A Path With Paws

Matching your animal to their protein can be a lot of fun! I often do this with client’s animals.

So what is the energetics of food all about?

Chinese medicine classifies foods based on temperature and other energetic characterists. In addition many holistic practitioners will look at the energetic personality traits of the animals that are used for food.

It is a way to take your animal’s personality and the food’s personality into consideration when picking a diet for your friend.

Let me give you some examples

First a little about the animals that we often eat.

Cows and Bison are large grounded animals who tend to be slow moving and calm.

Deer and rabbits are flighty, fast prey animals, quick to move and easily frightened

Birds are light and while they are prey animals they are not as flighty are rabbits and deer. Often times bird is a nice neutral meat.

Here is some examples of how to use these qualities combined with what you know about your animal.

Italian greyhounds tend to be very active and somewhat anxious. Feeding these dogs deer or rabbit could make them more anxious and jumpy. On the other hand cow and bison is so heavy that they may not be able to use and digest it properly and may have diarrhea. We don’t want to weigh them down too much. Most Italian greyhounds would do best on duck, chicken, turkey, or fish.

Border Collies are fast and have high energy. They do not need the help of deer or rabbits. Many times cow or bison is the best meat for these dogs because it helps keep them grounded as they work.

Dachshunds are medium energy little dogs but are very prone to having problems that lead to paralysis and nerve issues in their feet. They sometimes do better with bison and beef which help them to have their feet firmly planted on the ground. Birds are sometimes too light to help this little guys.

Labs are often a little overweight and can be sluggish even though they tend to have lots of energy. Bird meat can help lift some of the weight and sluggishness, especially duck.

This can be a fun thing to play around with. Some dogs can do very well on all meat sources and so don’t get too hung up on trying to pick just one right meat.

Some other things to consider

Trout is a hot meat – avoid it in all animals with inflammation issues and animals who are prone to being too hot.

Pork is made from pigs (animals smarter than dogs) who are severely mistreated. I do not recommend feeding pork because of ethical reasons and the energetics that brings into your animal’s food.

Eggs contain the beginning of life and are full of nutrients to grow a new little bird. Older dogs and cats often times do very well with eggs. They give them a little more vitality and help to keep weight on older animals who are too thin.

Sweet potato, pumpkin and yams are sweet and warm. They help with digestion and can aid in both constipation and diarrhea. They also warm the belly and help with processing nutrients. If your animal is too thin this is also a good one.

Kelp is very cooling and can help if you have an animal who eats grass and dirt. Not only is it high in nutrients, but it also helps cool any inflammation in the stomach. I think that many dogs who eat grass are deficient in certain minerals. Kelp can help with these deficiencies and stop dogs from eating dirt.

There are two excellent books on the energetics of food
Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition
Prince Wen Hui’s Cook: Chinese Dietary Therapy

What can I write for you?

Is there an article that would be helpful on a topic related to animals, herbs, or holistic healing?

Let me know if there is something that would be helpful! While most of my writing will be on cancer in the near future, I like to have a little variety.

I am also happy to publish articles or stories you have written on holistic animal health or a special animal in your life.

Send me an email at lena (at) pathwithpaws (dot) com or leave a comment here or on Path With Paws facebook page.

When I diagnosed my sixteen year old cat Basil with lung cancer last year, I had one prayer. I had already lost two cats in my life to cancer in the lungs and I could not deal with losing another one. Watching my babies suffer as they struggled for breath towards the end of their illness was unbearable. I just couldn’t go through it again.

Please, please don’t let him die struggling to breathe.

While Basil did die from his cancer spreading, I was able to keep him breathing well throughout his illness with a few herbals. I was extremely sad to see him pass, as not only had he been my companion for 16 years, but was also one of the most amazing wise sage cats I had ever met. He was clearly ready to go and even the best medicine can not keep us here when we decide it is time to move on.

While most animals with cancer do die of cancer, there is a lot we can do to keep them from suffering and help them to live a good life in the time they are here. Often times that time becomes much longer than we believed was possible. See Lou’s story – Prognoses are only as good as the paper they are printed on.

Usually if a tumor is found us veterinarians will recommend taking a Xray of the lungs to see if it has spread there.

Many cancers spread to the lungs, and often times by the time cancer has been found it is already in the lungs. Generally this gives a poor prognosis, usually somewhere around the lines of three months. However, there are ways to prevent the growth of lung nodules and even reverse the size of the ones that are already there.

One of the best ways is to use herbal formulas. Often times these are combined with drugs to help control lung disease.

