According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Qi flows through every living thing. It is a life force that may be disrupted from time to time – referred to as Qi Deficiency. One common deficiency that occurs is spleen Qi deficiency in cats.
When this happens, your pet suffers from various “patterns”.
Concerning treatment, Eastern medicine practitioners do not follow the principles of traditional scientific treatment. Instead, TCVM treatment uses herbal remedies, exercises, and acupuncture.
In this context, we’ll focus on an herbal treatment that balances spleen Qi deficiency in cats – Si Jun Zi Tang. This formula is dubbed as the best formula for spleen Qi deficiency in cats. To top it off, it also works for dogs and horses.
Before diving into how this formula works, we must understand what Qi deficiency is along with its causes and symptoms.
What Is Qi Deficiency?
Laura escaped the peaceful provincial life to pursue her dreams in the busy city of New York. Along with her is her best friend Orange, a 4-year-old cat. Within a few days after moving, the active cat suddenly became lethargic and moody.
Confused, Laura reviews her cat’s routine and diet but realized she hadn’t changed anything.
What changed then?
This situation is a clear indication of disrupted qi.
TCVM followers believe the Qi governs an animal’s physical and mental condition. Once the Qi falls into imbalance, an animal may suffer from physical illnesses or mental health conditions.
In Laura’s case, it’s obvious that her cat suffers from a disrupted Qi. But how could this happen when she made sure to stick to her routine?
Causes of Qi Deficiency
Qi translates to life force or vital energy. This energy diminishes as your pet ages. However, aging isn’t the only factor that exhausts the Qi.
Below is a list of other causes resulting in spent Qi:
- Food sensitivity
- Hormonal imbalance
- Environment (stress and pollution)
- Emotional problems
- Overexertion of energy (playing too much or hiking too much)
Recall a time when you moved out from a place and settled in another. Wasn’t it mentally and physically exhausting or stressful?
The same is true for Laura and her cat. Moving out and settling in require a lot of mental, emotional, and physical energy.
More than that, both will have to adjust to the new environment and the stress and pollution it brings.
Symptoms of Qi Deficiency
It’s usually pretty easy to spot when your pet becomes qi deficient. You can detect it immediately through their sudden change in mood and behavior. It may not be problematic at first, but it may become severe over time.
If the changes persist for a period of time, it’s time you consult a vet for help.
Unsure how other symptoms manifest relating to Qi imbalance? Look out for the common symptoms listed below:
- Loss of appetite or eating disorder
- Digestive upset
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Anxiety
- Mood swings
- Prone to catching colds
- Hair loss
- Cold limbs
- Urinary problems
The list above are only common symptoms. Suffering from prolonged qi disruption means you can expect more symptoms or patterns.
Patterns may differ depending on which organ is affected: Liver Qi deficiency, Lung Qi deficiency, Spleen Qi deficiency in cats, etc.
But how exactly do you treat a “life force”?
Spleen Qi Deficiency in Cats
In Western veterinary medicine, the spleen plays only a small role in the body. It’s an organ that filters the blood and also considered as part of the immune system. However, people and animals can live without it.
In stark contrast, Eastern veterinary medicine considers the spleen to be an important organ. In their principles, the spleen functions by pulling the Qi from the ingested food and distributing it to other vital organs.
Hence, in the occurrence of a Qi imbalance, the spleen is the first organ that TCVM practitioners look into. Once spleen qi deficiency in cats occurs, it’s best to treat it right away.
Paired with the stomach as sources of digestion, an imbalance of the Qi (when left untreated) will result into what Westerners call gastrointestinal issues (health conditions in the digestive system).
Restoring Disrupted Spleen Qi in Cats
As mentioned above, there are various treatment options to consider to restore spleen Qi deficiency in cats: herbal treatment, exercise, or acupuncture. In this article, we will focus on herbal treatment.
A TCVM veterinarian favorite is Si Jun Zi Tang. It is a spleen Qi-tonifying, four-ingredient herbal powder that treats spleen Qi defiency in cats. This formula also works on dogs and horses.
Ingredients:
- Ren Shen – Is a king ingredient in the formula and acts as a powerful tonifier for the spleen Qi.
- Fu Ling is generally used as a stomach, spleen, and heart Qi tonifier, and it acts as an assistant ingredient in this formula. Its key role is to assist in strengthening the spleen.
- Bai Zhu – Strengthens and dries out dampness in the spleen.
- Gan Cao – This ingredient harmonizes the other three ingredients. Other than that, it also regulates the core of the digestive system.
NOTE: Before purchasing this formula, it’s important that you have your vet’s authorization.
In Conclusion
There are many contributing factors that result in spleen Qi deficiency in cats. When this happens, patterns start to manifest, sometimes leaving you confused.
Before the condition turns severe, it’s important to have a treatment plan. You can discuss this with a vet licensed in TCVM.
When spleen Qi deficiency in cats is the diagnosis, you can expect to hear Si Jun Zi Tang as a supportive option.
The wonderful thing about TCVM is it comes with little-to-no side-effects. Plus, it works! So many pet parents are happy with how this alternative treatment resolved spleen Qi deficiency in their cats. Help us spread the word!
