Surgery, How Acupuncture Can Help Dogs & Cats

Many families are afraid that their dogs and cats experience negative effects from anesthesia & surgery. While anesthetics and surgical procedures can be hard on pets, there is a lot we can do to help pets breeze through procedure, including acupuncture.

Recently, researchers from the Dept of Surgery UFC in Ceara, Brazil, showed that electroacupuncture of two points, ST 36 and CV 12, reduced oxidative stress in the liver & kidney of anesthetized rats. Dogs & cats are likely to have the same benefit as the rats showed.

How Acupuncture Helped Reduce Harm of Anesthesia
During surgery, the liver and kidney work very hard to change the anesthetic drugs. First, the liver metabolizes the drugs into less harmful products, then the kidneys excrete the drug metabolites in the urine. As the liver and kidney work, they build up free radicals, and the free radicals can harm the liver and kidneys. In addition to being harmed by free radicals, low blood flow through the organs of hypotensive anesthetized dogs & cats pets also increases free radicals.

What Are Free Radicals?
Free radicals are tiny electron swords that tear holes in DNA and molecules within the cell. With enough damage, the cell can no longer work, and cell by cell, the organ dies.

Controlling Free Radical Damage
The body has several mechanisms for controlling free radicals including glutathione (GSH). In this study, researchers were able to measure the activity of GSH, and of other enzymes (G6PDH). They found that the liver and kidneys of rats receiving acupuncture had reduced oxidative stress and free radical formation than rats not receiving acupuncture.

How Can You Help Your Pet?
If your pet is scheduled for anesthesia or surgery, request electroacupuncture of CV 12 & ST 36 at 10 Hz and 10 mA for 30 minutes during the surgery. Acupuncture is safe and won’t interfere with any drugs your pet is taking. The use of other acupuncture points can also help your pet experience less pain.

Research Publication
This research was published in Acta Cir Bras. 2011;26 Suppl 1:47-52. Electro-AP stimulation using different frequencies (10 and 100 Hz) changes the energy metabolism in induced hyperglycemic rats. Figueiredo LM, Silva AH, Prado Neto AX, Hissa MN, Vasconcelos PR, Guimarães SB. Dept of Surgery, UFC, Ceara, Brazil.

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Diabetes, How Acupuncture Can Help Dogs & Cats

Diabetes in Dogs
Diabetes in dogs is common in the following breeds:
• Beagle
• Cairn Terrier
• Chow Chow
• Dachshund
• Doberman Pinscher
• Golden Retriever
• Keeshond
• Labrador Retriever
• Malamute
• Miniature Pinscher
• Miniature Schnauzer
• Poodle
• Rhodesian Ridgeback
• Samoyed
• Schipperke
• West Highland White (Westie)

Diabetes is most likely in middle-aged and senior dogs, especially in females that have not been spayed.

Diabetes in Cats
Diabetes is also common in cats, especially middle-aged and older cats. There is a higher incidence in neutered males, and in Burmese cats.

Acupuncture Helps Lower High Blood Sugar
Researchers in Brazil looked at whether electroacupuncture could lower high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Electroacupuncture at St 36 and CV 12 lowers high blood sugar and lowers lactate levels. The researchers believed the decrease in lactate occurred because electroacupuncture increases rate at which lactate is converted to pyruvate. Low frequency (10 HZ) stimulation was more effective than higher frequency stimulation.

Researchers used rats for the study, but stimulation of these points is likely to cause similar response in small animals, including dogs & cats. Diabetic pets may benefit, and pets recovering from exercise or work that produces high lactate levels.

Research Publication
The research can be found in PubMed or Acta Cir Bras. 2011;26 Suppl 1:47-52. Electro-AP stimulation using different frequencies (10 and 100 Hz) changes the energy metabolism in induced hyperglycemic rats. Figueiredo LM, Silva AH, Prado Neto AX, Hissa MN, Vasconcelos PR, Guimarães SB. Dept of Surgery, UFC, Ceara, Brazil.

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Holistic Help with ACL Tears, Hip Dysplasia, Arthritis, Anxiety & Aging

October Saturday Series at WaterWorkz
What are the most common pet problems? We see:
• ACL tear & knee injury
• Disc disease and back problems
• Hip dysplasia
• Arthritis
• Anxiety and
• Aging Issues

So, for our Saturday Series, we’re going to cover these topics. Come, bring your questions and let’s discuss how acupuncture, herbs, warm water therapy & massage can help dogs & cats.

We’re meeting in the WaterWorkz lobby, 3831 Still Creek Ave in Burnaby, BC.
Discussion is from 12-1 on the next three Saturdays, October 15, 22, and 29.
Everyone is welcome. Peaceful dogs always welcome; rambunctious spouses on leashes.

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Helping Overweight Pets With Herbal Formulas

How to tell if your pet is overweight
One way to tell if your pet is overweight is to run your hands along its sides. If it is difficult to feel your pet’s ribs under the skin, it’s too chubby.

Reasons for being overweight
Some chubby pets have poor metabolism and others have endocrine problems such as hypothyroid disease or Cushing’s disease. Choosing the right herbal formulas can help these pets be healthier and to lose weight.

Herbal Formulas to Help Chubby Pets with Hypothyroid Disease
To help pets with hypothyroid disease, I prescribe Ba Wei Di Huang Wan, which is also called Rehmannia Eight. This wonderful formula is a basic kidney tonic that helps boost the endocrine system, relieve back pain, and treat neurologic problems due to deficiency. It is an ideal formula for a tubby older cat or dog, especially if they have arthritis and are stiff when they get up in the morning. Rehmannia Eight, along with thyroid hormone supplement helps pets lose weight and become more energetic.

