Question Details
Oral Amelanotic Melanoma In A Dog
by drwells - July 3, 2021    View Case Report
Hi All:

Looking for thoughts:
3 yr old Earth constitution Italian Spinone with oral amelanotic melanoma> This has been debulked effectively. She is on Raw diet. She does have history of intermittent UTI per o (resolved with continuous cranberry supplement per O) and intermittent yeast like otitis. No other damp or heat signs. She does have some blood def signs including noise sensitivity (resolves quickly), pale tongue. Not able to feel her pulses as she is n ot local. She prefers cool except in winter when she will lay on top of fire place if allowed. Bright, happy girl. Not painful. O did not initially notice mass. Referring vet noticed during exam to get Rabies vaccine waiver (no particular reason except o has never vaccinated this dog for Rabies). Great appetite. No Gi issues noted.
Due it being a holiday weekend and ability to get her started quickly, we started Hoxsey and mushrooms.
I would like to add a blood tonic and mover with a little for sp qi support and drain damp. Not much heat so I don't think the Hoxsey is indicated fo long term. think this is underlying blood def with stagnation, maybe underlying Sp Qi def.
Would love thoughts
Thinking XFZYT but feel like I need to modify it. I am not used to adding in herbs to modify so would love to hear how everyone has learned how to do that....I feel like I know what I want to accomplish from a TCM perspective but not sure how to modify the formulas.
Thanks so much everyone.
Dr. Hannah Wells
Replies
by naturevet
July 3, 2021
Hi Hannah,

You may not need to modify anything. To get the Qi and Blood tonification you're looking for, with some moving effects, targeting the mouth, you could look at Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. To have a more anti-cancer effect, you could add in something like E Zhu or Yu Jin (both are types of Turmeric). The formula also has a Wei Qi tonifying effect, working similarly to the mushrooms by hopefully stimulating a stronger immune response against the tumor.

To know if it's working, look for an improvement in the signs and symptoms supporting your assessment, such as the pale tongue, noise sensitivity, intermittent UTIs and intermittent otitis. If those tendencies improve, then we can assume that (1) your interpretation of the dog was correct; and (2) other signs and symptoms of the diagnosis will also improve, including the tumor.

BZYQT actually has several anti-cancer effects, so there is a biomedical basis for hoping for remission, particularly if all that is left right now are dirty margins. You could add in Modified Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang to hedge your bets.

My last comment: the Wei Qi tonic in BZYQT, namely Huang Qi, can aggravate any latent tendencies to Heat that are otherwise not apparent. If the dog becomes Hot but with continued signs of Blood deficiency and Stasis, then I would suggest Qing Ying Tang. I've seen the formula work to hinder growth of oral melanomas that could not be debulked. Keep it in mind, but for now, go with your instincts and try something like BZYQT + mXFZYT

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Steve
by drwells
July 3, 2021
Hi Steve:
Thanks so much for such a complete and quick response.
Can I continue the Hoxsey and Mushrooms while adding in BZYQ or would you exchange Hoxsey for BZYQ? I always thought of BZYQ as a qi tonifier....honestly did not think of it as anti cancer. Will have to read more on that...so cool.
Is there a difference between mXFZYT and just XFZYT (BLoods palace in your Kan line)
On a side note: If this is really blood deficiency based, I wonder how that came to be as she is minimally vaccinated and always fed a protein rotated raw diet.
Thanks again,
Hannah
by naturevet
July 4, 2021
Hi Hannah,

No problem to use the Hoxsey and mushrooms, if they are well tolerated.

Modified Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang is XFZYT with San Leng and E Zhu (Turmeric) added. These are two Blood moving anti-cancer herbs

As for the underlying cause, sometimes BZYQT cases have an underlying Shao Yang disharmony, which may reveal itself in a full pulse responsive to GB point needling as treatment progresses. If so, Shao Yang dogs probably are reliant on a source of fermentable carbohydrates in their diet, which is absent from raw diets. Time will tell, I guess. We do know that, in general, real food diets are a major factor in determining median survival times for certain types of tumors, so I'm glad that a real food diet is in place.

Let us know how things go!

Steve
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