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Splenectomy

by JULIE SCHELL - November 10, 2009

Hello!
I removed a huge spleen tumor (11 lbs) from a 9 year old Bernese Mountain dog on Oct.22/09 who presented with anemia, lethargy, firm mass in abdomen. Miraculously, his histology was just 'splenic hematoma' and no cancer present at all! His PCV is improving - he is on organ meat/ home cooked diet now, with Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang and I've been doing Blood tonifying acupuncture. He has 100% improved energy levels since his splenectomy but his PCV has gone up to 35% from 28% before his surgery. He has an excellent appetite and on exam today his pulses are sligtly weak and deep and his tongue slightly pale but acupuncture of ST36, BL17, SP6, SP10, BL20 did improve his tongue color almost immediately. In addition to his Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang, do you recommend a Spleen tonic such as Wei Ling Tang? I want to get his PCV up to above 37%. He home made diet is nicely balanced (owner adds RX Vitamins for Pets-- Essentials for Dogs) to ensure all micronutrients are included and he gets vitamin a-rich vegetables and meats.

Thank you so much!
Julie

by naturevet

November 11, 2009

Hi Julie,

Rehmannia and Dang Gui are both in XFZYT and are excellent bone marrow stimulants. So long term, if I read the case correctly, you're sure to eventually hit a PCV of 37, if you're only two points below that. Three weeks is about the length of time needed to manufacture RBCs from stem cells and you're just hitting that date now post-op. So the PCV may move up yet again over the next week or so as the stem cells the herbs have stimulated finish maturing and enter circulation.

So it's perhaps more in the interests of total wellness that you'd add a Spleen tonic in. I agree, though, from that pulse that is the next direction to probably go in. If the dog is showing no signs of Damp on the XFZYT, you can probably even use a richer tonic than WLT for the Spleen. I'm thinking specifically of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. Its content of Ginseng, Astragalus, and more Dang Gui will round out your bone marrow stimulation efforts; and have a Qi moving effect on the abdomen (handy, since there was a bleeding splenic mass).

Those are my thoughts. There's probably a lot of right answers for this dog at this point, though, and WLT would be fine if that was all you had.

Have a great day, Julie. I love your enthusiasm and the fact that you're in our club!

Steve

by JULIE SCHELL

November 12, 2009

Excellent! Thank you Steve! I'm so happy to have access to this valuable Forum! It helps save lives!
Julie

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