Forums HomeGrown Herbalist Student Forum Veterinary Herbology Adrenal function – low cortisol levels

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    • #50979
      Selena Warnke
      Student

        I was planning to start giving our young dog dandelion leaf and root to help ease his recurring bouts of acute pancreatitis (presents as vomiting). I also ordered marshmallow root and chamomile tincture to help with the same issue.  That being said, we just received results from his cortisol test and his cortisol levels were extremely low (0.5). The vet will be doing a ACTH stim test on Monday to determine if he has Addison’s Disease. My question: Is there any concern using dandelion, marshmallow root or chamomile when there is potential damage/dysfunction of the adrenal gland?

        I’d appreciate advice from anyone with experience in this area.  Additionally, if he’s diagnosed with Addison’s Disease, I assume the vet will want to put him on prednisone, at which time, I’d want to make sure that those (or any recommended) herbs are still safe for use.

        Thank you in advance!

        We’ve had some poor advice from a different vet with a different dog, so I’m a big fan of second and third opinions and researching multiple sources. I’d love to hear from anyone with experience in this area.

      • #51137
        Selena Warnke
        Student
        Topic Author

          Test results for Addison’s disease came back negative, and also indicated that the in-house cortisol test was incorrect (now I’m told his cortisol levels are within normal range).  So now we’re back to square one trying to figure out what is causing our young pup to experience pancreatic flare up with recurring vomiting every 6 months or so. I’ve started giving him marshmallow root, dandelion leaf and chamomile twice a day and will add burdock root and nettle powder once I receive my order.  The plan now is to treat with herbs according to advice I’ve found in the course modules and consult an internal medicine specialist when we’re able.  I just can’t shake the feeling that something is causing the pancreatitis. It doesn’t make sense that a dog younger than 2 years eating a normal, now low fat diet, who receives no table scraps and only low fat treats has pancreatitis caused by fat intake alone.

          I’ve read that Irritable Bowel Disease can cause pancreatitis and potentially food allergies. What I don’t know is how likely these issues are to present symptoms only twice a year. Again, I’m posting in case anyone has seen something similar and can share their experiences.

          Thank you.

        • #51334
          LaVonne Murphy
          Student

            Question for Selena… is your pup on a raw food diet or kibble? Kibble is not a healthy food choice for dogs because of starches and possible GMO’s within them among other substances which may be harming your pup. My now deceased yellow lab was being feed “high quality” dog food which contained melamine so I no longer trust any processed food manufacturers.

             

          • #51728
            Selena Warnke
            Student
            Topic Author

              Hello LaVonne,

              I apologize for the delay in responding. We started home cooking our dog’s food after his second pancreatic flare up about 6 months ago using a recipe provided by a certified veterinary nutritionist.

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