Welcome to Acu in Practice! We are in the deep of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. A time when Wind, Cold and Damp (especially here in the Pacific Northwest) have been prominent and hanging around for a while. Windy, Cold and Damp conditions challenge our patient’s immune system. For senior pets, these pathogens are especially problematic as they exacerbate arthritis (Bony Bi Syndrome). How can we help? We can use acupuncture, herbs and food therapy to fend off the Wind-Cold-Damp pathogens and fortify the Wei Qi (their body’s immune defense).
Acupuncture:
LI 4 – Tonify Wei Qi and Clear Wind Cold
LU 7, SP 21 – Tonify Wei Qi
LI 10, ST 36 – Tonify and Move Qi
Moxa over GV 14 and GB 20 – warm the body and Expel Wind
Moxa at local and distal points for affected joints in arthritic patients or patients with muscle tension.
Herbs:
If a patient is truly showing signs of a Wind Cold invasion, Cinnamon Twig Decoction (Gui Zhi Tang)
To expel Wind Damp from the Channels, Release the Tai Yang and invigorate Blood – Free the Sinews by Kan Herb (Yi Yi Ren Tang)
To Expel Wind Cold Damp, Tonify the Kidney Yin, Yang, Qi and Blood – Supple Spine by Kan Herb (Di Juo Ji Sheng Tang)
To Expel pathogens from the Shao Yang – Minor Bupleurum
Foods:
Feed warm, slow cooked toppings with regular food. If the patient is on a home cooked diet, use foods that warm the body (Yang) and invigorate Qi and Blood such as: Lamb, Venison, Chicken, Chicken Livers, sweet potato, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, fennel. *Start with small amounts if patients are not used to home cooked food and remember not to go to the extreme. ie. feeding too much Hot, triggering a different set of issues.
This post is created by Nell Ostermeier, DVM, CVA, FAAVA and is intended for informational use, not to replace medical advice.