Question Details
Mental Dull
by swaneysue - October 21, 2009
16 year old sheltie male neuter, COCO

DJD, Prone for diarrhea, chronic dry coat and thin skin, has always been reserved emotionally never shows excitement except when its cold out side he wakes up and runs around. In the last year he has been a little restless at night. He does not cool seek or show any signs of being hot or feel warm/hot. Last year had lip fold pyoderma responded to diet change and antibiotics/Qing ying Tang ( not currently on). Had been maintained with acupuncture every 8 weeks , Rehmannia 8. Tian Wan Bu Xin

Currently he has been very spacy with pacing, he acts out of it. Has had two episodes of going from mentally dull spacy to running around frantic , bouncing off the wall. Episodes last 10 min about. He is usually so mellow these are very out of character.
He has had on lat sides some damp flaky lesions but the ventral aspect is still very dry and thin skinned.

His pulses are wiry thin and strong , improve with tonify Bl 18 , Live 3, Bl 40 and sedate GB 34 . Tongue is lavender/pink. He has felt Yin and blood def in the past but never responded to yin and blood tonics so I tried Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang for shao yang obstruction-no change –vomited too.

Currently on Chai Hu Jia Gu Mu Li Tang , Rhemmannia 8., Shen Tong Zhu Yu Tang and selegeline from reg vet.

Have tried melatonin , cholodin, Calm Repose no help. In past APR Nourshing has not helped.

Owners primary concern is the worsening spacyness and mental dullness. I feel his improved attitude and energy levels with cool temps are a big clue but so fra the cooling formulas have not helped. Recent damp skin areas nad prone soft stools are damp signs. Maybe there is Phlegm obstructing the orifices ? Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Tang ?

Any advise would be appreciated. Sue
Replies
by naturevet
October 23, 2009
Hi Sue,

The wiry pulse indicates a need to disperse. The points suggest that, too. So formulas that downbear (like CHJLGMLT) are not great options. Tonics are not a problem, but don't have the dispersing effect. As for the differential diagnosis of pacing and restlessness, it includes Qi stagnation.

So I'd consider the possibility of Xiao Yao San or some other tonifying Qi mover. Also, Xiao Chai Hu Tang alone has a dispersing effect. Or you can combine XCHT and Si Wu Tang.

Which one to use? It depends on your sense of which points helped the most. If GB 34 alone would have relaxed the pulse, I'd go with it. If it was really the Liver tonification, then I'd go with Xiao Yao San.

The other possibility is if these are some form of seizure activity. If so, then Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan is an option as well. Or maybe a pairing of the latter and Xiao Yao San.


Hope that helps,

Steve
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