A Path With Paws

This formula is a good one coming into Thanksgiving. To me the herbs in it look like a Thanksgiving feast. Long Dan Xie Gan Tang (Xie is pronounced like Shay) is a great formula for draining fire out of the head. One of its most common uses is for treatment of excess seizures.

Other uses are for extreme itch up in the head, and many of the eye disorders such as glaucoma, pannus, and uveitis. Note – glaucoma is a serious condition and should be treated with western medicine as well. It can also treat infections in the head however if there is a potential or proven bacterial infection antibiotics should be considered and used in most cases.

His formula treats yang liver fire flaring. In Chinese medicine seizures are often caused by fire wind flaring up into the head with phlegm obstruction of the head where it can not exit. This formula anchors yang, drains heat out of the liver and heart, treats phlegm, and supports the yin that controls yang. Animals needing this formula tend to run hot, they may be agitated, anxious or have aggression issue. For seizures this is a formula to treat the more violent grand mals. You would not use this for very mild seizures or for older animals who are very debilitated. Animals needing this formula may have a very red or purple red tongue and may be thirst.

While this formula is most often used for animals with excess conditions (not the very weak or debilitated) I have used it in older or weak animals when combined with other formulas or modified.

My own older cat is a good example of an animal with some deficiency who has done well on this formula. She is currently on this formula for sinus and eye inflammation with extreme itch to her head. She was at the point of scratching so hard that she was in danger of injuring her eyes and was making her head bleed. The itch is about 90% better since I started Long Dan Xie Gan Tang. In western medicine a steroid shot would be in order but with her early kidney issues this would be a bad idea, as steroids are very hard on the kidneys. Because this formula contains a large amount of rehmannia it helps to support her kidneys while taking care of the itch.

So what is in this formula –

• Sheng Di Huang (rehmannia)
• Dang Gui (Chinese angelica root)
• Long Dan Cao (gentian root)
• Ze Xie (alisma tuber)
• Mu Tong (akemia)
• Chai Hu (bupleurum root)
• Che Qian Zi (plantian seed)
• Gan Cao (licorice root)
• Huang Qin (scutellaria root)
• Zhi Zi (gardenia fruit)

This formula can be very draining and drying. The Sheng Di Huang helps to support the yin and blood and keep this formula from drying out the body. Dang Gui prevents stasis in the body and also supports the blood.

Long Dan Cao, Huang Qin and Zhi Zi drain fire out of the upper body. Huang Qin also known as Skullcap is also often used in western herbal medicine for seizures and to calm anxiety. Long Dan Cao or gentian root is used as a digestive tonic or bitter in western herbology. All these herbals also have some anti-bacterial properties, especially the yellow root of Huang Qin.

Che Qian Zi because it is a seed helps to sink the yang back into the body. Mu Tong, Ze Xie and Che Qian Zi help to drain dampness or treat phlegm.

Gan Cao harmonizes the formula and prevents side effects, while supporting the digestive system.

Chai Hu helps to get this cool formula to work in a hot animal. Paired with Huang Qin it also helps to treat triple burner obstruction and get energy flowing properly in the center of the body so that you don’t have excess yang up in the head. Chai Hu can also help with anxiety and agitation.

I often use this formula along with western seizure drugs. It helps to support the liver which is helpful as many seizure drugs are very hard on the liver.

While this formula has the potential to cause diarrhea, in the form I use with the large amounts of sheng di huang I have not seen any issues. If your cat or dog is prone to diarrhea it may not be the one to use or may need to be combined with other formulas.

Available in my etsy store, Kingdom of Basil.

This wonderful formula is the second one Mali the lab is on, see the article on Mali’s arthritis formula. We started this formula when she was having some shifting illness of unknown origin with panting and anxiety symptoms and some back end weakness and back pain. Because Chai Hu Jia Long Mu Li Tang is a qi tonic, it pairs well with blood tonic formulas like Mali’s arthritis formula. Where qi moves blood will follow. For cancer patients it pairs well with Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang and its modified formulas and I often use the two together.

This is a great formula and very closely related to Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Xiao Chai Hu Tang is probably the number one formula I use in my practice. Chai Hu Jia Long Mu Li Tang is a modification of Xiao Chai Hu Tang which adds in five ingredients that help more with heat and anxiety than just Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Both these formulas treat triple burner obstruction, qi deficiency, qi stagnation and are good at releasing the exterior (treating pathogens or autoimmune illnesses).

I could write a book on this formula and its base formula Xiao Chai Hu Tang. So here is a little about them both as it is hard to talk about Chai Hu Jia Long Mu Li Tang without talking about Xiao Chai Hu Tang.

