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Pruritis In A Dog

by CorinneC - October 30, 2019 View Case Report

Hello Steve,

I rescued a 2yo female Aussiedoodle last Spring with intense pruritus and anxiety. She had an ovary-sparing spay by me at 1yo so still has one ovary intact. I tried every Chinese herb under the sun (Long Dan Xie Gan Tang, Chu Shi Wei Ling Tang, Si Wu Xiao Feng Yin) but could not control the itch and finally succumbed to Vanectyl-P. She has been on 1 tab daily all summer and now Fall. Her pulses have always been well toned and a little wiry. Her tongue is fairly pink, thin, and occasionally flashes red or dark lavender. She is a really challenging case!

Quinn also eats everything! She pick up tissues in the park (blech), eats tons of rabbit poop, scavenges for food at parks. And her stool is prolific! She defecates sometimes 3-4 times/day! They are always firm and normal in appearance. And the GAS!!!!! She can clear a room. She seeks cool and always seems a little on the hot side, prefers floor to beds.

With the pica signs, horrible gas, and her copious stool, I keep thinking there is Damp Heat (from SP def) there? I have just had her on a round of Yi Guan Jian and probiotics as I do think she is consistently Liver Blood & Yin deficient (am I making her more Damp with this?). No real change. I added some Si Miao San in for a couple days to see if I was missing Damp Heat but it seemed to make the gas worse.

Over the summer I tried San Ren Tang (no real change) and then Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (after your derm seminar signs seemed to fit but it made her more itchy and also seemed to increase the gas).

She still chews at her feet a bit, tends to have a dry dorsum with scabs, scratches at her face, mostly all in the morning. She also tends toward a "doggy odour". I want her to be more "lovable" but she stinks! She has been on Carnivora raw since a pup. Should I be looking at a ShaoYang disharmony? If so how do I make sense of all of these signs and ShaoYang? Her pulse doesn't seem to improve with any AP points but it may be me being too close to the case.

Thanks in advance for your wisdom!
COrinne

by naturevet

October 31, 2019

Hi Corinne,

Until my knowledge advances, Shao Yang disharmony is probably the only differential that I can see that you haven't explored! So trying now is a good idea.

The disorder often presents the way you're seeing it: worse in the morning since Yang is trapped there in the Yang Ming, causing facial itch; a dry dorsum, since Blood is not being driven to the periphery, again because Yang is trapped internally; a consequent impression of Blood deficiency, yet no improvement with Blood tonics; worse from stress; and most importantly, a lack of improvement on raw.

I usually find I have to use XCHT plus Si Wu Tang (2:1 ratio) to get a decent response, which should accrue slowly over a few weeks. If you see the glimmers of a consistent improvement, then it's my impression that these dogs need more soluble fiber in their diet. The diet should be whatever food they did best on, whether commercial, homemade or raw.

Hopefully this helps you out!

Let us know how it goes!

Steve

Xiao Chai Hu Tang

by CorinneC

November 14, 2019

Hi Steve,

I am thrilled to say that the XCHT and SWT slowly seem to be working!!! THANK YOU!

Quinn is still itchy over her dorsum and still chews at her feet but her gas has declined!!! That, in itself, is such an improvement. I once lived with 4 kibble-fed dogs and suffered that gas but this ONE LITTLE dog can clear the room in 2 seconds! It was becoming a game-changer. Especially since she was on the best quality raw food and supplements.

I am going to be patient as I appreciate this condition has taken almost 3 years to get here.

Interestingly, I just had a 2yo female ovary-spared spay Viszla come in with similar signs (but on 70mg Apoquel SID and Vanectyl-P 1 tab SID), toned pulses, reddish-pink/thin/wet tongue. She is firey! And since put on Apoquel with the referring dermatologist she has become really agitated and crazy in behaviour. I have started her on the same herbal combo. The owner was in tears worried for her QOL. These cases are so frustrating for all concerned.

SO GRATEFUL for your help!

Corinne

by naturevet

November 16, 2019

Thanks for the update, Corinne! Fingers crossed improvements continue to accrue and that your new patient does similarly well!

Steve

by CorinneC

December 8, 2019

Quinn has improved substantially with the mixture of Si Wu Tang and Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Her anxious loopy energy has declined somewhat, her coprophagy and pica are much reduced, but her pruritus continues. She is still very pruritic over her dorsal throracolumbar area and her feet. She remains on Vanectyl-P 1 tab SID because when I try to reduce it she becomes much more itchy and chews her feet (it actually sounds like she is biting her nails as well on all 4 feet).

Considering the intensity of itch, the location, her strongly toned pulses, nice pink tongue (no lavender hue), would it be advisable to increase the ratio of SWT:XCHT from 1:2 to 1:1?

by CorinneC

January 6, 2020

Considering the intensity of itch, the location, her strongly toned pulses, nice pink tongue (no lavender hue), would it be advisable to increase the ratio of SWT:XCHT from 1:2 to 1:1?

by CorinneC

March 2, 2020

Quinn has improved substantially with the mixture of Si Wu Tang and Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Her anxious loopy energy has declined somewhat, her coprophagy and pica are much reduced, but her pruritus continues. She is still very pruritic over her dorsal throracolumbar area and her feet. She remains on Vanectyl-P 1 tab SID because when I try to reduce it she becomes much more itchy and chews her feet (it actually sounds like she is biting her nails as well on all 4 feet).

I see glimmers of a red tongue at night but slightly more normal pink and wet by day. Her pulses seem of decent tone. I just feel so badly for this girl! She is really dry and itchy over her back, still chews her nails.

She is also quite an alarmist with people coming near our house and has an earth-shattering shrill bark! When people come in, and this has gotten way better overall with training, she will bark and grab at clothes (never actually bite but grip).

I'd love your thoughts out there!!!

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