I have a 14 year old, male neutered yorkie whose owner is willing to do whatever it takes to help him. I feel that there may be a chinese medicine way to treat him that I am missing. The history is very long with lots of treatments and specialist visits, but I will try to convey the most pertinent findings.
He has a history of PLN. Was treated with plavix and budesonide which kept the proteins values controlled for over 4 years. Recently, we have stopped both medications (he wasn't eating), and now his UPC ratio is at 2.2.
He has a bladder (possible kidney involvement) infection that was cultured and being treated with Clavamox.
For the past 10 months, he has had a very high BUN with only a moderately increased creatinine. Only recently, has the creatinine also been elevated above normal. His bloodwork this week showed a BUN of 170 and a creatinine of 3.5. Phosphorus is now 20.
He has a heart murmur and is on pimobendan. For one month, the compounding pharmacy accidentally gave him the wrong dose of pimobendan (10x what his dose should have been). At this time, the kidney values became much worse. He is back to his regular dose. The murmur is probably a 2/6. However, he does seem to have an increased respiratory rate and some abdominal breathing. He will be rechecking with the cardiologist this week. He will also be having another abdominal ultrasound this week (he had an abdominal ultrasound in August that unremarkable).
Chinese medicine: He's pretty weak, debilitated, very low appetite. Had loose stool but now is normal.
I'll be honest that I haven't paid much attention to tongue color, but his pulses are a little more forceful than I would expect for how debilitated he is, but a little thin.
On the first acupuncture treatment, I used BL 23/25 and then Sp 6 and PC 6 to stimulate appetite. He became restless and agitated after this treatment.
So on the next treatment, I remembered one of your lectures on this topic (but cannot find the notes), and assumed the kidneys were congested, and tried points that pulled blood away from the kidneys instead - I chose BL 22, BL 25, and GB 34. He was not agitated after this treatment, but not much improvement.
The next 2 treatments I chose BL 22, GB 25, and GB 34. He seemed fine after these treatments, and possibly slightly improved. I also added nux vomica homeochord and Solidago homeochord.
When I added sp 6 back into the acupuncture regimen, he again seemed agitated. When I put him on four gentlemen to see if that could support his low appetite and energy, he again seemed agitated.
I feel like there is a chinese medicine explanation for all of this, but I cannot figure out what it is!!
I would love any insight you can provide.
Thank you in advance,
Magda :)