A Path With Paws

If you do a search of Medline, you will not find one study that shows that anti-oxidants or herbs have a negative effect on outcomes of people or animals with cancer who are getting chemotherapy drugs. Even though most oncologists recommend that you do not use anti-oxidants or herbs when an animal is undergoing chemotherapy, there are no studies to support this.

However there are studies that show the opposite. They show longer survival, less toxicity, better quality of life, improved blood work values (such as increases in white and red blood cells) and longer tumor remission with herbal and anti-oxidant treatments.

So why are oncologists so against anti-oxidants and herbs?

These supplements support the body, they keep cells strong, they prevent oxidative stresses, they help with blood flow and blood supply to cells, the very things that chemotherapy doesn’t want when it destroys cancer cells. What many oncologists don’t realize is that cancer cells are very different than normal cells when it comes to natural supplements/herbals.

Cancer cells don’t rely on the things normal cells do. For example many cancer cells live in an oxygen-deprived environment that would kill normal cells yet cancer cells can thrive in such a state. See Oxygen deprivation in cancer cells leads to growth and metastasis. Anti-oxidants don’t appear to protect cancer cells from oxidative stresses. What makes a normal cell strong does not make a cancer cell strong. In fact if we keep the normal cells of the body strong they can help fight the cancer.

With chemotherapy, we are poisoning the body with chemicals that destroy rapidly dividing cells, and cancer cells are very rapidly dividing and reproducing. Unfortunately we also kill off rapidly dividing normal cells such as the lining of the gut and red blood cells and immune system cells (white blood cells). Herbs, supplements and acupuncture can help support normal cells while making it harder for cancer cells to survive. This increases chemotherapy’s effect while decreasing its side effects.

I often use anti-oxidants and herbs with animals undergoing chemotherapy and find that it improves longevity and helps reduce side effects. In addition I love to get these animals on a good acupuncture schedule, as acupuncture is amazing at helping the body during chemotherapy.

Here is a short list of my favorite supplements and herbals to use during chemotherapy. There are many more out there but I think these are the best.

• First I just have to mention acupuncture – I have had a number of dogs through the years who had to stop chemo because of side effects or low blood cell counts. After one or two acupuncture treatments almost all these dogs were able to continue with chemo. I love that acupuncture is very non-evasive and has many other actions to help animals with cancer. Also see Acupuncture for animals with cancer.
• Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang – every dog I treat who is undergoing chemotherapy is on this formula. Click on the name to read more about it. I can’t say enough about this formula. Now available through my etsy store Kingdom of Basil.
• IP6- Inositol Hexaphosphate also known as IP6 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. IP6 has been shown to enhance chemotherapy’s effect. IP6 can be bought off Amazon.com or at your local supplement store.
  I dose cats at 400mg two times a day and dogs 800-1600mg twice a day when I use this supplement.



• Milk Thistle – prevents oxidative damage to normal cells and helps to support the liver in detoxification of chemotherapy drugs. There are studies that show that Milk Thistle not only protects normal cells but also enhances the outcomes of chemotherapy drugs, i.e. it helps them work better and kill cancer cells more effectively. See National Cancer Institute’s Page on Milk Thistle and Sloan Kettering Cancer Center article on Milk Thistle.
• Coenzyme Q10 – prevents cardio toxicity of doxorubicin without reducing its effectiveness. In addition it is a good anti-oxidant, stimulates the immune system and has its own anti-cancer activities. I almost always use this supplement with doxorubicin. I dose Coenzyme Q10 at 200mg per day for dogs and 50mg per day for cats. Coenzyme Q10 can be buy off of Amazon.com or at your local supplement or natural food store.
• Medical mushrooms such as shitake, maitake, reishi, turkey tail and/or cordyceps help to enhance the immune system and have strong anti-cancer activity. There are many good products out there. I like the MUSH mushroom blend for pets. If you are cooking up mushrooms as part of a homemade diet check out Fungusamongus. Human mushrooms supplements can also be given. I recommend at least 500mg of mushrooms be given daily for every 50lb of cat or dog. More is fine.
• Fish Oil supplements – help with cancer cachexia and weight loss and help to support the body through anti-oxidant activity. I like the Nordic Naturals – Pet Cod Liver Oil.
• Food therapy – add in anti-oxidants such as berries, green veggies and sweet potato which are high in vitamin A, medical mushrooms with anti-cancer properties and liver which is high in vit A and iron. See Diets for cancer in cats and dogs – you are what you eat a fighting cancer machine.
• Work with herbals that fight against cancer so that it is not just the chemotherapy at work. I often include artemisinin, Xiao Chai Hu Tang or Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang in my protocol for animals getting chemotherapy. I rarely if ever use something very strong which can be toxic like Hoxsey with chemotherapy, although will use it after chemotherapy is over if it fits the cancer. If I am working with a cancer where Hoxsey is a good fit I often use Si Miao San. Use what fits your animal best. This is a very good place to get your holistic vet on board.

