Application of medical herbs to pets
Introduction
"Teacher, I give my child herbs. Every day I go for a walk, I eat the same grass on the bank. Isn't this an herb good for the dog's body?" said the owner. I sometimes get questions like:
Dogs and cats often eat grass. The reason is that my stomach is not feeling well; aspirationgoenthere are various theories, such as vomiting what you have done or to supply vitamins and minerals. Dogs and cats who eat grass may vomit lightly but often feel refreshed afterward.
Since ancient times, wild animals had instinctively sniffed out whether the plants around them were good or bad for their bodies and ingested them to heal their bodies when they were sick or injured to survive the harsh competition for survival in the natural world...
These are the roots of herbs. The same diseases and lifestyle-related diseases as humans can be seen in modern pets, which have two meals and naps, and treats are also provided, so there is great significance in using herbs. Herbs that are good for the body and are used to maintain health are called "medical herbs." By considering which stage of the disease, mild, medium, or severe, and using it, the range of treatment will emerge.
Here are some concrete examples.
1) Fatty liver
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of dogs diagnosed with "liver damage" by their physicians due to mild to moderate increases in liver function test items, especially AST (GPT) and ALP enzymes, in blood tests during health checkups.
Echo examination shows an increase in echogenicity of the liver parenchyma. In other words, the entire liver appears to be glaringly reflected. Fatty liver is a condition in which fat accumulates in the liver. Although it is not associated with clinical symptoms, it eventually progresses to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma.
If it is mild, people can prevent it by ingesting "green tea catechin" and coffee "chlorogenic acid." However, green tea and coffee contain a lot of caffeine and can be addictive, so dogs should not be fed.
For dogs, stop treats, review their diet, instruct them to increase exercise, and prescribe herbal supplements such as dandelion and milk thistle tinctures. Dandelion (Western dandelion) enhances the function of the stomach, promotes digestion, promotes choleretic, and has anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties. A component called "silymarin" extracted from milk thistle (Silybum marianum) seeds is effective for fatty liver, chronic hepatitis, and cirrhosis. It provides strong antioxidant protection and enhances the regenerative capacity of liver cells. Liver function data will improve from the 1st to 2nd month.
2) Lymphocytic cholangitis
Japanese cat ten years old female:
Anorexia, energy loss, emaciation, visible mucous membranes, and gumsjaundiceodancame to the hospital. Diagnosed as "lymphocytic cholangitis" based on clinical symptoms, blood tests, and abdominal echographic findings.
He was hospitalized and treated with an intravenous drip, antibiotics, steroids, and dehydrocholic acid, a choleretic. His jaundice began to fade from the third day, and his appetite returned a little. On the fifth day, his appetite returned to normal, and he was discharged from the hospital. FFD capsules of "Dandelion" and antibiotics were prescribed for internal use. By the second week, blood counts were almost normal.
"cholangitis" gall bladderTannoInflammation of the ducts that carry bile from the digestive juices to the duodenum. Incidence is higher in cats than in dogs, and several types exist.
3) Liver tumor
M. Ducks, ten year old female:
The patient visited the hospital because of a loss of energy and emaciation. Liver function tests showed high values, and abdominal echo showed semicirculartumorShuryudiffusely scattered. We explained the flow of surgery, pathological examination, and anticancer drug treatment to the owner. Still, as a result of the discussion, we chose conservative therapy to improve QOL (quality of life).
Administering Kampo medicine (cancer cell apoptosis-inducing action, macrophage function-enhancing action) and a "standardized extract" called Milk Thistle D prolonged life for about three years from the onset and improved appetite and energy until one week before death. There were.
Herbal supplements include tinctures, FFDs, and standardized extracts.
◎FFD: Abbreviation for fresh freeze-dried, which is powdered by extracting only water from fresh herbs.
◎ Standardized extract: Processed for medical purposes to increase the content of active ingredients. Milk Thistle D is a powder obtained by vacuum-drying milk thistle seeds at 60°C for 20 hours and adjusting the silymarin content to 80%. There is no variation in the ingredients of each capsule, and you can take the active ingredients firmly, which conforms to pharmaceuticals. By comparison, unprocessed seeds contain only around 3% silymarin. Be careful when taking hypoglycemic drugs, as blood sugar levels may drop too low.
There is no prescription for hypoglycemic drugs, and insulin injections are used for dogs. Do not use it if you have diabetes.
