• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Fire poodles and metal siamese: Introduction to Chinese 5 element theory (Proceedings)

August 1, 2008
Nancy Scanlan, DVM, MSFP, CVA

Why study it? To predict problems by constitutional element, predict progression by same, and control problems via herbs or acupuncture that address the elements.

Why study it?

• predict problems by constitutional element

• predict progression by same

• control problems via herbs or acupuncture that address the elements

Introduction

• Earliest system of Chinese medicine, between 3rd and 4th century BC

• Cycle, not 5 separate elements

• Balance, not either/or

Creation cycle: Fire → earth → metal → water → wood → fire

Each element is associated with a part/organ of the body. A problem with one can lead to a problem with the following element and its associated organ.

Advertisement

Control cycle: Fire → metal → wood → earth → water → fire

Organs associated with one element can control the organ associated with the next in the control cycle

• Fire yin Heart/Pericardium yang small intestine triple heater

• Earth yin Spleen/pancreas yang Stomach

• Metal yin Lung yang Large Intestine

• Water yin Kidney Yang Bladder

• Wood yin Liver yang Gall Bladder

(Treat the heart to control lung problems. CHF but also for asthma can try heart point)

Time

Each element/organ is associated with time of year and time of day

• (fire) Heart and small intestine 11 am to 3 pm

• (water) Kidney and Bladder 3 pm to 7 pm

• (fire) pericardium and triple heater 7 pm to 11 pm

• (wood) Liver and Gall Bladder 11 pm to 3 am

• (metal) Lung Large Intestine 3 am to 7 am

• (earth) Spleen Stomach 7 am to 11 am

How do we use this? e.g., vomiting daily in the morning: Stomach midday small intestine very early am Liver

Can tell us about IBD look at small intestine or Liver vs Stomach (will Pepcid work? Pumpkin? Milk thistle?)

Pure constitutional types (coupled with emotions)

• Fire: Hyper, happy, joyous (toy poodle). May have HT or small intestine probs esp in summer

• Earth: Very obedient, wants to please, sensitive to owner's moods, overweight, couch potato Stomach/Spleen/pancreas probs esp morning and late summer

• Metal: Worries, grief if companion dies, chronic resp prob (Lung) esp very early am or autumn, constipation or megacolon (Large Intestine)

• Water: Fear (hides in closet, under bed), Kidney/Bladder probs esp in winter and late afternoon, big drinker

• Wood: Anger: attacks humans and other dogs, green discharge (eyes, ears, skin), hot skin and ears

• esp very early am (night) and spring Liver/Gall Bladder probs

Use for Prevention, especially in susceptible constitutions: herbs/diet etc to treat their weak spots before signs happen. (Can be difficult in a cat)

Related Content:

Medical
Performing surgery on dogs with GDV
Performing surgery on dogs with GDV
Not-so-ordinary ER cases you should know
Not-so-ordinary ER cases you should know
An update on copper concerns in pet foods
An update on copper concerns in pet foods

Advertisement

Latest News

An update on copper concerns in pet foods

Dental hacks to make every case more manageable

Q&A with a keynote: Walter Brown, RVTg, VTS, ECC

News wrap-up: This week’s headlines, plus dvm360® launches its first CE podcast

View More Latest News
Advertisement