From my experience there are three very important herbals that support reversing cancer in the lungs.

Click on the names of the formulas to learn more about them.

1. The first and most important comes in a little vial and is called Sanshedan ChuanBeiYe. I use this formula for any cancer in the lungs or that has the potential to move to the lungs.
2. Xhu Fu Zhu Yu Tang is good at moving blood away from cancerous tumors in the lungs and chest, leading to better lung capacity and a shrinkage of tumors. I usually make mine up with E Zhu and San Leng which are extra cancer fighting ingredients.
3. Xiao Chai Hu Tang is another formula I often use for lung metastasis. It also helps to kill cancer cells other places in the body and can reverse symptoms that often times lead to death.

In addition some other things to consider

• Acupuncture – I highly recommend treating these guys weekly or every other week. From my experience acupuncture can significantly slow down cancer growth.
• Prednisone – I know, I know it’s a drug not an herb. However I need to mention that prednisone will work as a mild chemotherapeutic against many cancers. If there is any respiratory distress this may be a good drug to use. Check with your vet to see if it may help your cat or dog.



• Please also see the sections on individual types of cancer as they are written. There are other supplements I will use for animals with lung involvement depending on the type of cancer. Especially consider Artemisinin for lymphoma, osteosarcoma, and other cancers that fall under the heading of phlegm nodule cancers.

All these herbal formulas can safely be used with chemotherapy or radiation with the exception of Artemisinin. Artemisinin can not be used for a month after radiation therapy.

Please consult with your veterinarian before using these herbal formulas or changing your treatment plan.

Return to Integrative and Holistic Methods for Treating Cancer in Cats and Dogs

Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang, otherwise known as Drive out Stasis in the Mansion of Blood Decoction, has a beautiful red color from the wonderful Hong Hua or safflower flowers it contains. This is the last of my top five cancer formulas and a very special one at that. Where Hoxsey is somewhat toxic and cooling, Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang is warming and nourishing. At the same time it is a quite strong cancer fighter.

The number one place I use this formula is for dogs with mast cell cancer. This is a cancer that often arises if there is impaired blood flow to the skin. Without good blood flow the immune system can not find and destroy the cancer cells that arise. Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang helps promote blood flow to the skin so the immune system can reach mast cell cancer. In my experience this formula helps to reduce tumor size, occasionally shrink the small tumors completely and prevent formulation of new mast cell tumors. These dogs are often prone to reoccurrence, not necessarily because tumors spread, but because the underlying disease process still exists.

I also will use this formula topically mixed with a little DMSO Gel or with vitamin E or aloe if DMSO can not be purchased or the tumor is by the mouth. For DMSO I use about two tablespoons of herbs for 4 ounces of gel and mix it in the gel jar. The other carriers you just want to make a paste that will stick to the skin. I apply the herb/DMSO paste directly to the tumors. Please read about DMSO and discuss with your vet before using. Because mast cell tumors can cause a sudden release of histamine when irritated, especially with larger tumors this should not be applied without veterinary guidance. A good article on DMSO is DMSO – many uses, much controversy.

This is a formula that I use in any of the dogs and cats I treat with lung metastasis. It has an amazing ability to move blood away from tumors in the chest and out to the periphery of the body. This starves tumor cells in the lungs.

In addition it is good against any intra-thoracic tumor, thyroid adenocarcinomas, and salivary tumors. It can also be effective against some of the blood borne cancers like leukemia and myeloma.

This formula has been shown to increase immunity, kill cancer cells and enhance the effects of radiation therapy. It has strong anti-oxidant effects and helps to support the body and immune system in its fight against cancer.

It is a combination of the following herbs

• Tao Ren (peach seed)
• Dang Gui (angelica root)
• Hong Hua (safflower flowers)
• Chuan Niu Xi (cyathula root)
• Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia)
• Chi Shao (red peony root)
• Zhi Ke (bitter orange)
• Chuan Xiong (lovage root)
• Jie Geng (platycodon root)
• Chai Hu (bupleurum root)
• Gan Cao (licorice root)

I usually add San Leng (scirpus rhizome) and E Zhu (turmeric) to this formula to enhance its effect against cancer. Studies done on these two herbs show that they have a significant effect in inducing apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells.

The main effects of this formula involves taking blood away from tumor cells and moving it to the parts of the body which need it. However Chai Hu has direct effects in killing cancer cells as discussed in the article about Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Tao Ren contains the same bound form of cyanide found in apricot seeds, which has a strong effect on cancer cells but spares normal cells.