What is in this formula?
Chai Hu (bupleurum)
Ban Xia (pinellia)
Gan Cao (licorice)
Sheng Jiang (ginger)
Da Zao (jujube)
Ren Shen (ginseng)
Huang Qin (skullcap)
Da Huang (chinese rubarb root)
Gui Zhi (cinnamon twig)
Fu Ling (poria)
Long Gu (dragon bone aka fossilized bone)
Mu Li (oyster shell)

There are five additional ingredients in this formula that add to Xiao Chai Hu Tang. Da Huang helps to clear heat through the intestine. Gui Zhi works to release the exterior and helps to open the pores, Long Gu and Mu Li anchor the spirit and work with anxiety. Finally Fu Ling transforms dampness and helps with digestive support.

Why would I use Chai Hu Jia Long Mu Li Tang instead of Xiao Chai Hu Tang? The main place is when I have a dog or cat who runs very hot or has a lot of anxiety who fits the pattern of triple burner obstruction. I also use this formula with the two herbal additions of Dang Gui and San Qi for hemangiosarcoma.

Repeating some of the information in my article on Xiao Chai Hu Tang, one of the most researched herbals 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.

In addition to using this formula for cancers, it can also be very helpful for forms of lung disease, some heart disease, anxiety or vomiting that fit with triple burner obstruction symptoms and some autoimmune diseases. Because of the Ren Shen and Gan Cao in this formula it helps to support the adrenals and can be helpful for Addison’s disease or adrenal fatigue and when there is illness with shifting chills and fevers, although usually I use the base formula Xiao Chai Hu Tang for these conditions. It can be helpful for some seizures, back end weakness, incontinence and back pain especially with a lot of heat or anxiety in the front end. Obstructive and inflammatory kidney disease and some liver disease can also be helped and sometimes completely reversed with these two formulas. I have also used it for stomach/intestinal pain and bloat. Although GDV bloat is an emergency and requires immediate medical intervention.

Both Xiao Chai Hu Tang and Chai Hu Jia Long Mu Li Tang are good for disease of unknown origin with shifting symptoms that fit into triple burner obstruction. I often reach for one of these formulas when western medicine can not come up with a good diagnosis. I have called these formulas my “come back from death” formulas because I have had dogs that were clearly spiraling towards death that reversed course and in some cases went on to live many years. These formulas are the closest to a “cure all” I have found but only if the symptoms fit. And they work much better if you can catch symptoms early before an animal is very weak and sick.

This formula is available in my herb shop Kingdom of Basil.

In Chinese medicine we often use a moxa stick for when we need to drive cold out of an area or to improve blood flow. Moxa is a mixture of mugwort and other herbs that are made into a charcoal stick which can be heated and lets off infrared light. Moxa is then used over acupuncture needles or points. Many of my clients have seen me use moxa in the clinic. With our animal friends you need to use caution because you are holding a charcoal hot stick and it is important to not burn our animal friends or set hair on fire.

Many times I want to use moxa treatments more often than I am treating an animal and a good way to have people get a similar action is with an infrared light. These lights can be purchased in the reptile section of pet stores and are usually 50 or 75 watts or from Amazon.com. Never get a bulb over 75 watts as you can easily burn your dog or cat. I have people buy the bulbs and then put the bulb in a clamp lamp. Many people already have a clamp lamp around the house or you can buy one from home depot or the hardware store or more expensive ones at the pet store.

What conditions can infrared light help with?

1. Kidney failure in cats is the number one place I have people use infrared light therapy. I only use infrared light for ischemic kidney failure, not inflammatory kidney failure. Most older cats with kidney failure have the ischemic type. If you are unsure see Kidney Failure in Cat – How Chinese Medicine and Diet Can Help. Infrared light helps to open up blood circulation into the kidneys and wake up kidney cells that are still living but have inadequate blood flow. I have had cats that have reverted back to normal kidney blood work in as little as 2-3 acupuncture and heat treatments. Of course this depends on the cat and how damaged the kidneys are and how long they have been damaged. Most cats love heat therapy!
2. Incontinence in dogs – usually with incontinence I use a combination of infrared therapy, herbs and acupuncture. Heat therapy is however a large part of my treatments especially in young dogs. In Chinese medicine we consider incontinence in young female dogs to be cold that has gotten into the bladder during spay surgery. With acupuncture, herbs and infrared light therapy you are driving that cold out of the body. And yes it does work in about 80% of young dogs who can be gotten off western medication and live out their lives without incontinent issues. In the older dogs incontinence is considered a deficiency of kidney yang or kidney fire. Infrared therapy over the kidney yang points can help to stoke this fire and help them to hold urine. See Incontinence – stoking the blue fire sea serpent.
3. Infrared heat can really help with arthritis support in older dogs and cats. Infrared light therapy helps improve blood circulation, drives out cold and helps with pain control. I use moxa or infrared light over any joints that are sore and often along the back. Infrared heat can also be used over the kidney points to improve energy.

