I have always had a really hard time feeling Olivia's pulses as she is so BIG and lumpy, they feel very deficient to me all the time but she screams Damp. Her tongue is a darkish pink, wet, slightly swollen, minor phlegm strands. This new bunch of signs suggest Yin deficiency is brewing I think? I'm wondering if a Kidney tonic like Rehmannia 8 or Zhi Bai Di HUang Wan are in order? I initially went to THO but her pulses don't feel overtly strong, although I can't feel them well ever.
Question Details
Excessive Panting In A Dog
by
CorinneC
-
June 15, 2020 View Case Report
I have always had a really hard time feeling Olivia's pulses as she is so BIG and lumpy, they feel very deficient to me all the time but she screams Damp. Her tongue is a darkish pink, wet, slightly swollen, minor phlegm strands. This new bunch of signs suggest Yin deficiency is brewing I think? I'm wondering if a Kidney tonic like Rehmannia 8 or Zhi Bai Di HUang Wan are in order? I initially went to THO but her pulses don't feel overtly strong, although I can't feel them well ever.
Replies
by
naturevet
June 16, 2020
Hi Corinne,
Your ideas area all great. The first thing to make sure of, though, is that the dog is not in pain. Pain worsens at night and can cause panting and a secondary increase in thirst. A thorough chiropractic evaluation and possible adjustments seem called for. Often after adjustment, massage or manipulation, the pulse is much more palpable, allowing you to test its response to acupuncture. Given the purple tongue, ruling out a Shao Yang disharmony manifesting as pain in the L-S region would be most important. Points that would improve the pulse were that present include BL 28 and GB 34
Some other possibilities also exist. The purple tongue, hard to feel pulse and Dampness all suggest San Ren Tang to me, which can be of use in low back pain if it turns out to be present. Otherwise, a purple tongue, weak pulse and trembling legs suggests Kidney Qi deficiency, calling for Rehmannia Eight. Any suggestion of cardio-pulmonary disorders? If so, then Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang sounds like it is called for given the tongue and pulse. If you used Modified Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang, you'd get the benefits of Turmeric on joint inflammation.
Lastly, have you explored how this dog could be so heavy on a homemade diet? Is it high in fat or carbs? If so, that will keep any dog Damp. Otherwise, if it is a lean meat- and vegetable-based diet, you should rule out or address any hypothyroidism.
Sorry to just be asking questions and not giving you a single definitive answer. Hopefully these ideas help you out anyway
Steve
Your ideas area all great. The first thing to make sure of, though, is that the dog is not in pain. Pain worsens at night and can cause panting and a secondary increase in thirst. A thorough chiropractic evaluation and possible adjustments seem called for. Often after adjustment, massage or manipulation, the pulse is much more palpable, allowing you to test its response to acupuncture. Given the purple tongue, ruling out a Shao Yang disharmony manifesting as pain in the L-S region would be most important. Points that would improve the pulse were that present include BL 28 and GB 34
Some other possibilities also exist. The purple tongue, hard to feel pulse and Dampness all suggest San Ren Tang to me, which can be of use in low back pain if it turns out to be present. Otherwise, a purple tongue, weak pulse and trembling legs suggests Kidney Qi deficiency, calling for Rehmannia Eight. Any suggestion of cardio-pulmonary disorders? If so, then Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang sounds like it is called for given the tongue and pulse. If you used Modified Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang, you'd get the benefits of Turmeric on joint inflammation.
Lastly, have you explored how this dog could be so heavy on a homemade diet? Is it high in fat or carbs? If so, that will keep any dog Damp. Otherwise, if it is a lean meat- and vegetable-based diet, you should rule out or address any hypothyroidism.
Sorry to just be asking questions and not giving you a single definitive answer. Hopefully these ideas help you out anyway
Steve
by
CorinneC
June 16, 2020
Sorry! I was writing from home and didn't have her file. Olivia is hypothyroid and on Synthroid 600mcg BID. Her owner is on a very tight budget so I did offer Gabapentin and it really helped for the first few nights but has since lost its effectiveness. I am trying to get her in with my boss for chiro too!
I think if we can get a chiro assessment that will really help. I like the idea of SRT but was also wondering about XCHT. I think she is in this week (I hope) for a recheck.
I think if we can get a chiro assessment that will really help. I like the idea of SRT but was also wondering about XCHT. I think she is in this week (I hope) for a recheck.
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