In addition to cancer I also use this formula for many forms of heart disease, hacking coughs, bronchitis, dry skin and itching, fear, and back pain.

This formula works best for tumors that are considered blood stasis in Chinese medicine and better for tumors in the cranial third of the body. There are slight modifications made to this formula for internal tumors in the middle and caudal body. See Ge Xia Zhu Yu Tang and Shao Fu Zhu Yu Tang.

If I use ground herbs, I usually dose this formula at 1/8 teaspoon twice a day for small dogs, ¼ teaspoon twice a day for dogs up to 30lb, ½ teaspoon twice a day for dogs up to 70lb and 1 teaspoon twice a day for dogs over 70 lbs. I will occasionally dose it just in the morning if I am giving Xiao Chai Hu Tang in the evening.

If using a tincture I dose it at 0.2ml per 5lb once or twice a day.

I sell powdered Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang with the added San Leng and E Zhu through my etsy store Kingdom of Basil.

If you want to buy the base formula, the teapill form is sold on Amazon.com.
Stasis In The Mansion Of Blood Teapills (Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang Wan) If you use tea pills I highly, highly recommend finding a way to add in San Leng and E Zhu. The formula just doesn’t work as well without these two ingredients.
To use tea pills I dose cats and very small dogs at two pills twice a day, medium sized dogs at 4-5 pills twice a day and large dogs at 8 pills twice a day.

Please check with you animal’s primary vet before using this formula.

Return to Integrative and Holistic Methods for Treating Cancer in Cats and Dogs

Cancer Detox Support is one of the only western herbal formulas I use for cancer. I love all the beautiful ingredients that go into it!

This formula is my own modification of a formula called Hoxsey formula. I used to use quite a bit of Hoxsey, but over the years I’ve realized it can be fairly harsh in some animals and this modification still works well but also make side effects rare. So was born my modified hoxsey formula.

This is a very powerful formula and very strong not only against cancer but other hard to manage inflammatory conditions. I also use this formula for autoimmune stomatitis/gingivitis in cats and severe inflammatory skin conditions in dogs.

The formula I make and use continues the following herbs

• Oregon Grape



• Burdock Root
• Red Clover
• Pokeroot
• Dandelion root, leaf and flower
• Yellow dock root
• Licorice root
• Red Root
• Prickly Ash Bark
• Slippery Elm Bark

Oregon Grape, Burdock Root and Red Clover root should be the three main herbs in this formula. I also often add in Boneset if I am working with an animal with bone pain.

This formula works best for what would be considered damp heat or hot phlegm nodule tumors in Chinese medicine. The tumors, which respond the best to this formula, tend to be inflamed, painful, and fast moving. My main uses of this formula are for osteosarcoma (bone cancer), fibrosarcomas, lymphoma, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.

This is a very cooling formula. You do not want to use this in an animal who runs cold.

The animals who respond best to this formula are hot, inflamed and excess. Picture a panting, thirsty, hot golden retriever with a history of skin disease and an outgoing hyper personality who has just been diagnosed with lymphoma or bone cancer and you get the picture.

I also use this formula quite a bit in cats. They actually tolerate it very well. Cats who do best on Cancer Detox, will usually still be slightly heat seeking, but have inflammation and pain around their cancer. Many people notice that while they still like heat they are less heat seeking then they used to be.
Cancer Detox helps reduce inflammation, helps with liver function and detox, and has many anti-cancer properties.

Oregon contains berberine which increases the body’s immunity. Red clover induces cancer cell death through apoptosis and induces cell differentiation. Poke root stimulates the immune system through its effects on the lymphatic system and white blood cells. Burdock helps to detox the body so it can work better against cancer. Prickly ash bark helps stimulate blood circulation and supports digestion. Red root helps with lymphatic drainage.

Together this formula kills cancer cells, induces apoptosis, stimulates the immune system, inhibits angiogenesis and induces cell differentiation. A pretty powerful combination!

Poke Root is toxic but used at the proper ratio amounts is safe to use. In some animals it will cause vomiting. It will sometimes lead to an increase in white blood cells on blood work, which can look like leukemia. A vet looking at blood work may be convinced that your animal has leukemia or an infection so make sure they know that your animal is on this formula and that it may increase the white cells. Over the years I have lowered by poke root content to 1-5% and have not seen vomiting since doing so. My commercial formula keeps it at 1%.

If this formula causes vomiting, it needs to be discontinued or combined with a formula which supports the stomach and digestion. Absolutely do not continue this formula if it makes an animal sick.

