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Collie Help Please

by dlburns - October 29, 2009

Dear Steve,

If you could help with this case I would be forever grateful. It is very complitcated!

Teeka, 11yo, SF, collie
Long history of fear of thunderstorms and excessive dreaming.
O reports was doing well until a dental in April where she did not recover from the anesthesia for several days, and also fell where both hind legs splayed out laterally. Since then severe hind limb weakness, proprioceptive deficits, and lethargy.
I saw her in Sept. Dog relatively thin, dryish hair coat. Very mildly heat seeking. Tongue- thin, a fissure in the midline, no coat, and lavender. Pulse-non palpable. Active points-Bl 18,19,20,21,40 and GB 34. Started on XCHT some improvement but lethargic and not eating well. Added XYS--energy and mobility much improved but increased dreaming and had 1 day of severely low mobility, and also some weight loss, pulse stronger tongue more pale. Added BGT, very much improved for 1 week, then completely crashed in mobility department. Still eating well. Discontinued BGT only with XCHT-improvement but still wt loss, and decreased mobility, improved at first and then dips a bit. Active points moved to Bl 23, 25, 27. Added BWDHW. Again lost very much mobility. Back to XCHT alone with pattern repeated. At this point we had had our share of cool wet weather which seemed to worsen Teeka's signs tried DHJST. Again improved at first and then much decreased mobility and return of severe dreaming. Pulse throughout all of this remains difficult to palpate, but sometimes improves with GB 34, Spl 6, K 10, Bl 40, or various bladder shu points. There was a great deal of pain along the Bl meridian in the thoracic region that was relieved with acupuncture. Now if anything the lumbar area is more active. I know this dog is very deficient (primarily blood) with a pathogen invasion but I cannot seem to balance the response to her problems. Do you have any specific experience with collies, their MDR1 gene issue, etc? Any thoughts will be GREATLY appreciated! I am guessing you may say SMS. Even though she does get worse with cool, damp weather, she is also quite yin and blood deficient. Does any of this make sense?

Many thanks, Dana

by naturevet

October 31, 2009

Hi Dana,

What drugs were used that MDR 1 dogs can be sensitive to? Ace or butorphanol? Was this a confirmed MDR 1 dog? Even if yes, would that cause persistent problems or just profound sedation for a while? I may not be up on all drugs MDR 1 gene increases sensitivity to, but I’m wondering if it’s a different altogether you’re dealing with? I’m wondering if the dog has chiropractic issues in its neck.

The most common cause of seemingly neurologic problems I've seen post-dental procedures is a fixation (subluxation) of the atlas with the occiput. The spinothalamic tracts run very superficially at this point in the cord, resulting in compression around the cord at this level (or even just excessive meningeal tension) producing mobility issues. If this is what is going on, chiropractic treatment can produce prompt and immediate benefits even months after the initial event. To my mind, a chiropractic evaluation of this dog is essential.

As for your formulas, I like them all, and wonder if they would have worked better if the above presumed fixation was not present. What I speculate is happening is the formulas are relieving pain due to spasm from the fixations, but not the fixations themselves. So the dog responds to the pain relief by doing more, only to immediately experience a spasm recurrence because the chiropractic issue propagating the problem has not yet been relieved.

So that’s my sense. Any of those formulas might have worked well were it not for an unresolved chiropractic issue. That’s the first thing I’d check out, before tackling any more formulas. Do you have someone nearby that can help with that?

Hopefully yes,

Steve

by dlburns

November 2, 2009

Dear Steve,

Many thanks. I guess that's why you are the consultant and the rest of us are not.

This dog was not tested for the MDR 1 gene. The client's question is whether or not you have noticed any extra sensitivity to herbs with collies in general or MDR 1 collies specifically?

I will do my best @ finding a chiropractor.

Thanks again,

Dana

by naturevet

November 2, 2009

Sorry, Dana, I misunderstood your question. No, no herbs have been identified as problematic for MDR 1 positive dogs, at least to my knowledge.

S

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