Treating anal sac infection without antibiotics

[JodyLT]

Hi - My 11yo Portuguese Podengo Pequeno, Sophie, exhibited swollen anal glands, worse right side, red right side 2 days ago. Today at vet, they said they were infected, about to rupture and expressed them and sent me home with ABX-Cefpodoxime 100mg. I don't want to give her this and would rather prescribe a homeopathic remedy or another natural means to handle the infection. She did well on Pulsatilla 200C for an ear infection 3 weeks ago. Her personality is very much Pulsatilla. I can try that again; would you do another dose at 200C? How frequently would you dose? How long would you wait to see if it starts resolving before either dosing again or moving on to something else?
Thank you!
Jody

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi Jody, and welcome to HA!

Thanks for making your first post!

Now it's time to add a profile pic (just click the JodyMY to the left of the search field at the top of the screen to see your account settings).

Yesterday we discussed that this is usually not due to an infection per se (tho the anal sac material can certainly develop a *secondary* infection) but is rather a lack of proper function of the anal gland.

Has she ever had anal gland problems in the past (licking, scooting, expressing her glands)?

You had emailed that you already gave Silica which is an excellent choice as a complementary remedy to Puls. It also has a special affinity to glands like the anal sacs.

Please share exactly how you dosed and especially how Sophie's BEAM was before and after dosing.

In the meantime, please continue the warm compressing 3x/day, and try to increase her activity and sniffing (both of which can help the anal gland's work better).

Adding a pinch of fiber to each meal is also often helpful.

I will look forward to hearing back from you in this thread.

 

[JodyLT]

Thank you, Dr. Jeff! I will get on the profile update today. Re Sophie, the Silica and compresses seem to be helping. The swelling is receding slowly. I know we talked about stopping the silica, which I dosed in 30C 1x Tues night; 2x yesterday - morning, mid afternoon - but when it hadn't come down as much as I'd hoped, I gave her a dose this morning and will now wait and see. Her BEAM is good. On all counts, normal for her.
I am wondering, after thinking about it some, if transitioning her from a raw diet, which she'd been on since she was very young, to a cooked for by a company called Just Food for Dogs - high quality, human grade but cooked, nonetheless - could be the culprit. She's been on this for about 2-3 months.
While Soph has had scooting and dragging her butt on and off for years, she's never had the swelling like she had this time and was never diagnosed with an infection.
Would love some feedback re this; the new diet.
I also put Sophie and my Chi, Ani, on Animal Biome's Gut Restore capsules, which if you're not familiar is an injection of the poop of a healthy dog with a healthy microbiota via the digestive tract.
I wanted to see if that would have an effect and it did. Within a few days, Sophie's appetite was better; she went from finicky her whole life with intermittent gut issues of diarrhea and OCD grass eating during these episodes to far far fewer. She also seemed happier; perkier.
I would send in hers and Ani's stool samples 2 weeks into the month long protocol and they always seemed to report an imbalance was still there.
I've had them on this now for probably 4 months; 1 capsule a day with a good probiotic and enzyme in their food 1x/day.
I'm thinking of stopping the Gut Restore now as it is an expensive product and I just am not seeing much benefit any longer.
Would love feedback if you're familiar.
What do you think of adding inulin as the fiber to Sophie's food? If no, any other you'd recommend?
Thank you very much!
Jody

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hey Jody-

Wonderful news that Sophie's swelling is better!

Are you dosing the Silica in water? Hahnemann advises repeated doses (actually all doses, but especially if repeated) be given in water which and succussed before each dose. This seems to improve the response to the remedy.

You may want to read more about "Hahnemann's Advanced Methods" in some of David Little's excellent work:

[Homoeopathic Online Education, David Little] Hahnemann's Advanced Methods : Part 1

www.simillimum.com

Fantastic thinking regarding the food! Yes, the Just Food for Dogs may have helped bring this on by introducing more grains and veggies into her diet.

Yes, it is a good idea to stop the Gut Restore and see how she does. Perhaps use a variety of different probiotics (switch brand with each bottle) to add a variety of organisms to her microbiome.

Inulin is a wonderful addition. Here's the fiber+ powder that I use in my practice to help anal sacs, stools and to promote detox:

Holistic Pet Support-Fiber Plus powder - HomeVet

Use Fiber Plus to support healthy bowel and anal gland function.

www.homevet.com

 

[JodyLT]

Thank you! Yes in filtered water; that's how I'm dosing for everything with the pets. And yes, succussing vigorously before each dose.
So you think it would be a good idea to consider going back to raw for the pups, espec Soph. I've fed them Darwin's for years in the beginning, and over the past 3-4 yrs, everything from Answers, Tuckers and Steve's Real Food to Love Your Pet.
The reason I tried Just Food for Dogs is Ani's acid reflux every night and Jasper, my terrier terror's gurgly stomach, both of which disappeared on Just Food for Dogs. I was thinking maybe the raw was too difficult to digest for them.
Thoughts?
Thanks so so much for the advanced Hahnemann's and for the link to the Fiber Plus. Appreciate.
Jody

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Wonderful that you already know and use Hahnemann's Advanced Methods!