With my own dried powdered herbs I dose this formula at 1/8 teaspoon twice a day for cats and very small dogs, ¼ teaspoon for dogs 15-39lb, ½ teaspoon twice a day for dogs 40lb-80lb and 1 teaspoon twice a day for dogs greater than 80lbs. There is some variation on this so if a dose is too high for an animal but they do ok on a lower dose use that amount. I recommend starting with half a dose for the first week to make sure they will tolerate it. I sometimes take one day a week off from giving this formula. Cats sometimes tolerate it better given once a day.

If you are working with a vet, Animal Essential‘s vet line includes a Hoxsey like formula similar to this one and there are other veterinary sources. Boneset should be 10% of the formula if you add it. I also sell this formula with and without boneset in my Kingdom of Basil Etsy Shop.

As with all herbals mentioned on this website please check with your animal’s veterinarian before starting any herbals.

Return to Integrative and Holistic Methods for Treating Cancer in Cats and Dogs.

Moving into some of my favorite formulas, the ones I get to make from my own pharmacy!

I love making herbal formulas from scratch!

First in this list is an amazing little formula I have used for a variety of conditions. When this formula fits it has the ability to reverse symptoms in some animals who are clearly shutting down and dying.

Xiao Chai Hu Tang is a traditional Chinese herbal formula also called Minor Bupleurum Decoction. One of my main uses of this formula is for cancer. In addition I have used it for some forms of liver failure and inflammation, inflammatory kidney disease and failure, disc disease, Addison’s disease, certain autoimmune diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, some forms of incontinence and hind leg weakness and some stress related diseases.

Xiao Chai Hu Tang is made from a combination of seven Chinese herbs:
Chai Hu (bupleurum)
Gan Cao (licorice)
Huang Qin (skullcap)
Ban Xia (pinellia)
Sheng Jiang (ginger root)
Ren Shen (ginseng)
Da Zao (jujube)

This formula is one of the most researched in the world for cancer.

Bupleurum, the main ingredient in this formula, has some amazing cancer fighting abilities. Bupleurum can induce apoptosis or cell death in cancer cells and inhibit cancer cell growth and division. Many studies have been done on this plant especially for lung cancer.

Xiao Chai Hu Tang, called Sho-saiko-to in Japan, has been found effective for lung, liver, renal and prostatic cancers in humans. Xiao Chai Hu Tang directly kills cancer cells, inhibits the formation of blood supplies to these abnormal cells and induces apoptosis. It also stimulates the immune system and the body’s natural responses against cancer.

This is a very powerful but fairly gentle formula. It supports digestion through it’s use of pinellia, ginger, and licorice. In addition, licorice, jujube, and ginseng help support adrenal and immune function in the body.

It is commonly used to treat the Chinese medicine diagnosis of Triple Burner Obstruction (TBO).

Triple Burner what?

I’ll try to go into this a little deeper later but for now here’s a short explanation.

The triple burner in Traditional Chinese Medicine runs down the center line of the body. There is the upper burner which includes the lungs and heart, middle burner with the spleen and liver, and lower burner with the kidneys and urinary bladder.

If the triple Burner is obstructed, yin and yang can not meet and there is a separation of yin and yang in the body. The yin or water of the kidneys needs to come up and cool and mist the lungs and heart, and the yang or fire of the heart needs to descend down and spark the fire of life of the kidneys.

When yin and yang come together you get life. Both these functions happen by passage through the triple burner along the center line of your body. If these functions can not happen, the upper body gets hotter and the lower body gets weaker. If yin and yang can not meet then the body stops working.

Here is another way to look at it. If you look at yang as the chemical reactions in the body which fuel life, and yin as the antioxidant response that makes sure no harmful products are left behind, you can understand how these two relate. You need both for life and you need them to work together. Without the yin antioxidant response we become toxic, without the yang fueling the body we become weak and deficient. If either of these functions stop we are in trouble.

Triple burner obstruction will lead to death – sometimes very quickly, if the obstruction is complete and sudden and sometimes over a longer time, if it happens slowly.

Triple burner obstruction commonly manifests with excess conditions in the front of the body such as coughing, vomiting, anxiety, headache, and/or panting and deficiency or weak conditions in the back of the body such as hind leg weakness and incontinence. There is usually some kind of obstruction in the middle of the body such as a tumor in the liver or spleen, bloated abdomen or back pain.

In western medicine we would characterize triple burner obstruction as being a problem with blood flow, where there is too much blood in the front of the body, not enough in the back, and a pooling or stagnation of blood in the middle. Splenic tumors often fit this pattern because of the amount of blood that gets trapped in the spleen.