So how do I use infrared heat therapy?

1. 1. Buy a infrared light bulb, 50 or 75 watts. Once again do not use a light over 75 watts!. Use a clamp lamp from the hardware store or the pet store. Here is a link to buy an infrared bulb on Amazon.com. Clamp lamps can also be purchased through Amazon.com.

One of my patients, Lucy, enjoying her infrared light at home

1. I usually have people start out with using the bulb once or twice a week for 5-10 minutes at a time. You can do it daily if your dog or cat likes it. Also if they really like it you can set up a bulb a few feet above your dog or cat’s bed and let them sit under it and “self-medicate”. Never leave the bulb on when you are not home and if you animal can not walk or move do not use this option as it is important that they can move away if they get too hot.
2. When you are using the bulb on your animal, hold the clamp lamp at least a light bulb width away from their body. Move it slowly in figure eights or hold it for 30 seconds or less at a time and then move it slightly to make sure you do not overheat an area. If the bulb is further away this is not as important.
3. For kidney failure or incontinence you want to use the infrared light over the area of the acupuncture point ming men (aka GV4). The best way to find this point is to find the most caudal part of the last rib and then make a perpendicular line to the spine from it and follow it up to the spine. Ming men is the point in the middle of the spine that forms a right angle with the caudal point of the last rib. Here is a photo of a woman touching ming men in a horse, the area of her hand is where you want to focus your heat therapy.
4. For arthritis therapy – use the same technique but work over joints and along the spine. Do not use heat therapy along the thoracic spine because there is a danger of using too much heat over the liver, which does not like to be hot. Do not worry about this if you are letting an animal “self medicate” and the bulb is up higher. I especially like the “self medicate” option for older cats who just love the heat.

A few precautions

• If your animal is prone to seizures do not use infrared heat therapy without directions from a trained veterinarian. Used in the wrong place this treatment can potentially induce seizures in an animal prone to them.
• If your animal has cancer do not use infrared therapy without the direct of a veterinarian. Absolutely never us it over a tumor.
• If your animal gets worse from heat therapy – stop
• If your animal runs very hot, gets overheated easily, or has large inflammed joints check with your veterinarian. This therapy can make these conditions worse if used incorrectly.
• Do not use this therapy when it is very hot outside

I especially like this therapy in the fall and winter when the sessions are changing and that cold wind creeps into the joints of our old cats and dogs.

Jade Wind Screen is one of the most simple yet effective formulas out there. It is made of three simple ingredients and focusing on supporting the protective qi that surround the body. In Chinese medicine, our qi extends out from the lung and surrounds the body. This protective qi helps prevent us from getting infections especially viruses. In western medicine we could consider the strong protective qi to be very similar to having a strong immune system.

This formula is for animals or people who tend to get one infection after another. In people it is used in the fall and winter months to prevent recurrent cold and flu infections. While I have used this formula for acute infections and had it work well, where it works the best is for recurrent infections. In Chinese medicine cold and flu is considered wind that invades the body. If our immune system is strong enough wind can rarely get in and we are not often sick however if we have a weak protective qi wind often gets in and we are chronically sick. This formula works best if used for a period of 3-6 months straight.

On an added note, wind is said to invade through the wind gate of our body which extends from the back of our neck up and over the head to the forehead. Wind is also more common in the windy seasons of fall and spring. One of the best ways to prevent infections is to wear a scarf around your neck, especially on the windy days, and a hat on your head if you don’t have a good protection of hair. So get your scarf out – even if it is still warm out!

One thing I have found over the years is that this formula is also good for animals who are very emotionally sensitive, it not only helps protect the body from external infections but also strong external emotions. The number one place I prescribe this formula is for animals prone to seizures who also are very emotionally sensitive. I have found it can cut down on the number and severity of the seizures, especially in animals who have milder seizures. For animals with full violent grand mals we need something stronger, although I have used this formula as an add on for them as well.

Often times when I am using this formula for infections, Jade Wind Screen becomes part of a larger formula. By itself it works best for animals with chronic viral infections who tend to run cold and have a harder time in the winter and the windy season. The exception is those seizure animals who almost always run hot. This is not a formula I often use for recurrent bacterial infections as it does not have direction anti-bacterial activity in the same way as some of the other herbs I use. This formula is more about strengthening the immune system and pushing out virus infections.

What is in this formula?

