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Chronic Renal Failure In A Dog

by ajerger - March 11, 2026 View Case Report

Hi there,
Charlie has been battling renal failure for 2 yrs now. He has been doing well on Ba Wei Di Huang Wan and recently Yi Guan Jian for intermittent Pancreatitis.
Last month he developed a third degree AV block with a heart rate in the 20's, very weak, not eating well. azotemia worsened.
The AMC implanted a pacemaker, the azotemia worsened but improved some with the reintroduction of the herbs post operatively.
He is currently very weak, he is home, pacemaker was a success in theory, but he is very weak still. Creatinine is up to 6.9, BUN 156.
His pulses are mostly superficial, normal rhythm and rate, resists compression, slight finger lift. He is deficient and hot (empty heat).Normal drinking and urinating. I think GB 34 relaxed the pulse some.
He is having very soft stools, small amounts and losing weight.
The Creatinine did improve on fluids and the UPC is 0.7 ( normal <0.5)
I am a little confused still about what the root of the problem as it relates to the AV block is.
Thank you so much..
~Allison

by naturevet

March 16, 2026

Hi there,

I think your emphasis must now shift to cardiac support, using herbs that are tonic to the heart and which improve peripheral circulation. The kidneys are the first beneficiaries for any increase in cardiac output. The response to fluids tells us if we can pull that off, you'll see good things happen.

My suggestion for now is to use Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang (which contains Rehmannia) to promote the increase in cardiac output and help heal the heart muscle defect. I would also add in Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang to bolster the Qi of the Heart and to improve the vigor of the increase in peripheral circulation induced by the XFZYT. If you had Dan Shen (Salvia) you could add 15g of that to XFZYT to further heal the heart muscle.

If the pancreatitis has subsided, you could focus on the above and maybe Rehmannia 8. If the pancreatitis is an issue, you may need all four formulas. I'm pretty sure, though, you can make some headway with this approach. Also look at Coenzyme Q10, taurine, Hawthorne extract and a real food diet to help get the heart functioning maximally.

Good luck and let us know how things go!

Steve

by ajerger

March 25, 2026

Hi
Charlie is doing a bit better, I added Xue fu and BU Zhong. Creatinine is down to 4.6 from 7 originally. Appetite is still lagging but he is moving in the right direction!
Keep you posted! Thank you again..

by naturevet

March 25, 2026

Such great news! What a great case! The appetite should come soon

S

by ajerger

April 1, 2026

Hi,
So Charlie is still very weak, appetite is still down. I added Liu Jun Zi Tang for added adrenal and appetite support, just a few pinches, but he is still very weak. So with the pacemaker the heart rate is about 80b/min, steady.
He is on Xue Fu Zhu Yu tang and Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, both only 1/8th tsp twice daily, how much can I increase? He is 10lbs.
Also his pulses are more superficial, highly toned, somewhat full, normal rhythm and rate. I feel like his presentation is changing, more like a Shao Yang presentation. I tonified GB 34 and the pulse did modulate, it took awhile but it relaxed.
He is also getting LRS SQ daily, Ba Wei and Yi Guan Jian. His Creatinine went back up to 7.1, BUN went up as did Phosphorus. It has been unusually warm here in NYC lately.
Could he now need Xiao Chai Hu tang?
Thank you as always,
~Allison

by naturevet

April 5, 2026

Hi Allison,

Yes, you can now start addressing the Shao Yang. If the pulse is right on the surface still, and broad and flat, then that is a drumskin pulse. I would use two parts Chai Hu Jia Long Gu Mu Li Tang to one part Yi Guan Jian. That should strike the right balance of addressing the Shao Yang but also nourishing Yin and supporting renal blood flow. The BZYQT and XFZYT can be continued at the same amounts for now.

Hopefully, that change improves things for you.

Steve

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