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

Back to Integrative and holistic methods for treating cancer in dogs and cats

The nature of loving our animal companions is that at one point they will leave us. We are blessed with their presence in our lives but they are not blessed with long life like us humans.

Knowing that our animal companions will most likely die while we are still living, means that there will be something that takes them, whether cancer or old age or other diseases.

This does not mean we do not try our best to support them in illness or to treat the diseases that come along that we can. We are given medicine for a reason.

What it does mean is sometimes we need to reach a point of acceptance and do what we must out of love for them and not because we cannot bear to be on this earth without them.

True love sometimes means letting our loved ones die with dignity. It means not doing treatments that cause suffering if there is little hope attached to them.

With cats who live to be independent this is most clear. They often reach a point where they do not want intervention. With dogs who live to please us the line is often blurred.

So what does this mean?

If your dog loves the pizza crusts more than anything in the world and you want to put them on a grain free diet for cancer, allow an occasional pizza crust

If chemotherapy is making your dog or cat sick over and over again unless the good it is doing outweighs the odds it may not be worth continuing.

If you cat is already twenty years old, doing an invasive surgery may not be the best option.

If you can’t afford to pay for treatments without working a second job, think about if the time away from your animal companion is worth it.

If your dog hates acupuncture and shakes in the waiting room, it may be kinder to let them live out their last days at home.

If your cat runs from you every time you give meds, are they really worth giving (I make an exception to pain meds in a painful animal here).

Use your wisdom, find help from either local or online support groups and/or your veterinarian in helping make a decision of what is too much and what is most helpful.

Be kind to yourself, there is not just one right decision.

Do not give up hope but also do not allow suffering. Lead with your heart and your love.

Back to Integrative and Holistic Methods of Cancer Care

It’s sad to see our animal companions no longer be able to do the things they once could do as they age and grow older. All older animals have some amount of arthritis although some have many more problems with it.

Unfortunately, Western medicine has very few options for treating arthritis and uses mostly drugs, to cover the pain. Some animals are not able to tolerate these drugs and many times animals are on three different drugs and it still isn’t enough.

In some animals arthritis manifests as weakness caused by the inflammation pushes on the nerves. Many dogs walk around like their feet are asleep, tripping over things, stumbling and no longer having the strength to jump into the car or onto the bed. Unfortunately because they can no longer walk as far or do as much as they used to, their muscles start to atrophy or waste away, causing a vicious cycle. As the weakness increased, they do less, which causes more atrophy from disuse, leading to more weakness and more atrophy and less activity. In the end many of these animals can no longer get up on their own or even take a short walk.

In other animals arthritis will manifest as pain, which can also prevent movement and cause the weakness/atrophy cycle. Many of these animals will become moody and withdrawn and may even snap and bite at their people out of fear of pain. It is so hard to see our friends have so much pain that they no longer want our affection.

In most animals there is a combination of pain and weakness.

Usually dogs suffer more than cats because they carry more weight and are used to daily activity. Also people often don’t notice that their cats are painful because they spend so much time sitting and sleeping

So what do we do for our friends to help them live out their old years happy and pain free?

• Acupuncture Being an acupuncturist, I always recommend acupuncture first. Of course this is also because I have seen how well it works in the animals I treat. I often find that if I can work with animals when they first have problems, they do so well we only need to treat them every one to three months. Unfortunately most of the animals I see have had problems for a while and their people only learned about acupuncture when they had tried everything that western medicine had to offer. In these animals acupuncture can still work and work well but usually treatments need to be closer together.

  It is so nice to see these animals happy and able to enjoy life again!



• Hydrotherapy is a great option especially in dogs who have muscle atrophy. Unfortunately it cannot be done with cats although Sheila Wells at Wellspings has told me they have worked with rabbits before. Hydrotherapy is done in a small swimming pool and involves massage and physical therapy in the water. I have seen excellent results with hydrotherapy especially combined with acupuncture. Hydrotherapy helps to rebuild muscles, increase range of motion and work out sore and sensitive areas of the body without the impact on the body of exercise on land. My favorite pool is Wellsprings in Seattle Washington. They have a great website with lots of information and photos that I love to refer people to. Click on the link to check it out!



• Herbs
  I have worked with Chinese herbs with many of these arthritic dogs and some cats. The combination of acupuncture and herbs usually helps with pain and movement and helps animals maintain between treatments. Some animals do not do well on Chinese herbs and it is important to work with an herbal practitioner to find the right combination to help your particular animals. I rarely use Chinese herbs in cats because they hate to be medicated and will not often eat herbs in food. I sell an old dog herbal formula called Old Dog Winter Support through my etsy shop that helps with arthritis pain and improves blood circulation into the joints. There are also commercial products available, my favorite is DGP (Dog Gone Pain).