This is a formula of three roots

• Huang Qi (astragalus root)
• Bai Zhu (atractylodes root)
• Fang Feng (siler root)

I’m sure you have all heard of astragalus. Astragalus is a strong immune stimulant. In Chinese medicine, it is considered a very powerful qi tonic, especially of the protective qi. Bai Zhu also is a qi tonic and in addition works with digestion to help keep the gut strong and healthy. As many of you know there is a large connection between a healthy gut and a healthy immune system. The last ingredient, Fang Feng, helps to expel wind or in Western medicine we would say drives out the virus or pathogen. Fang Feng is great for not only driving out the wind pathogen but also helping to support the protective qi of the body as it does this.

A pretty cool triad of herbs. Simple yet strong.

Of all the formulas I use this is the one I most often give to friends. I had one friend who had a nasty viral cold which was not going away. She took a couple doses of this formula and it was completely gone. The comment I got was, “that sure tasted nasty, like dirt, but it was amazing how well and fast it worked.” Personally I love the taste of this formula but I also really like the earthiness of Chinese herbs. This one seems to be tolerated quite well in the animals also.

This formula is available in my etsy shop, Kingdom of Basil.

I made this one for my own dog Alli, who is prone to getting itchy especially when she goes to the dog park, eats too many treats, or finds a hot dog bun in the bushes. Most of the time this is fairly under control through her grain free raw diet but occasionally she has a super itchy day. I did get a look from her yesterday when she was eating her food with herbs in it slower than normal, “why you put stinky herbs in my food mom, yuck!?”, so next time I may stick them in gel caps for her.

Xiao Feng San is one of the first formulas that I learned about from my first herbal teacher, Richard Panzer. At first I had a lot of disappointment with the formula. It can be a great formula for itchy dogs however I thought it would be my cure all. Since then I have found that I wasn’t using it in a high enough dose and that it doesn’t work that well for the very bad chronically itchy dog.

Where it does work well is for the dogs that are itchy but their skin is actually in pretty good shape. However they still bite or scratch at themselves like they are being attacked by invisible bugs. Usually the itchiness is shifting, a little itchy on the ear and then the belly and then the side.

Where I have found it doesn’t work well is for those dogs with bad skin infections or inflammations who have thickened skin, oozing sores, and massive hair loss. For those guys you really need to work closely with an herbalist and also focus on nutrition. See Itchy Dogs the link between inflammation and diet. Most of the dogs I work with who have severe skin disease get started on Si Miao San or Qing Ying Tang and often both together. Occasionally I will use Xiao Feng San in combination with these formulas.

So in Chinese medicine shifting itching is said to come from wind that moves through the skin. It is often worse in the windy seasons of fall and spring, which are also our allergen seasons. This formula helps to dispel wind from the body and also has an effect to tonify blood, so there is good blood flow to the skin and decreased inflammation. It also helps to cool down the skin. Wind doesn’t effect an animal without some imbalances or it wouldn’t be able to get inside. Similar to folks with suppressed immune systems being sick more often, animals with deficiencies are more prone to itchiness. By the way there is a great formula for those who always get sick called Jade Wind Screen (more about that later). Additionally Xiao Feng San also has a mild effect in improving leaky gut and helping digestion.

I do have to say this is one of the most beautiful and diverse formulas. Just look at the colors and textures.

So how does this formula work?

First what is in it

Jing Jie (schizonepeta stem)
Fang Feng (siler root)
Niu Bang Zi (greater burdock fruit)
Chan Tui (cicada molt)
Cang Zhu (atractylodes root)
Ku Shen (sophora root)
Shi Gao (gypsum)
Zhi Mu (anemarrhenae rhizome)
Sheng Di Huang (rehmannia root)
Dang Gui (chinese angelica root)
Hei Zhi Ma (black sesame seeds)
Gan Cao (licorice root)
Mu Tong (akebia)

Let’s start with Jing Jie, I love the smell of schizonepeta stem. It also has a lovely green color. With Fang Feng , Niu Bang zi and Chan tui it helps to open the pores and release wind – aka stop itching. Yes you read that right, this formula contains chan tui, the molted exoskeleton of cicada. If there is one thing is my pharmacy that makes people feel like they have walked into a witch’s apothecary it would be the cicada. My son used to like to impress visiting guests by showing them off and often eating one. He learned early on what was ok to eat in my pharmacy. And these little ghosts of insects really do help with itching.

Cang Zhu helps to drain inflammation and support digestion. Ku shen and Mu tong both decrease inflammation and clear heat. Shi gao and Zhi mu take that one step deeper and clear heat at a deeper qi level. In other words they are trying to get rid of the core or root of the heat that causes inflammation and keep it from getting worse.

Sheng Di Huang and Dang Gui help to tonify the blood, increasing blood production in the bone marrow and keeping a healthy blood volume to nourish the skin so that it stays healthy. Hei Zhi Ma aids in this process also keeping the skin moist. Some anti-inflammatory herbs can be drying and these ingredients help to balance that out.

