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Damp Heat Formula?

by medvet - January 19, 2010

I have a 6 year old M/N Labrador Retriever that is a service dog. He is a typical earth personality and has apparently been plagued with repeated episodes of hot spots, interdigital cysts, a previous vaccine reaction and was neutered d/t atrophied testicles and aspermia, all before I ever saw him as a patient. In the past year, I have seen Cody twice for preputial discharge (white) with associated mild to moderate balanopostitis and blood in his urine (presumably from his prepuce since he never has any infection when his urine is cultured).
He now has this again.

He is very friendly, loves to eat, sleeps deeply and snores and dreams vividly at night per the owner. His tongue is wide and red, damp but no thick TC. His pulses are fast, very slippery, and somewhat weak/timid for his size and personality (what I would expect from such a vibrant animal). His active points were BL 20/21, ST 36. I have him on Orijen food, no grains in his treats, a probiotic supplement (which has helped with his ears and skin as well as the diet change), and an antioxidant supplement.

With all of his history and his constitution, I was thinking he would benefit greatly from some Si Miao San, however with the past history of his previous reproductive weakness and aspermia, etc. from a very young age, I also wonder about something else to help tonify his kidneys? I am holding off on starting the SMS since he is interesting to me from a history-unfolding standpoint and wanted to get input on best herbs and/or food changes for him? Am hoping to head some of his seasonal skin problems (which seem to start in the spring/summer) off at the pass. Thanks!

by naturevet

January 19, 2010

Hi there,

It's always important to start by treating what you're seeing first, then see if you can make that fit some of the past complaints.

The snoring plus the red tonguue together suggest Damp Heat. SMS is a good formula for that, were it not for the weak pulse, which indicates we need a formula to tonify or disperse. If we use SMS, we need something else to contribute that action for us. Given the past history of cysts and prostatitis, I'd say we need a Blood mover, perhaps something like Xian Fang Huo Ming Yin. Using the two together would work well and address most of the complaints.

Balanorrhea is often a Blood deficiency complaint. Perhaps the testicular atrophy is a Kidney weakness, as you suggested. But we can't start there, since giving this dog a lot of tonics would probably aggravate his Damp Heat. Looking at it another way, tonics are often immune stimulants, and if we bring those on board right now in an inflamed animal, we're setting ourselves up for some sort of aggravation. So if we need a Kidney tonic, it will probably be used near the end, as we finally get around to treating the root (presumed Kidney deficiency), after handling the branches (Spleen deficiency, Damp, Damp Heat, and Blood stasis).

Good luck. It should hopefully go well for you.

Steve

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