4) Bacterial cystitis
Pug 10-year-old female:
Frequent urination, decreased urinary volume, and occasional blood urination from 2 to 3 days ago. Urinalysis (white blood cells, red blood cells, bacteria (+)), calculus (-) in ultrasonography, and neoplastic changes in the lining of the bladder (-). Bacterial cystitis was diagnosed based on these findings.
Symptoms improved on the 4th day after administration of antibiotics and hemostatic agents. Antibiotics and cranberry supplements for pets were prescribed as internal medicine.
In cranberry supplements, quinic acid, a component of cranberries, is absorbed in the intestinal tract, metabolized into hippuric acid in the liver, then excreted into the urine, and prevents acidification of urine and adhesion of bacteria to the urinary tract. Cranberries are often consumed in juice form but are not suitable for pets due to their rather sour taste. However, there is no problem as long as it is given in tablet form as a supplement. Dog urine has a pH of 6 to 6.5.
5) Mitral regurgitation (MR)
Toy poodle 12-year-old male:
Recently, mild respiratory distress under exercise load, unwillingness to go for a walk, heart murmur intensity class II (weak murmur that can be heard immediately by auscultation) and chest X-Ray, cardiac echocardiogram, and electrocardiogram Diagnosed with early mitral regurgitation based on laboratory findings.
There was no coughing, dyspnea, etc., and "Hawthorn Berry" FFD capsules were prescribed before using ACE inhibitors (vasodilation). About two months after administration, respiration stabilized even with mild exercise load, and heart murmur did not progress. Cardiac examination and auscultation after six months showed slight progress, but no significant changes were observed in clinical symptoms. Therefore, after discussion with the owner, we started with a low dose of ACE inhibitor and also prescribed "Hawthornberry."
Hawthorn has a positive inotropic effect and works to improve palpitations and shortness of breath.
6) Idiopathic epilepsy
M. Dax, 13 years old male:
After being transferred from another hospital, she prescribed phenobarb (an anti-epileptic drug) for "idiopathic" epilepsy one year ago, and her seizures decreased slightly. Still, she was dozing off most of the day due to the strong sedative effect. Regarding feeding, it has an abnormal appetite and almost eats even a paper bag.
This is a pitiful visit to the hospital for a second opinion. A blood test showed elevated liver function, and the patient was diagnosed with "moderate side effects due to long-term administration of phenobarb." Although phenobarb is quite effective, side effects such as liver damage and increased appetite are observed.
As an alternative anti-epileptic drug, start with a low dose of "zonisamide," which has relatively few side effects, and then prescribe a "skullcap" tincture until the new drug gets used to the body (in rare cases, when attacks continue, "hop" FFD capsules) ). The seizures subsided from the second week onwards and became once every three to four months. There were also improvements in QOL.
Idiopathic is a common occurrence in dogs, the cause of which cannot be identified, and neurological examination, electroencephalogram, and MRI cannot be identified. On the other hand, "symptomatic" epilepsy is common in cats and whose cause can be identified.
Skullcap was once called the "rabies" herb in Europe. It has sedative, antispasmodic, and nerve fatigue effects. The root is the Chinese herbal medicine "Scutellaria root," which is often used in Chinese medicine. Both valerian and hops have sedative and antispasmodic properties. The combination of skullcap and valerian and valerian and hops goes well together.
7) Benign prostatic hyperplasia in dogs
13-year-old male mongrel:
Not neutered. Two weeks ago, he was in a posture to urinate, but the urine was dripping. After that, it starts to come out a little vigorously.
Diagnosed with moderate prostatic hyperplasia based on X-Ray, ultrasound, and urinalysis. It seems to be hypertrophy due to aging (in dogs, neutering reduces prostate size). At the owner's request, conservative medical therapy is performed. Once-daily administration of osaterone acetate for seven days shrinks the enlarged prostate. FFD of "saw palmetto" was prescribed as internal medicine. It is called a "vegetative catheter" and can be used for benign prostatic hypertrophy stages I-II.
In conclusion
Medical herbs are treated as "food." However, since it has medicinal properties, it must be careful when taking it with other drugs. Some formulations are used in combination with herbs, which may weaken or even enhance the effects of the formulation, so be sure to research them carefully. As a general rule, do not give during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Take 1-2 days off per week. Do not use Dandelion Milk Thistle if you have an Asteraceae allergy. Symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, and conjunctivitis.
Rather than saying that herbs are effective against all diseases, let's investigate how to use them, the stages where herbs can be used, the side effects, and what can happen in combination with other drugs before using them. Talk to your doctor if you're thinking of using herbal supplements for your pet.
Herbs can be said to be a gift from nature, useful for care (prevention) and cure (treatment).
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