Digest Number 876

[Guest guest]

> In anything you do with animals or humans you look for the causes

of the problems and then the treatments for the problems. To do it

any other way would be, not to smart, you would agree with that right?

 

(snip)

 

> In your opinion, why would one treatment work for one cat and the

same treament for another cat having the same problem, not work?

 

With animals, as well as with humans, you analyze what TCM imbalances

are present. For example, a red tongue points to Heat; a pale tongue

points to Yang Deficiency/ Cold condition (and/ or Blood

Deficiency). BUT you also keep in mind what is different between

species. For example, if your cat's body temperature is 102 degrees

F, this does not mean that your cat is sick and running a fever. 102

F is normal for a cat. Cats normally sleep a lot, so when a cat

sleeps a lot throughout the day, this is not a sign of Yang

Deficiency as it would be in a human. This is normal for a cat.

 

There can be a lot of variation between different cats. One may be

shy and retiring, another very active and rambunctious, another very

vocal (Siamese tend to be vocal), a fourth hardly meowing at all,

etc. Some cats may have a Heat imbalance, others a Cold imbalance,

some suffer from Blood Stasis, etc. There is a saying in

TCM " different illnesses, same treatment; same illnesses different

treatments.

 

What this means is that Western-defined medical conditions may have

several possible Roots. A Root is a TCM imbalance. One of my

favorite examples is asthma or breathing problems. Even though

several people may all have breathing problems or asthma (same

disease), the underlying TCM imbalance can be different for each

sufferer. One may be suffering from weak Lung Qi, another from a

special form of Kidney Yang Deficiency (called Kidneys Refusing to

Grasp Qi), another from Rebellious Stomach Qi (acid reflux causing

spasms of the chest area and reflux being drawm into the lungs),

etc. Because the underlying TCM imbalances are different, what helps

one asthmatic may do nothing for a second person and may even make a

third sicker. The illness is the same, but different treatments are

called for. (What TCM healers analyze and treat are TCM imbalances,

not Western-defined medical conditions.)

 

The same thing happens among cats, among dogs, among horses, etc.

Cats may have the same medical conditions, but suffer from different

TCM Roots. What helps one cat won't help another who is suffering

from a different TCM imbalance.

 

It's in administering herbs that one really needs to be aware of

differences among species in addition to whatever TCM imbalances are

present in the individual (human, cat, dog, horse, etc.). For

example, I would have no trouble recommending garlic for certain

parasitic infections (or for other things) in a human who is NOT Yin

Deficient with signs of Heat. But, because a cat's physiology is

different from a human's, I wouldn't recommend this for a cat because

garlic hurts cats. I would have to find another treatment that won't

hurt a cat.

 

Michelle has given us a list of differences in cat physiology from

human physiology. Because of these differences there are a number of

things that won't hurt most humans that will hurt all cats. The cats

simply cannot metabolize certain substances like most humans can.

They are poisoned by them instead.

 

BTW, when it comes to specific medical conditions, even TCM is not

necessarily the best course of treatment for all conditions. In

general (and this is a very broad general), Westerm medicine is best

for trauma and acute conditions, TCM best for chronic conditions. As

I said, these are generalities. Sometimes chiropractic or osteopathy

treatments are needed. Sometimes a combination of TCM, Western

establishment medicine, and other alternative medicine works best

(like in the case of certain serious blood diseases like leukemia).

[Guest guest]

Dear Victoria,

 

You said everything I have been trying to say if I understand your message. The

reason there is no absolute cure for all animals is they are all different and

there bodies all have extenuating problems to go with their main problem and

need to be treated differently.

 

For example, a cat has allergies but along with those allergies she has a heart

problem, now another cat may have allergies but no heart problem so both cannot

be treated the same because, of different extenuating problems.

 

As you said sometimes there is no absolute treatment whether it is TCM or,

western medicine, so, you have to figure out the best route to take by your own

experience.

 

Thanks

 

Ray

 

victoria_dragon <victoria_dragon wrote:

> In anything you do with animals or humans you look for the causes

of the problems and then the treatments for the problems. To do it

any other way would be, not to smart, you would agree with that right?

 

(snip)

 

> In your opinion, why would one treatment work for one cat and the

same treament for another cat having the same problem, not work?

 

With animals, as well as with humans, you analyze what TCM imbalances

are present. For example, a red tongue points to Heat; a pale tongue

points to Yang Deficiency/ Cold condition (and/ or Blood

Deficiency). BUT you also keep in mind what is different between

species. For example, if your cat's body temperature is 102 degrees

F, this does not mean that your cat is sick and running a fever. 102

F is normal for a cat. Cats normally sleep a lot, so when a cat

sleeps a lot throughout the day, this is not a sign of Yang

Deficiency as it would be in a human. This is normal for a cat.

 

There can be a lot of variation between different cats. One may be

shy and retiring, another very active and rambunctious, another very

vocal (Siamese tend to be vocal), a fourth hardly meowing at all,

etc. Some cats may have a Heat imbalance, others a Cold imbalance,

some suffer from Blood Stasis, etc. There is a saying in

TCM " different illnesses, same treatment; same illnesses different

treatments.

 

What this means is that Western-defined medical conditions may have

several possible Roots. A Root is a TCM imbalance. One of my

favorite examples is asthma or breathing problems. Even though

several people may all have breathing problems or asthma (same

disease), the underlying TCM imbalance can be different for each

sufferer. One may be suffering from weak Lung Qi, another from a

special form of Kidney Yang Deficiency (called Kidneys Refusing to

Grasp Qi), another from Rebellious Stomach Qi (acid reflux causing

spasms of the chest area and reflux being drawm into the lungs),

etc. Because the underlying TCM imbalances are different, what helps

one asthmatic may do nothing for a second person and may even make a

third sicker. The illness is the same, but different treatments are

called for. (What TCM healers analyze and treat are TCM imbalances,

not Western-defined medical conditions.)

 

The same thing happens among cats, among dogs, among horses, etc.

Cats may have the same medical conditions, but suffer from different

TCM Roots. What helps one cat won't help another who is suffering

from a different TCM imbalance.

 

It's in administering herbs that one really needs to be aware of

differences among species in addition to whatever TCM imbalances are

present in the individual (human, cat, dog, horse, etc.). For

example, I would have no trouble recommending garlic for certain

parasitic infections (or for other things) in a human who is NOT Yin

Deficient with signs of Heat. But, because a cat's physiology is

different from a human's, I wouldn't recommend this for a cat because

garlic hurts cats. I would have to find another treatment that won't

hurt a cat.

 

Michelle has given us a list of differences in cat physiology from

human physiology. Because of these differences there are a number of

things that won't hurt most humans that will hurt all cats. The cats

simply cannot metabolize certain substances like most humans can.

They are poisoned by them instead.

 

BTW, when it comes to specific medical conditions, even TCM is not

necessarily the best course of treatment for all conditions. In

general (and this is a very broad general), Westerm medicine is best

for trauma and acute conditions, TCM best for chronic conditions. As

I said, these are generalities. Sometimes chiropractic or osteopathy

treatments are needed. Sometimes a combination of TCM, Western

establishment medicine, and other alternative medicine works best

(like in the case of certain serious blood diseases like leukemia).