Finally Gan Cao or licorice comes in and to harmonize the other herbs. Gan Cao also supports the adrenal system and removes toxicity in the body.

This formula should never be used in very old or sick animals unless they are under the care of a veterinary herbalist. Available in my etsy shop Kingdom of Basil.

If you have had a dog you have probably had to deal with diarrhea at least once. Dogs love to find things on the side of the road and eat them quickly before we can take them away. Just last night I was fighting Alli over an old hot dog bun she had found in the bushes across from the 7-11. To her it was the greatest delight ever, to me it was a night with an itchy dog.

While Alli tends to get itchy from finding random things to eat, a lot of dogs will get diarrhea. This is not always a bad thing if it only lasts for a day. Diarrhea is the body’s way of getting rid of bad things fast. I always say better out than in. However sometimes the diarrhea continues. This can be a great formula for getting it under control fast. Also see my article Natural solutions to treat acute diarrhea.

So on to one of my favorite herbals, Zhi Xie San is a great anti-diarrhea formula. I learned this one from my wonderful acupuncture teacher, Richard Panzer, and it works like magic in many dogs.

It contains six simple yet effective ingredients
Shan Yao (chinese yam)
Yi Yi Ren (job’s tears)
Ge Gen (kudzu root)
Fu Ling (poria rhizome)
Bai Zhu (atractylodes rhizome)
Mu Xiang (costus root)
Lian Zi (lotus seeds)

Shan Yao is a great anti-diarrhea herb. In addition to this formula I often add a little of this to any formula that is moving if I am using it in a dog prone to diarrhea. Shan Yao is a tonic which helps with digestion, in addition it is a qi tonic and one of the herbs that makes this formula safe to use in older and sicker animals. Bai Zhu is also a qi tonic which helps support digestion and pairs well with chinese yam.

Yi Yi Ren has so many uses, it is good at draining dampness and often used for arthritis and cancer in addition to diarrhea. Ge Gen also has actions to help stop diarrhea and adds in the ability to expel pathogens. Fu Ling is also a great drainer of dampness, in addition its sweet nature helps with digestion.

Mu Xiang helps with food stagnation and treats pain in the gut. It helps relieve straining in the intestine and helps to regulate the other herbs in this formula. It makes sure that the other herbs which drain dampness do not hurt digestion of lead to stagnation in the gut.

Last is lotus seeds, these are often used in malas but they also have uses in herbal medicine. Lotus seeds help to support the digestion of the body and stop diarrhea. They also can help with anxiety and calm the spirit of the heart. They are said to lighten the body and slow aging. Not a bad addition.

This formula has a wonderful almost white color and it is light and soft to the touch. It feels to me like it could work as a sponge to soak up liquid and in fact that is what it does in the body. It is a great alternative to kaopectate or peptobismol.

I have used this formula in a number of animals however I do not use it if there is a lot of blood in the diarrhea or if there are know parasites. In many chronic inflammatory bowel disease cases this formula can help but often I use different formulas depending on how animals present.

Now available in my etsy shop Kingdom of Basil.

Today I did a refill of a custom formula for a beautiful yellow lab named Mali who I have been working with for almost five years now. Mali had both ankle surgery and a fracture of her front leg when she was younger and has some arthritis issues secondary to that. She is now 10 years old and slowing down a little. In addition, like most labs she is prone to inflammation both in her skin and joints. About a year ago her people switched her to raw food and that has really helped with the inflammation.

Arthritis in Chinese medicine is considered a combination of damp, wind and usually cold that has gotten in the joints. Do you notice that people and animals with joint issues are often times worse when it rains or in the cold of winter?

In addition there can be a blockage of blood flow to the joints which increases pain and leads to further degeneration because there is not enough blood flow to repair damage. With herbs we attempt to address all this, decrease pain and promote healing. Most of my dogs with arthritis are also on an acupuncture protocol. The herbs support this and make it so my acupuncture treatments hold longer.

Mali’s formula contains:
Bai Shao
Dang Gui
Yi Yi Ren
Yan Hu Suo
Du Huo
Gui Zhi
Chuan Xiong
Hong Hua
Du Zhong
Cang Zhu
Huai Niu Xi

Bai Shao, peony root and Dang Gui, angelica root, are a great combo for any animal with arthritis. They both work with blood to increase blood flow into the joints, and have a secondary ability to help with pain. In this case I also add in Chuan Xiong to help with increased blood production and flow. Many animals I will also add Rehmannia or Shou Di Huang. In Mali’s case because she is prone to inflammation I leave it out.

Yan Hu Suo or corydalis is a wonderful blood mover which helps with pain.

Yi Yi Ren (job’s tears), Cang Zhu (Atractylodes), and Huai Niu Xi(Achyranthes Root) all help with inflammation and dampness both directly and in the case of Cang Zhu by also helping digestion. They help to pull inflammation out of the joints.

