He lives in the Northeast USA. His owner is an L.Ac. and Chinese herbalist. Teddy eats a home cooked diet of chicken, beef, vegetables, and herbs. He used to eat a raw diet, but the other dog in the home cannot tolerate raw food.
Current medical situation began December 2023 when owner noted Teddy was "red, sunken under the eyes." Ocular discharge progressed to reverse sneezing, then coughing, then vomiting and dysphagia.
He became increasingly lethargic and inappetant.
In early February, Teddy became acutely blind. The primary care vet had been treating symptomatically but referred to neurology specialists when blindness occurred.
MRI and spinal tap showed diffuse meningitis, inflammation of cranial nerves and of the jaw muscles. CSF had elevated protein and WBCs. Infectious disease testing was negative.
Teddy responded to steroids. He was also Rx'd clindamycin, clavamox, and enrofloxacin. He also took Cerenia and famotidine. He continued to gag and vomit bile and/or food.
Antibiotics have been stopped but when owner attempted to wean off prednisone, within 2 weeks his clinical signs returned.
His vision appears to be returning. In my office his eyes were clinically normal, with symmetrical pupils and normal PLR. Masticatory muscle wasting is significant. No other muscle loss is apparent.
He is cool-seeking, eating snow in February.
Significant health history: mid-May 2023 Teddy received 3 vaccines, Lepto, Distemper, Rabies. Early July he developed pink/red penile discharge, with two 1-1.5cm red/purple growths on his penis.
Transmissible Venereal Tumor was ruled out, Dx balanitis. He vomited when taking antibiotics for this issue.
Currently Teddy's active problems include GERD/regurgitation/acid reflux, he is recovering from masticatory myositis (currently not painful, can use jaw), recovering from optic neuritis and cranial neuropathy.
The owner has tried an assortment of Chinese herbs, currently offering a customized formula of Banxia Xie Xie Tang + Bai Zhu, Bai Zhi, and Sheng Di. We agree this is too bitter and has exacerbated GERD signs.
PULSE: superficial, rapid, forceful, hard to compress
TONGUE: red with pale, scalloped, thin edges; sticky with white foam
First tried SP6 and pulse got short and deep. Pulse balances with tonification of GB34, improvement continues with addition of UB17.
I feel like the vaccine assault in May probably triggered a Shao Yang disharmony, evident as balanitis in July.
He's also tested positive for tick exposure. We have a ton of ticks here in the Hudson Valley, a ton of Lyme Disease and of course all the other tick borne diseases that may or may not show up on blood testing.
There's a deep-seated pathogen I feel, and eventually I think Qin Ying Tang would be appropriate -- but now? To start?
I'm thinking Xiao Chai Hu Tang is a good base formula at this point but wonder if one of the derivatives would be better?
I'd love support, this owner is more fluent in single herbs than I am and I do not want to send her on a wild chase by guessing.
Thank You!
Heather