Herbal Formulas to Help Chubby Pets with Cushing’s Disease
To help overweight pets with Cushing’s disease, I may prescribe Rehmannia Six (Liu Wei Di Huang Wan) or Four Marvels (Si Miao San). Rehmannia Six is ideal for older pets with dry skin, for pets who are easily chilled, or have back pain. Rehmannia Six helps pets who are restless and have trouble settling down at night, are incontinent because they drink so much water, have dry eye or dry stools (constipation).

Four Marvels (Si Miao San)
Four Marvels helps with many of the same problems that Rehmannia Six helps, but Four Marvels is more ideal for hot pets or those with inflammatory diseases. Inflammatory disease can range from one end of the pet to the other: anal sac inflammation, yeast ear infections, gut infections or inflammation ( colitis) and bladder infections (cystitis).

Herbal Formulas to Help Chubby Pets with Poor Metabolism
To help pets that are overweight because they have poor metabolism, I may prescribe Spleen Support Formula (Wei Ling Tang) or Subdue Internal Wind, which is also called Pinellia Atractylodes & Gastrodia Decoction or Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang.

Spleen Support (Wei Ling Tang)
Spleen Support (Wei Ling Tang) is ideal for pets with Metabolic Syndrome, which is the tendency to gain weight and become diabetic. Spleen Support Formula also decreases spasm and helps relieve pain. It helps treat greasy or clumping hair coat and dander. It helps pets who eat grass, vomit slimy material or tend to bloat. It improves blood flow to the skin. It can help with calcium oxylates, but is not for general bladder inflammation (cystitis). Spleen Support is very warming so it is not used in animals that tend to be hot. For chubby dogs & cats who are hot and have cystitis, For Marvels (Si Miao San) is a better formula.

Subdue Internal Wind
Subdue Internal Wind (Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tiang Ma Tang) is based on herbal formulas first published in 1085 AD. It has been augmented with the addition of other herbs and is excellent for dogs with epilepsy, especially those that respond well to diet change that eliminates starches. Subdue Internal Wind also helps pets that are dizzy, sleepy, chubby, and tend to have benign growths.

Work with your holistic veterinarian to choose the right herbal formula to help your chubby cat or dog become healthy and lose weight.

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Helping Pets Lose Weight

The closer our pets are to their ideal weight, the longer they live. It’s that simple.

So how do I help clients who want their pets to live longer?

1. Prescribe ideal nutrition for each pet because each breed is genetically predisposed to do best with a particular diet. A whippet shouldn’t eat what a Labrador Retriever eats; a Chihuahua shouldn’t eat what the Golden Retriever or Maltese eat.

2. Move away from kibble and toward home-cooked or raw diets. Serve foods warmed to body temperature. Increase the darkly pigmented fruits & veggies.

3. Increase the enzymes in the food and decrease the amount fed. The pet will get more nutrient in each bite, but will not have excess that packs on pounds. I prescribe RxEzymes for pets that need help with enzymes.

4. Treat pain with herbal medication to increase mobility. Nothing is better than the right herbal formula to allow a pet increased mobility. Among the herbal medications we can use for pain are Supple Spine (Du Huo Ji Sheng Tang), Benefit Hips & Knees (Xiao Chai Hu Jia Qin Jiao Tang) and Four Marvels (Si Miao San).

5. Treat arthritis that prevents pets from walking and exercising with Adequan injections. Adequan lubricates the joints. Adequan is the kiss of Yin to dry, creaking cartilage. Adequan injections don’t sting and can be done with a tiny needle so that pets aren’t painfully poked. I want them running because they feel good not because they’re afraid of the needle. Adequan is done as a series, twice a week for 3 weeks, then once a week for 4 weeks, then as needed.

6. Use Acupuncture to boost metabolism. When we want fat to melt off, we stimulate energy to flow through the body and not get stuck in the middle. Among the acupuncture points we use for tubby pets are Stomach 40 and Stomach 36.

7. Use herbal formulas to treat stagnation in the gut and tendency to develop fatty tumors (lipomas). Among the herbal formulas I prescribe for obesity due to stagnation are Wei Ling Tang and San Ren Tang.

If your pet is over weight, ask for help. Weight loss is not only possible, it can be fun for our furred family members.

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Herbs Help Pets Lose Weight

I love to help pets lose weight. Dogs & Cats & Birds who are the right weight live longer, have less arthritis and joint pain, and have fewer infections than pets who are overweight.

Every chubby pet deserves a holistic veterinary consult to put them on the right path, including diet and the right Traditional Chinese herbal formula. Because obesity is such an overwhelming problem for so many pet families, let’s spend time discussing all the ways we have of helping pets lose weight. Let’s include a discussion of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal formulas that help with obesity.

We’ll cover herbal formulas that treat
• poor digestion (Spleen & Stomach disharmony),
• over eating (Stomach heat)
• poor liver and gallbladder function ( Liver qi disharmony),
• weak metabolism (Kidney Yang deficiency).

To choose the right formula, I take the whole pet into consideration so that the herbal formula that helps with weight loss addresses the pet’s underlying nature. Among the herbal formulas I prescribe for tubby pets are Miao San, San Ren Tang, Bu Gan Tang, Ba Wei Di Huang Wan.

In addition to herbs, many obese pets benefit from
• Adequan or Cartrophen injections and to relieve the pain that prevents exercising.
• Acupuncture to relieve pain and boost metabolism.
• Enymes (Rx Zyme) so that pets can be fed less and get more nutrient from the food.
• Swimming in warm salt water where the muscles can relax and work at the same time.

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