Gui Zhi(cinnamon twig) and Du Huo (a different angelica root) help to release wind from the joints. These two also help with joint issues and pain. Du Huo helps support tendons and has a very strong smell that some people do not like.

Hong Hua, safflower flowers, I add in to invigorate the blood, to help with her vitality and make sure the blood flows smoothly in her body.

My final ingredient is Du Zhong, eucommia bark, which is a yang tonic but also helps support tendons to keep them elastic and flexible. If you look at the bark it is held together by what looks like stretchy elastic. I love when function can be seen in an herb.

This is one of two formulas Mali is on, the other being a qi tonic which helps prevent stagnation in her middle. The pair of the two work well together because qi moves blood. If you are using a blood tonic and feel like it is not working as well as you would like often times pairing with a qi tonic or moving the middle with something that works with triple burner obstruction will make a large difference. In Mali’s case we are using a modification of Xiao Chai Hu Tang as her second formula.

Many animals with cancer go under surgery to remove the primary tumor or as much of it as possible. Sometimes this is a fairly simple procedure if it is a small skin cancer which is being removed however in other cases surgery can involve removal or internal organs and can be much more extensive.

Even with the simple surgeries, surgery and anesthesia are hard on our animal friends. This is often even more difficult with cancer because most of these animals are already older. But there are things you can do to help them recover faster and more comfortably.

This article is written for my cancer book but also applies to any animals undergoing surgery or anesthesia.

As always, check with your veterinarian before using any supplements.

1. Arnica
   Arnica is a homeopathic remedy which helps with bruising and trauma. Over the years I have been amazed and impressed at how much difference this very safe remedy can make in healing. I have seen incisions heal in half the time and dogs have very little bruising and swelling in situations you would normally expect to see it.

   I always recommend Arnica for all my animal patients who have to undergo surgery or any other procedure that there will be tissue or bone trauma. Because it is a homeopathic remedy it is very safe ever for old and debilitated animals.

   I use the Arnica 30c pellets and dose them at 2-5 pellets (usually 2 for cats/small dogs and 5 for large dogs) the morning of surgery, the evening after surgery, and then three times a day for three days. Because the pellets are so small they can safely be given the morning of surgery.

   Arnica can be bought at most health and supplement stores and online, click on Arnica above to go to the Amazon.com page.

2. Acupuncture
   I highly recommend an acupuncture treatment right after surgery or anesthesia. Acupuncture can help with clearing anesthesia from an animal’s system and decrease the chance of them having a hard recovery. Acupuncture can also help ease pain and speed healing.

   If possible acupuncture can be performed the day of surgery after an animal has woken up. Many times this is not possible because of the hours acupuncturists work and I end up treating most animals the day after surgery.

   Acupuncture can also help dogs and cats who have had bad recoveries to anesthesia in the past and and make it possible to perform dentals or surgeries on these sensitive animals.



3. Yunnan Baiyao
   While I don’t recommend Yunnan Baiyao (also called Yunnan Paiyao) for all animals undergoing surgery or anesthesia, it is still one of my most important herbal formulas. I mainly use it in any procedure or surgery where there is a concern about bleeding. This includes many tumor removal and abdominal surgeries. I have seen this wonderful herbal formula save animal’s lives before.

   Please see my article, A Magic Vial of Yunnan Baiyao and the wikipedia article.

   I usually dose Yunnan Baiyao at one capsule twice a day for a few days before and after surgery for your average sized dog. Cats and small dogs, I use the powder and put about a 1/8 of a teaspoon in their food twice a day. I reserve the red emergency pill for when an animal is already actively bleeding or when there is a very great risk of a bleed out during surgery.

   Yunnan Baiyao can be bought in most international districts and by clicking on Yunnan Baiyao above to go to the Amazon.com page.

4. Reiki
   If one of my animals need to undergo surgery I always give them a reiki session before to get them into a good place for surgery. I usually work with a local practitioner, Rose DeDan, who also does animal communication. She is able to help explain what is going to happen and put their body in the best possible place for surgery and/or anesthesia.
5. Pain medication
   Enough can not be said about pain medication. Make sure your veterinarian gives your animal pain medication before surgery and sends you home with something you can give at home. Nothing is worse then seeing our animals in pain and not being able to do anything about it. Pain medication is a most for all surgeries
6. Companionship and love!
   You are the safest person to your animal. They want to be with you after surgery and they want to feel loved and cared for. If possible consider taking a day off work after their surgery or plan your animal’s surgery or procedure on a Friday when you can be home with their afterwards..



