Question Details
TCC With Edema
by Michelle1 - January 29, 2010
Hi Steve,
Have an 11 year old S/F Sheltie with TCC at the distal opening of her urethra doing well on SFZYT and PGZYT with Yunnan Paiyao. She presented today with pendulous edema along her caudal mammary glands and starting down the medial aspects of her thighs, not painful, no fever, no discoloration. Her tongue is slightly pale pink, good appetite on raw food, great energy still. I needled ST40,36,and kidney belt since the edema is primarily in the glands. What is causing this fluid accumulation and what else might help her now?
Thank-you!
Michelle
Replies
by naturevet
January 29, 2010
Hi Michelle,

That's a pretty bizarre finding. I can't think how it might relate to the TCC. Certainly it's not a typical herb side effect.

My first thought is that this is a new problem. When dependent edema suddenly appears affecting the dog anywhwere (but more commonly the neck and forelimbs), I wonder if this is the very earliest stage of glomerulonephritis. So I'd check the urine P/C ratio.

Meanwhile, though, the formula we use to address that is one called Fang Ji Huang Qi Tang (Stephania and Astragalus). In humans, it deals with Wind invasion creating sudden edema in the upper body (most commonly seen in acute nephritis), usually the face. In animals, their entire periphery counts as the upper burner, as per the discussion of where the burners are exactly in the Nan Jing. So acute onset of superficial and dependent edema anywhere would have me thinking of Wind invasion.

The idea is that Qi must descend from the upper burner to the Kidneys, carrying water down to the Bladder with it. Wind invasions disrupt the natural movement of Lung Qi. Sometimes we see it as a cough. Sometimes it is this disrupted descent of Lung Qi to the Kidneys, with subsequent superficial edema formation.

Regardless of the metaphoric diagnosis, I'd try the FJHQT. It restores normal filtration in the early stages of renal disease, as well as being somewhat of a diuretic (Damp drainer). It improves liver function, too, in the event there is a problem there. Has albumin been checked and the dog had a blood profile? I'd advise that, too, so we have all the facts there are to have.

All the best in your strange case.

Steve
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