Each month Dr. Deva Khalsa V.M.D. answers questions on veterinary issues. Dr. Khalsa is a Fellow and Professor of the British Institute of Homeopathy. Send your questions to [email protected] by the 6th of the month to be included in that issue.
Dear Dr. Khalsa,
My 8 year old Shih Tzu / Lhasa Apso, Mishka, has suffered with recurring interdigital cysts on her right paw for at least the last 6 years. The flareups occur about 3 – 5 times a year. Every few months, her paw begins to swell with a cyst forming over the course of several days. During this time, she cannot put any weight it.
The cysts alternate between the outer two interdigital spaces of her right paw. Furthermore, the pad of that paw has an extra growth of calloused skin which sometimes also swells. When she goes out for walks this paw must always wear a booty (and even a sock underneath it in most cases) otherwise she limps. However, she does not tend to lick this foot unless there’s a blister and she will lick the pad occasionally, but not often.
Mishka has not been vaccinated since age 1.5 and only for rabies at age 2.5. I have been cooking for her most of her life, mostly meat, greens, sauerkraut. She has seen two different holistic vets, one of which explained that there’s actually a cyst inside the foot which can be surgically removed but he didn’t recommend it. She also saw homeopaths a few years ago.She was given Silica, and her constitutional remedy, like mine, was supposed to be Lachesis. Unfortunately, the issue with her paw is still a recurring one although perhaps not as frequent. It gets aggravated if she’s been on a long walk without protection on her paw or if I leave her at home alone and she scratches the door for some time, then within a couple days her paw might begin to swell. When this happens, I give her the homeopathic remedy Lymphdiaral and I find that brings down the swelling and the blister/cyst will actually shrink without rupturing. I have attached some photos for your reference.
Thank you for your time.
Christina Parousis
Dr. Deva Khalsa:
I am assuming that she likes the warmth because she was given Silicea but I am not sure. Perhaps they thought she had a fistulous tract, and Silica would push out any grass awns or foreign bodies that would be in there. I would recommend (even though it is cold seeking) Sulphur 1m or 10m be given three times in one day and only for one day. Then for two weeks, soak the foot in an Epson salt bath for 5-10 minutes once a day and dry it very well afterwards. During this time give her oral Calendula 30x three to four times a day. If this does not work, give her Myristica 30x three times a day for a month. Also, on an iron skillet, with no oil or butter, slice off a layer of an onion about 1 to 2 inches square and cook it slowly on the skillet till it goes clear. Now, put that cooked onion layer on her paw after cooling and bind it up against the bad area and change with a new cooked onion slice/layer every day for about a week. The result may be miraculous.
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Hello Dr Khalsa,
My dog has dysplasia on the right front leg. He limps consistently, but sometimes worse than others. If he walks for too long or makes sideways or sudden movements he limps badly. When trotting along on a walk his limp is only slight. He had an injury when he was around 2 years when he hurt his ligaments on the same leg but in the ankle area rather than the elbow, by running at full speed across uneven ground chasing something. It would get bad on running but recover within a couple of days.
Generally, he is quite an anxious boy. He’s sociable and has a very close friend. They run off hunting together at every opportunity when they walk together. He barks at most dogs when he sees them on a walk, but this is anxiety, I think. He is not aggressive at all, but will hold his own when attacked. He loves to be rubbed and is very affectionate.
He often will have loose bowels, but has very healthy stools on the raw for diet. He started life on dry food as he was born into a dog home and then we were his third owner. The first took him back after a week as he peed on the floor! The second took him back after a week as they got divorced! He was only 4 months when we took him so taken away for mother too early. He definitely has separation anxiety and done well on pulsatilla. He has also had carcinosin, arnica and rhus tox. Recently he tore his underbelly open when running through the woods chasing something, on barbed wire we think and he had aconite as well as arnica. He was stitched up with the injury exposing the artery, so many layers affected.
I had not intended to castrate him, but he was impossible to manage. He would stay up all night and howl and dig his way out of our garden and into others’ when there was a bitch in heat. He made one pure bred pregnant, she was made to abort the pregnancy and had a hysterectomy too! Sadness. We had no choice we felt but to castrate him. This quietened him down a lot, but he became more sluggish.
Thank you
Carol
Dr. Deva Khalsa:
The remedy this indicates to me is Bryonia 6x as he is worse with movement. Three times a day for a month. Also, before you start with the Bryonia, please give him Natrum mur 200c once every other day for 5 doses over a 10 day period. This is for his multifamily history and being given up for adoption so much. Lastly, a product called Myristin for Dogs atwww.deservingpets.com would help rebuild his joint but do the other remedies first to see how they work out and then start the Myristin for Dogs as a neutraceutical.
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Hi Dr. Khalsa,
I have a 4 year old female cat who keeps getting constipated. I’ve had to take her to the vet’s for enemas and once to the E.R. at 2 a.m. when she was vomiting due to being constipated. She’s a fussy eater and wouldn’t go near pumkin, squash or other items that might help. She’s been on Miralax(Polyethylene glycol) for 8 weeks now. I’ve got it down to ¼ teaspoon a day.
Her diet is raw beef and chicken with added nutrients and occasional high fiber dry food. What might we try? Also, how dangerous is the Polyethylene glycol?
Thank you
Thomas Haskins
Dr. Deva Khalsa:
Homeopathy has not worked all that well for chronically constipated cats. Opium in potency has sometimes worked. Ma Zi Ren is a Chinese herb by Mayway that often helps but I do not know if you can get 2 teapills in her 2x a day. When there seems to be a problem, you can get BABY glycerin suppositories. They are very tiny. Cut them lengthwise, the long way into 4 sections. You can take one of these sections and using a plastic bag, insert it into her anus and hold for about 30 seconds. Then make sure she is near the litter box. You can do this at least twice over the course of an afternoon to promote a BM which may save a visit to the ER. Also feeding raw unpasteurized cow’s milk or goat’s milk may help move things along and she may like that.
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Dear Dr. Khalsa,
A CB cow yielding 10lts milk suddenly came up with blood from one teat and other teats are giving normal milk. There’s no sign of inflation of udder. Treatment was done with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory injection, and also local antiseptic application. But no result even after 3 days. Please advise.
Regards
Dr.Lambodar Mahapatra
Dr. Deva Khalsa:
Bufo 6x or 6c four times a day for 5 days seems indicated.
Visit Dr. Khalsa at her website for information and consults:
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