7. Somewhere healing to recover
   It is so important to have somewhere safe, quiet, warm and soft to recover after surgery. Anesthesia can make the senses more sensitive and many animals get headaches coming out of surgery. Often times the drugs used also make our animal friends disoriented. Make sure that there is no access to stairs and nothing to fall off of. Keeping lights dim and sound to a minimum also helps. Sometimes classical music played softly will help relax our friends. If you have a highly stressed animal consider using a lavendar spray product in the environment or a pheramone spray such as Feliway for cats and D.A.P. Dog Appeasing Pheromone Spray for dogs
8. Bach Rescue Remedy
   This product is a very mild flower essence that can help with the stress of recovery. It is very safe and gentle. Often times we human caretakers can also use a littlePut a few drops in your animal friend’s drinking water, on their lips or on the inside of their ear.The pet or human rescue remedy tinctures can be used. Do not use the pastilles as they contain xylitol which is toxic to dogs.

I hope these simple suggestions are helpful! I know they have helped many of the animals I work with and my own beloved animal companions.

Return to Integrative and Holistic Methods of treating cancer.

Today I am starting a new feature called, What I Made Today, to showcase some of the herbs I work with and talk about the process of being a Chinese herbalist.

Today I made a very cool little formula from Jeremy Ross called Astragalus 1. If you don’t know about Jeremy, he is an English human herbalist who worked with western herbs using Chinese theory and if you get a chance to take a class from him when he is visiting, go for it! He’s a great teacher and a funny guy and he is very supportive of having about half of his classes be full of holistic vets.

If I have to be truthful, what keeps me from diving into western herbs more is that I love the Chinese way of working with herbs. There is much more synergy between the herbs in Chinese medicine and it is more like making a lovely healing stew of herbs than just adding a bunch of herbs together. It is more about how they mingle with each other.

So I have started to work with some of Jeremy’s formulas and have added about thirty western herbs to my collection. Still a lot of roots like is Chinese medicine but the western herbs seem lighter to me.

Astragalus 1 is a formula for animals or people who have had recurrent infections and been on multiple antibiotics. It not only helps to fight the infection and get rid of the pathogen but it also boosts the immune system and heals and supports the gastrointestinal system. Antibiotics can cause a lot of damage to the gut especially if used long term and that can lead to not just gastrointestinal issues but also other immune system problems such as allergies, inflammation, and weakened immune function. This is also a very safe formula and can be used in cats and dogs.

So what is in this formula?

• As you might have guessed from the name, Astragalus is the main ingredient. Astragalus’ main function is to strengthen the immune system. Being a tonic, it can also help with fatigue and mental function. Astragalus is what gives this formula its main boost.
• Licorice is added into this formula to support the adrenal glands and sooth the digestive tract. I could write a whole article about the benefits of licorice but I’ll stop with these two main functions. In Chinese medicine licorice also helps the other herbs to work together with each other.
• Next is the pair of Echinacea and Goldenseal. These two herbs are strongly anti-microbial. Goldenseal because of its bitter nature helps with digestion and can sooth and help heal gastrointestinal irritation. Echinachea is not only anti-microbial but also anti-viral,is an immune stimulant, and is an anti-inflammatory. I use a combination of Echinachea purpurea which works more with the immune system and Echinachea angustifolia which is more anti-inflammatory. These two herbs take the above tonics and add to them to expel pathogens and reduce inflammation that may be blocking the way.
• To this is added the pair of Gentiana and Agrimonia which are both bitter digestive tonics and help to repair the gastrointestinal system and leaky gut.
• Fenugreek is included in this formula for its anti-inflammatory actions and its ability to help with gut pain. It is also considered a digestive tonic and adds a little warmth to the digestion.
• Last but not least is ginger. Ginger is a wonderful digestive tonic and soothes the gut. It also has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. It is anti-inflammatory and it helps to move the other herbs into the gastrointestinal system.

So to sum up in simple terms
Astragalus boosts the body and immune system
Echinachea and Goldenseal expel pathogens and clean up the inflammation that is blocking the way
Gentiana and Agrimonia heal the gut and use their bitter properties to stimulate digestion
Fenugreek comes in and gives digestion a warm spark to start up again
Ginger cleans up any infection that is left and continues to warm and move the gut properly
and Licorice makes everything work better together and makes sure the adrenals are functioning and the animal/person has normal energy

Cool little formula!

Look at the great yellow color when it is ground. Many yellow herbs contain berberine which is highly anti-inflammatory and helps kills bacteria and viruses. In this formula the goldenseal is which herb is berberine rich and responsible for the yellow color. In the Pacific Northwest Oregon Grape is a good and plentiful substitute. This is especially important as wild goldenseal is now under CITES regulation and has become an endangered species because of over harvest.

By the way if you want this formula you can special request it on my etsy store Kingdom of Basil.

