Muis’s bottle of TCM arrived yesterday and according to what Kamila wrote, the herbs are “yin and spleen tonics”, which will help regulate her blood sugar levels. Kamila also included some mild strengthening herbs to help with the tumour on her pancreas.

Here’s the make up of the medicine (the information in the brackets are descriptions I found on the Internet, not from Kamila) …

1. Tai Zhi Shen – Radix Pseudostellariae (strengthens spleen and stomach Qi, generates fluids, tonifies lung Qi)

2. Shi Hu – Dendrobium Stem (nourishes the stomach; promotes generation of body fluids; nourishes Yin; clears heat)

3. Fu Ling – Sclerotium Poriae Cocos (eliminates water; strengthens the spleen; calms the mind)

4. Shan Zha – Fructus Crataegi (promotes digestion; transforms food retention; invigorates blood; eliminates accumulations)

5. Chen Pi – Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae (regulates the Qi; regulates the middle; dries dampness; transforms phlegm)

6. Mai Dong – Ophiopogon japonicus (moistens the lungs; nourishes lung-Yin; benefits the stomach; promotes generation of body fluids; clears the heart; calms restlessness and anxiety)

7. Pu Gong Ying – Herba Taraxaci Mongolici cum Rd (clears heat; expels toxins; drains dampness)

8. Sheng Di  – Radix Rehamanniae Glutinosae (clears heat; cools blood; nourishes Yin; promotes generation of body fluids)

9. Shan Yao – Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae (tonifies Qi; nourishes Yin; tonifies the spleen; tonifies the lungs; tonifies the kidneys)

10. San Qi - Notoginseng (Notoginseng is one of the most powerful blood tonics known. It is used to make the body stronger and can aid healing)

11. Wu Wei Zi – Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis (strengthens the lungs (to cure chronic cough); nourishes the kidneys (to cure chronic cough); promotes generation of body fluids; stops sweating; preserves the essence; stops diarrhea; calms the heart; calms the mind)

12. Dan Shen – Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (to remove blood stasis and relieve pain, to promote the flow of blood and stimulate menstrual discharge, and to ease the mind)

13. Jiao Gu Lan – Herba Gynostemma pentaphyllum (tonifies the liver, tonifies the kidneys, benefits the liver, benefits the kidneys, strengthens, restrains)

14. Ling Zhi – Fructificatio Ganodermatus (tonifies Qi; nourishes Yin and blood; strengthens the spleen to tonify Qi and body fluids; calms the mind; strengthens the stomach).

The instructions said that I should give Muis 1/8th of a teaspoon sprinkled on food so Philip & I went to the supermarket and I bought some fresh chicken legs.  When we got home, I cut some meat off, sprinkled the herbs on the chicken and put Muis in the bathroom with the bowl. 

It didn’t take long for her to polish off all the food and there was no sign of herbs in the bowl, so she must have licked the bowl clean! Now we wait and see her progress.

Muis doesn’t have a swollen stomach like Kaos did, so it probably won’t be as obvious but as long as I see her pottering contentedly around the house and as long as she comes up onto the bed at night and pulls out my hair, I will be happy ☺

I also heard about a natural product called methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM), which is supposed to be fantastic for people with osteoarthritis.  On checking, I found an Australian site which advertised a product called “Arthrix”, which is MSM for dogs; however it couldn’t sell the product in Australia until it was approved by the appropriate Government department.
When I researched MSM further, I saw it also was said to boost the immune system so I went to the Australian site and ordered 1kg of MSM in powder form (for humans) and I’ll be putting 1 teaspoon of the powder in the water dish for the dog and the ferrets, as well as taking the powder myself.
Apparently if one is on medication, it’s said that you can safely take MSM and it won’t interact with your drugs.  So … I’m thinking that if it’ll do what they say it will, then my dog will feel better, as she’s very arthritic, and it can only be beneficial to all the ferrets.
Yes, I know that Quack Watch have pooh-poohed all the claims made about MSM but as long as it won’t HARM my animals, I reckon I will give it a go and see how they fare.
Way back in the late 90s, when both CJ and Fidget got ill (CJ with insulinoma and Fidget with lymphosarcoma), I ordered colloidal silver to add to their water dish.  I honestly have no idea if it helped or not but at least I felt like I was doing everything I could to help improve the quality of their life.
I’ll keep you informed on how they all go once the MSM arrives ;-)

Other articles you might like;

Tagged with: • • •

Filed under: Ferret Illnesses • Insulinoma in Ferrets • Traditional Chinese Medicine

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!