Q.
RoseBud, my almost ten-year-old English mastiff, has just been diagnosed with histiocytosis. A 2cm hypoechoic nodule was found on her spleen. I was told nothing could be done. Is there anything you can recommend? I have started to make her food but can you recommend any supplements and what to expect in the coming months?

A.
I am assuming the diagnosis was made not just from a sonogram, but an actual needle sampling of the nodule. I don’t agree that nothing can be done, as one of my more successful cases in the last couple of years involves a dog that had this diagnosis that then progressed to highly malignant histiocytic sarcoma; two years later, that dog is now very healthy and cancer free. The general rule with tumors in the spleen is that the spleen should just be removed. This is because they are very fragile and a rupture of even a small mass can lead to serious bleeding. You can start on alternatives, monitor RoseBud closely with sonograms and not opt for surgery if the mass does not grow. In general, I hesitate to give advice for cancer patients without a first-hand examination, but some of my favorite anti-cancer products are artemisinin, beta sitosterol, dimethylglycine, Poly MVA and the herb convolvulus arvensis. There are so many additional products and protocols available that I highly recommend consulting with a veterinarian experienced in this field.

Q.
My dog Sam is an eight- or nine-year-old golden retriever. In July, we noticed he was not his usual self and was not responding to us. We also noticed he was bumping into things. He becomes very tired following his walk and sleeps afterward. Last year he had what appeared to be paralysis on the left side of his face. We were told by a vet that this could have been caused by antifreeze. We seemed to have treated this with multivitamins because he regained the movement of his face, although it is still not fully symmetrical. Sam has also been diagnosed with cataracts and an infection in his ear. The vet prescribed some conventional medicine. I would like to know what I can do with herbs or homeopathic remedies to help Sam. We are currently giving him multivitamins and high doses of vitamin C.

A.
It sounds as if Sam’s problems could be caused by the cataracts or possibly some neurological problem. If his bumping into things is due to the clouding of his lenses, a new product called Ocluvet eye drops might prove promising. I have seen facial paralysis problems caused by Lyme disease, and they can be very responsive to treatment. One good remedy for this type of condition is Neuralgia by BHI. In either case, I would definitely recommend a more comprehensive workup, including full blood work, so you’ll have a better idea in which direction to proceed.

Q.
My two-year-old Sheltie has been diagnosed with corneal dystrophy. He’s on a home cooked diet of chicken breasts, organic brown rice, mixed organic vegetables and fruit, and a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement. Since it’s a disorder of the metabolism of fats in the cornea, he’s also on lecithin. He also takes eyebright drops morning and night. Is there anything else you can suggest?

A.
So far, what you are doing is good. I wouldn’t mind you removing fruit from the meal mix, however, as the sugars can aid in a negative fermentation process in the GI tract. Two good eye supportive supplements I have used are Visioplex by Progressive Labs and Oculotrophin by Standard Process Labs. I have had success treating this condition using Similason #1 homeopathic eyedrop. If fat metabolism problems show up in blood results, you can add Megalipotrophic by Doctors Mutual Service and Lipocomplex by Progressive Labs.

Other questions answered in this issue:

Q.
My nine-year-old (sterilized) female cat cries for food every time I go into the kitchen. She weighs about 12 pounds and has a huge stomach. Her ribs are impossible to find. I live in a developing nation where the vets have little experience compared to the U.S. They cannot find anything physically wrong with her, but warn me she should not get any fatter. Recently we put her on a lower calorie food for the “less active cat.” I can’t get her to do any active playing. In fact she usually lies down to play with a string. Stairs seems to be no problem for her and she enjoys chasing bugs, mice and lizards. She’s been on 60 grams of food since we’ve had her, about eight years. One vet suggested only 40 grams but she cried incessantly. Do you have any suggestions?

Q.
I have a three-month-old Shih Tzu named Juli. Last week she started getting a small lump on her neck. I took her to a vet and he gave her some antibiotics. Three days later, she started getting another on her back. I took her back to the vet and he did the same thing. The problem is, neither of the lumps is going away. They feel like they are filled with fluid and are just under the skin. When Juli plays with my other Shih Tzu, the lumps seem to get harder and bigger. Do you have any idea what these could be?

Q.
My dog has just fractured the top third of his bottom canine tooth, leaving the pulp exposed, which is obviously very painful and sensitive for him. I’ve taken him to my vet who has given him some antibiotics and pain killers, and told me that sometimes the tooth can heal itself. However, if it is no better in a few days I have to take him back to have the tooth removed. I have read that removing the lower canine can create problems for the dog such as dryness of the mouth and damage to the tongue, and that the surgery will also be quite extensive. Is there any alternative to removing the tooth? Is it possible to cap the tooth as in human dentistry?

Q.
My friend has a ten or eleven-year-old cat. In the past few weeks she has become unsteady on her feet and is prone to terrible spasms in which she stretches and twists and rears back her head. After every seizure she becomes quite hungry. We gave her small doses of wheat grass juice which seemed to help. She eats raw organic meats and holistic cat food but still small amounts of water. I wonder if the spasms might be from lead poisoning or some other type of poison. She doesn’t seem to be suffering in any way but we are baffled. Could you please give us some idea of what we are dealing with?

Q.
My 14-month-old male cocker spaniel, Boo, has been showing symptoms that I attributed to being a growing boy. He is excessively clumsy and walks like a prancing horse. Also, he will walk or step down on the dorsal side of his right front paw about one-third of the time. I took Boo to our vet and he expressed concern for Wobblers Syndrome. This does sound in part to be a very accurate description of Boogie’s symptoms; however, it concerns me that his problems all seem to be in the front legs and all my research shows that Wobblers seems to primarily exhibit symptoms in the hind legs. Also, Wobblers is said to be exhibited in large breeds in almost all cases. Could you please share your insight?

Q.
We have a black Lab that is six years old. We have never had to board him until two years ago. They required him to have all the shots. Now he has seizures and what the vet is calling fatty tissue lumps on both of his hind legs. May this have been caused by the shots? What can we do for him?