?

Thanks for clarifying.

Kevin Landau
by naturevet
September 27, 2009
Hi Kevin,

Hoxsey is somewhat moving, while cooling. In tandem with XFZYT, the moving effects would be directed outwards and assist in dispersal. Alone, as you were hinting at and suspected, it pulls in just like LDXGT. LDXGT always pulls in.

CGJJT is, indeed, the same as JWCGJJT.

Steve
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