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Damp Heat In A Cat?

by Steve - November 14, 2009

Hi Steve - evaluated a 6 year DSH F(sp) for presenting complaint of excessive grooming on her abdomen. She is 100% indoors, only pet, on Revolution monthly, and fed Royal Canin calorie control high protein dry. Owner feels the excessive groooming is a recent changes over past few months. H/O stray cats in area that this cat can see.
On Exam she demonstrates a thin hair coat on her proximal medial thighs, entire abdomen, and caudal forelimbs. No ectoparasites seen. BCS has improved with weight loss formula. Fairly nervous for exam - hard to get good pulse exam but for a cat fairly superficial. Tongue was more pink than red or lavender, and moist vs dry.
When I was in vet school - these cases were deemed psychogenic or endocrine alopecia and where given vitamin P in the form of a Depo-medrol injection. Due to the ventral location, I'm thinking of Dampness/Damp Heat form Spleen deficiency causing Blood def., but is there a Wind component to explain the cat's need to excessively groom or is that from the Heat? Are the stray cats stressing here out causing the Liver to beat up on the Spleen? Would love a little help in pattern differentiation and herbal recommendations
Thanks for your insight- Steve

by naturevet

November 14, 2009

Hi Steve,

I'm sure that most veterinarians would assume that this is still a psychogenic itch problem. Although the success of corticosteroids undermines that interpretation. If you're not using an anxiolytic or similarly acting drug to resolve these cases, then how much of the problem is really inflammatory? Ask anyone with eczema when their itch is worse - they'll tell you it's when their hot and stressed. Likewise, mood state is probably more of an aggravating factor in these cats than it is the cause.

What to do about the inflammation, then? A relatively superficial pulse implies a formula that takes blood away from the skin is a good choice. Si Miao San, as an example. Do you need to use a Wind formula? Not with a ventral lesion distribution. Winds attack the dorsal and lateral surfaces. Also, Wind formulas push blood out to the skin, which your examination suggests might be a bad idea. If the Liver is involved, a clue for that would be a weak, deep, or wiry pulse. You're not seeing that. There's nothing here that would preclude simple Heart Fire from Damp Heat accumulation.

The ultimate source of that, of course, is the diet. I don't know if it's reasonable to expect the cat to resolve its complaints on a processed diet, which have a pro-inflammatory effect. Perhaps a happy medium would be something home-cooked.

Lastly, I can suggest homeopathic Arsenicum if the cat is also chilly, maybe thirsty, and craves the owner's attention. It is also strongly indicated for intense itch without visible lesions.

Hope that's somewhat helpful. Good luck!

Steve

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