Note:This article is about hemangiosarcoma of the spleen and abdomen. For information about hemangiosarcoma of the heart click here.

I have to say I always have considered hemangiosarcoma the hardest cancer to work with. It is highly aggressive, it can rapidly progress to the point where it causes sudden bleeding and death, and it is not very responsive to herbs or chemotherapy. After a few really hard to treat cases who died long before I wanted them to, I felt like giving up.

Recently I attended a lecture by Dr. Steve Marsden, one of my favorite herbalists, and my whole view on hemangiosarcoma changed. He has a new protocol that he is using for hemangiosarcoma and it is working in some animals. It is not a cure all but it makes it so some of these guys have really good quality of life, live longer and are far less likely to bleed out, even if you leave the primary tumor alone.

The first dog who I got to treat with this protocol just passed away when I first wrote this article, and while I will really miss his wonderful happy golden retriever love of life, I am so happy we were able to make his final months better.

Wilbur was rescued by a local massage therapist I work with when he had active end stage hemangiosarcoma. She was told we would be very lucky if we got a month, most likely we would only get a couple weeks. He made it over three months from that end stage point, without any surgery and he was happy and active up until the very end.

In the past I feel like I was lucky if I could get over three months with early diagnosed hemangiosarcoma even if we did surgery to remove the spleen. That is how aggressive this cancer is. And from my experience there is not a good western option for treating it.

Since writing this article, I have since seen mixed results. I still have dogs who only get three months and because of herbal supply issues I’ve had to change my protocol

Steve has taken dogs over a year with his protocol even without surgery and that is very impressive. I have not had a dog I’ve been able to take over a year in my practice yet. I hope I will someday! I do have a cat who is three years out from hemangiosarcoma diagnosis without tumor removal and happy and healthy (as of 7/2017). She is also 18 years old!

So how do we treat this?

I am going to stop here and say you need a holistic vet on board. I use Vit A/D at a dose that can cause kidney failure if not used correctly. This needs to be used under the management of a veterinarian. But first…

To remove the spleen or not to remove the spleen.
I always, always pushed spleen removal in the past because I found most dogs did not make it past a month if you didn’t. The tumors would rupture and they would bleed out and die. Many made it much less time. My thoughts are changing on that a bit because of Wilbur and having a protocol which actually seems to prevent bleed outs. I would still say that in a healthy dog where it appears the bulk of the cancer is in the spleen, that spleen removal is the way to go. However in the very old, the very debilitated, or in those that have cancer in multiple organs I am starting to lean against it. This is of course going to be something to discuss with your vet and any other caregivers involved in your dog’s life.

Here is the protocol I use. Thank you Steve Marsden!

1. Acupuncture – every two weeks or more often. This keeps everything moving, helps with discomfort, slows down the cancer and boosts the immune system.
2. A cancer diet – See Diets for cancer in cats and dogs
3. Yunnan Baiyao – not only does it control bleeding but also seems to slow this cancer down. I double the dose for dogs with hemangiosarcoma
4. Chai Hu Jia Long Mu Li Tang or the root formula Xiao Chai Hu Tang which I use quite often for cancer. I use Chai Hu Jia Long Mu Li Tang for animals who run very hot and Xiao Chai Hu Tang for the majority of dogs.
5. IP6 – this supplement is important in stimulating the immune system’s natural killer cells to destroy cancer tissue. It is an antioxidant and has effects in inhibiting cancer cell growth and division. Not much research has been done in humans with this supplement but a lot of cancer studies have been done in animals.
   I dose dogs at 800-1600mg twice a day when I use this supplement.
6. Turkey Tail or I’m Yunity mushroom supplements have been show to increase survival times in dogs with hemangiosarcoma. I use Turkey Tail but the studies were done on I’m Yunnity’s product. I find I’m Yunnity is about 3-4 times the price of the best Turkey Tail you can buy.

More then any other cancer I work with I think this is the most important one to make sure you have a good holistic vet on board. I know, I know I have said that a few times already. Please see my article How to find a good holistic vet.

So how do we prevent this cancer? I don’t know that we know for sure. There is definitely a breed/genetic componant especially in golden retrievers. I urge my clients with golden retrievers to follow cancer prevention tips in How to Prevent Cancer. I also have had my golden retriever dog parents adding in 1/4 teaspoon of an herb called Red Root once a day. This herb helps with splenic congestion and lymph node drainage. It makes sense to me that it might help prevent this cancer but only time will tell.

As with all articles on this blog please check with your animal’s veterinarian before making any changes in their care or adding any supplements or herbals.

Back to Integrative and Holistic Treatments for Cancer in Cats and Dogs.

This article is dedicated to beautiful Wilbur – may you be young and free of cancer where you are now.