Cancers with symptoms of triple burner obstruction often respond well to Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Mostly I use this formula for many cancers with lung metastasis, chest tumors and abdominal tumors especially splenic tumors and lymphoma/lymphosarcoma. However any animal with signs of triple burner obstruction should be put on this formula.

This is a very important formula in my cancer medicine chest. Many of the animals I treat would not be here without it. A good example is Lou. We put him on this formula when he started to decline and were able to get him back to health with it in a matter of days.

Where do you get Xiao Chai Hu Tang and how do you give it?

Xiao Chai Hu Tang powder is available from my shop Kingdom of Basil on etsy.com . We have a tincture form as well for small dogs and cats.

I grind my own formulas from good quality dried whole herbs. This formula works best if given in the evening mixed with food. I usually give my larger dogs 1 teaspoon once a day with dinner, dogs less than 50 lbs get ½ a teaspoon and dogs less than 20 lb get ¼ a teaspoon and very small dogs and cats get 1/8 teaspoon. For more aggressive cancers I use it twice a day.

For cats I usually tincture this or have people make it into a tea. To tea, just add 1 teaspoon of herbs to a cup of water and boil until half the liquid is gone. Then give the same amount you would of the dry herbs. If you can use a prepared tincture, you can give .2ml per 5 lbs of body weight.

If you use another commercial formula make sure it contains Ren Shen – ginseng and not Dang Shen. Also make sure it does not contain more than 20% Chai Hu or bupleurum. Many of the human formulas are very heavy on Chai Hu, the traditional recipe uses it at about 20% of the formula. Preparations with more than 20% Chai Hu can be very dangerous to your animal’s health.

Here is some more information and a list of studies involving this formula
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer page on Xiao Chai Hu Tang
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer page on Bupleurum

As always please check with your animal’s regular vet before using this formula.

Return to Integrative and Holistic Methods for Treating Cancer in Cats and Dogs.

Every two weeks I receive a visit from a special visitor. Lou bounds into by office as soon as the door is open enough for him to squeeze through, and comes dancing over to me and the treat jar. However, as much as Lou loves his treats, he likes his acupuncture even better. As soon as he sees the needles come out he immediately sits down, positioning himself so I can easily put the needles in.

If possible his position will be between his human mom Susan and me so that he can easily get rubs and pets from us both while his needles work. And he’s good at telling us if we aren’t touching him enough, usually with a look or a gentle paw to the arm, “more of that please.”

I treat many wonderful special animals every week. I often say that I have the best animals in the world as patients, and I believe it to be true. So why is Lou special?

I could say that it’s the way that his eyes dance with joy as he comes into the room, or his love of the world and every moment, but there is more to it then that. That is all true, but one of the amazing things about Lou is that he was diagnosed with a pretty severe case of cancer almost a year ago. At the time of his diagnosis his cancer, which originated in a tumor in his liver, had already spread to his lungs and his prognosis was not good, maybe three months at most if we were lucky.

Lou was dying, however no one gave Lou that message. And I’m not sure Lou would have believed them even if they had.

Over the last ten months I have treated Lou, I have seen him get younger, not older. While he may have cancer, he is living with it, not dying from it. He has a back condition which seems to bother him less these days and his energy is excellent. He really, really enjoys life.

There was a time we thought he was starting to check out, but after adding in a new herbal treatment he was back to normal in a few days. He is great at springing back!

The thing is that dogs don’t read textbooks. Lou’s already outlived every prediction in the textbooks anyway. I no longer can tell you what Lou’s prognosis is, and there is no point guessing. He is thirteen years old at this point and I’m not sure he got the message about being thirteen either. He seems to be living his life backwards, getting more healthy and enjoying every moment more the longer he lives.

Sometimes I feel like I learn the most from the animals I treat with cancer. They are the ones that seem to inspire me, and all the people they touch, to enjoy life and just live. Lou has definitely taught me that prognoses are only as good as the paper they are printed on. We can’t live off of paper but we do live off of the joy we put into each day of our lives.

Update 7/1/11 Lou went into his primary veterinarian for his yearly check up about a month ago. He was amazed that Lou has continued to do so well and said, “since we don’t know how long he may be here, we may want to start worrying about getting him a dental.” It has now been over a year since his diagnosis and Lou continues to do well and is scheduled for a non-anesthetic dental later in the summer.

4/25/12 Sadly Lou passed away a couple weeks ago at the age of 14. We will all miss him. In the end it was a heart condition that became greater than his body could deal with.

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