Dr. Shana Buchanan, MBA, Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Certified in Veterinary Chiropractic, Veterinary Food Therapist, Certified in Chinese Veterinary Herbs
Pet "P" is a seven-year-old male neutered Labrador retriever weighing 75 lbs (34 kg). Pet "P" presented in August for a 36 hour hacking, nonproductive cough. The previous week Pet "P" was in play-care at a local facility. No other abnormalities were noted by the owner. Physical examination revealed a normal, rectal temperature of 101.2 F, neither crackles nor wheezes upon lung auscultation were noted, no murmurs were ausculted, and upper respiratory stridor was present. The Western diagnosis was an infectious tracheobronchitis due to the fact that Kennel Cough and the Canine Flu are prevalent in this area. Additionally, laryngeal paralysis was diagnosed. The treatment of choice for any upper respiratory infections is a three week course of 10mg/kg of oral Doxycycline once daily. This will ensure that a respiratory infection is cleared, and if any residual cough lasts longer than the three week antibiotic treatment, a cardiovascular problem is considered and explored. Additionally, a tapering dose of Temaril-P was prescribed. Temaril-P is a dual anti-histamine and steroid medication that can be given to pets suffering from bronchitis of any origin and associated coughing. Since the pet was prescribed a three week course of oral antibiotics, Purina’s pro-biotic, Fortiflora, was dispensed to prevent antibiotic induced diarrhea. A three week recheck was scheduled but was not followed through by the owner.
Pet "P" is a seven-year-old male neutered Labrador retriever weighing 75 lbs (34 kg). Pet "P" presented in August for a 36 hour hacking, nonproductive cough. The previous week Pet "P" was in play-care at a local facility. No other abnormalities were noted by the owner. Physical examination revealed a normal, rectal temperature of 101.2 F, neither crackles nor wheezes upon lung auscultation were noted, no murmurs were ausculted, and upper respiratory stridor was present. The Western diagnosis was an infectious tracheobronchitis due to the fact that Kennel Cough and the Canine Flu are prevalent in this area. Additionally, laryngeal paralysis was diagnosed. The treatment of choice for any upper respiratory infections is a three week course of 10mg/kg of oral Doxycycline once daily. This will ensure that a respiratory infection is cleared, and if any residual cough lasts longer than the three week antibiotic treatment, a cardiovascular problem is considered and explored. Additionally, a tapering dose of Temaril-P was prescribed. Temaril-P is a dual anti-histamine and steroid medication that can be given to pets suffering from bronchitis of any origin and associated coughing. Since the pet was prescribed a three week course of oral antibiotics, Purina’s pro-biotic, Fortiflora, was dispensed to prevent antibiotic induced diarrhea. A three week recheck was scheduled but was not followed through by the owner.
A TCM exam was performed alongside the Western examination. Pet "P's" personality has always been a very loving and happy dog that tends to be a little overweight. Pet "P" is the typical Earth personality. Pulses on Bob were bounding and the tongue was a dry, red-lavender/purple color. Pet "P" also had a dull, flaky fur coat. Pet "P" suffered from Blood Stagnation and heat from the bronchitis, Qi Stagnation from the laryngeal paralysis, and Blood Deficiency resulting in a dull fur coat. The bounding pulses can be explained by the infectious tracheobronchitis that was producing heat. The dry, red-lavender/purple tongue can be attributed to the bronchitis producing heat that resulted in the red color, the stagnation causing the stridor that resulted in the lavender/purple color and the pet’s diet of dry food that caused heat and dryness. Dry food kibble weakens the SP Qi, and since Bob is an Earth dog, his SP Qi is easily damaged. Subsequently, Pet "P" exhibited signs of Blood Deficiency due to his dull, flaky fur coat. As a result of Blood Deficiency, Pet "P's" propensity to develop heat from Blood Stasis is amplified. The infectious tracheobronchitis that Pet "P" easily contracted was a result of a Yang Ming and Shao Yang invasion as a consequence of the life-long poor diet that damaged the spleen’s ability to produce blood and Qi to protect the Tai yang level.
The herbal treatment of choice was Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang (ZFZYT) since the pet had blood deficiency and blood stasis in the upper burner. XFZYT not only eliminates stagnation in the upper burner but also nourishes blood which is one of the reasons why this patient contracted the infection. The SP Qi damage was off-set by a home-cooked diet rich in blood tonics, such as liver, and easily digestible fruits and vegetables that prevented damp and phlegm accumulation.
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