• Fish oil/ Omega oils
  The Omega 3 Fatty Acids in fish and cod liver oil actually helps decrease arthritic inflammation in dogs (not true for cats although it helps with other things). Adding a little fish oil to the diet can help many animals.My favorite brand is Nordic Naturals – Pet Cod Liver Oil . Nordic Naturals is one of the best brands for quality and they test for heavy metals and contaminants.
• Glucosamine/MSM/chondroitin
  These supplements help to decrease inflammation and rebuild damaged cartilage. They are often sold in combination. The nice thing about these supplements is that they have few side effects and are very safe. Some animals have a wonderful response to them and some have almost no response. It usually takes a month to six weeks to see if your animal will have a positive response. Adequan, similar to glucosamine is also available in an injectable form and works better in some animals. It is also a lot easier to give to cats who are hard to medicate daily. After the initial series of injections it usually only needs to be given once a month. My favorite is Sea Mobility Beef Joint Rescue jerk treats, they work well and are very tasty.

Infra-red light therapy – Infrared light helps ease the pain of arthritis in joints and increase blood circulation to the area. It is very cheap to do and can be done at home. See my article Infrared Light Therapy for kidney failure, incontinence and arthritis.
Chiropractics
Many animals have subluxations of their spine especially as they age. A good chiropractor can often help with mobility and pain. I have found that chiropractic adjustments work best in animals with a very tight back and more pain then weakness. For my own cat, chiropractic adjustments have worked better than anything else we have tried and have made his life much better. Make sure you find a chiropractor who is used to working with animals and knows animal anatomy.
• Massage/Acupressure
  Massage can help to loosen tight muscles and increase blood circulation. It also can help with pain.We know it works for us, why not for our animal friends. Once again make sure you find a massage practitioner who is certified to work with animals.

  Acupressure works with the acupuncture points and helps decrease pain and relax muscles.

  There are many great books on acupressure and massage for animals. Here are a few
  The Well-Connected Dog: A Guide to Canine Acupressure
  Acu-Cat: A Guide to Feline Acupressure
  The Healing Touch for Dogs: The Proven Massage Program for Dogs, Revised Edition
  The Healing Touch for Cats: The Proven Massage Program for Cats, Revised Edition
  Four Paws Five Directions: A Guide to Chinese Medicine for Cats and Dogs



• Reiki/Bowen/Polarity/Craniosacral and other energy therapies These therapies help stimulate the body to heal and can decrease pain and improve quality of life. Since there is little regulation of these therapies it is important to get a referral before seeing someone. This is especially true of Reiki since there are so many people who practice it. A good practitioner can make a huge difference in an animal’s quality of life.

It is better to do one thing and stick with it than to jump around between therapies. Often times animals will began with me doing acupuncture and herbs and then we will add in other therapies as needed. If I can’t help an animal with acupuncture I will refer them to another practitioner to try something else. Don’t make too many changes all at once in an old animal’s life. Go slowly instead.

Exciting news this week!

The University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School just released a study showing that the Turkey Tail mushroom extract, PSP, significantly increased survival of dogs with hemangiosarcoma. Compound Derived Mushroom Lengthens Survival Time in Dogs with Cancer.

This study showed that at a very high dose of this compound (100mg/kg/day), average survival in dogs with hemangiosarcoma was 199 days. This is about twice the survival of doing nothing and better than any chemotherapy survival times that I have seen.

However I am cautiously optimistic. This study was funded by the herbal company, Imyunity that makes this very expensive compound. While I know that most studies are funded by drug/compound companies, I always hesitate when viewing the results because I believe the results can be biased.

I also wonder if these studies are reproducible with other cheaper PSP compounds like this one Coriolus-PSP or with whole turkey tail mushrooms.

At this point I am excited to add Turkey Tail into my existing protocol and see what happens. I see no down side beyond cost and I do plan to use the cheaper supplements.

I have a lot of faith in Steve Marsden’s protocol that I have started using and am excited to see if the addition of Turkey Tail helps some of these dogs even more. See The hardest cancer – how to treat hemangiosarcoma in Dogs.

If you are wanting to work with it yourself, the recommended dose would be about 2.4g per 50lb of dog or 6 400mg capsules a day.

Here is a good company if you want to work with the whole mushroom. Mushroom Harvest sells Turkey Tail in both capsules and powder form.

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.

Alli received a new collar and leash in the mail yesterday. After much looking around Adam and I found one we both liked. We started with him wanting a black collar and me wanting a lavender collar with stars or flowers. This one seems to have a bit of a modern art theme with some lavender and purple. Not to feminine, not too masculine, but instead just right.

We found this one in a shop on etsy called 3 pooches. They have an amazing selection of beautiful collars, all made to order. I am very happy with the quality and Alli seems pleased as well. She was holding her head high at the dog park yesterday and turning heads. It took a couple weeks but well worth it to get just what we wanted.

I have long been a fan of etsy but now after having my own shop Kingdom of Basil, I’ve made ever more of an effect to support some of the other artists that are part of this community.

To me etsy feels a bit like an online craft fair. If you haven’t visited please come by and take a look! I’ve bought some amazing original homemade clothing for humans also.