Homeopathy, like other powerful medicines, can worsen or improve vitality and balance.

Every modality affects cellular energy balance in some way.

Homeopathy is the only one that both cures the underlying energetic imbalance and integrates elegantly with current conventional medicine.

I advocate raw because of its vitality and energy. Cooking food decreases its nutritional quality, bioavailability and energy. Cooking also creates AGEs (Advanced Glycation End products which promote imbalances)

High Heat Processing Creates Higher Levels of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs)

Study finds that processed dry and canned pet diets contain AGEs; dietary AGEs can be a factor in the development or worsening of many degenerative diseases.

healthypets.mercola.com

 

[JodyLT]

Yes understand that. I'm not sure then why the acid reflux and the gurgles can be resolved; maybe just try different raw until I get it right? I've tried so many. And raw bones are key to a healthy GI tract and anal glands yes?

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Raw variety + homeopathy are absolutely the keys. Raw bones can help, yes.

Have you tried a variety of probiotics, Answer's Goat's milk or ION Biome?

 

[JodyLT]

Hi - Thanks! Answers Goat Milk, yes. Many times. They like. ION Biome, no. I'll look into. Right now they are back on 100% raw from Raw Feeding Miami. I will alternate with Answers; really like that company. And the grinds from Raw Feeding contain bones, muscle, organ while the ground contains just muscle and i have to supplement. I also got them some meaty bones like frog's legs and some other awful stuff I have a hard time with as an animal lover and non eater of meat and poultry for that reason. Ah, what we do for our babies...

 

[JodyLT]

Here are some of Sophie's EchoCard images/videos won't attach here.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

There's some mitral regur. but her heart otherwise looks pretty good in this echo Jody!

 

[JodyLT]

Yay! Thank you! So lovely to speak with you, Dr. Jeff. Thank you very much for the sage advice. Ordering heart for my heart girl right now. I'll keep you posted re the remedy.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

You're welcome, Jody!

It was a privilege and fun to talk with someone also dedicated to spreading the word about vitality, balance and homeopathy.

I look forward to working with you to spread the word about Holistic Medical Decision Making.

 

[JodyLT]

UPDATE ON SOPHIE'S ANAL SAC ISSUE - 2/16/21 - After the last dose of Silica, I've been watching and the lump has gone down some, not all, but her scooting has lessened and it doesn't seem like there's any progressing issue there anymore. I'm going to wait and see how this unfolds.
I did get Sophie (and my other dogs) heart - beef, pork, chicken - I think I went a little heart crazy! LOL They are on it; Sophie is also daily on Pet Wellbeing's Young at Heart, a great combo of heart muscle strengthening and circulation enhancing herbs like Hawthorne Berry and others. And, giving her Co-Q10. I think little Sophie is on track. Thank you!

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Sounds great Jody.

Fantastic timing that you posted this as I just discovered this source for heart and other meats and freeze-dried treats and organic kelp. Both the heart and kelp are on a big sale.

Beef Hearts for Dogs & Cats (Bundle Deal) | RawPawsPetFood.com

Our premium beef hearts for dogs & cats bundle are Made in the USA. Your pet will love this all-natural, super tasty raw pet food. Free Shipping!

www.rawpawspetfood.com

I just ordered their kelp which is the same as Proden Plaqueoff for a fraction of the price:

Organic Kelp for Dogs & Cats (Bundle Deal) | RawPawsPetFood.com

Buy 2 Get 1 Free. Our kelp daily supplement bundle deal is super healthy. Harvested from the cleanest, richest waters on earth. Free Shipping!

www.rawpawspetfood.com

It would be awe-some for all your pups.

 

[JodyLT]

Sounds great Jody.

Fantastic timing that you posted this as I just discovered this source for heart and other meats and freeze-dried treats and organic kelp. Both the heart and kelp are on a big sale.

Beef Hearts for Dogs & Cats (Bundle Deal) | RawPawsPetFood.com

Our premium beef hearts for dogs & cats bundle are Made in the USA. Your pet will love this all-natural, super tasty raw pet food. Free Shipping!

www.rawpawspetfood.com

I just ordered their kelp which is the same as Proden Plaqueoff for a fraction of the price:

Organic Kelp for Dogs & Cats (Bundle Deal) | RawPawsPetFood.com

Buy 2 Get 1 Free. Our kelp daily supplement bundle deal is super healthy. Harvested from the cleanest, richest waters on earth. Free Shipping!

www.rawpawspetfood.com

It would be awe-some for all your pups.

Thank you. Already got the hearts (they are loving) BUT did not get kelp and that sounds fantastic, Dr. Jeff! Thanks so much for the great deal, as well!