Recommended TCM Remedies for Common Pet Ailments

Recommended by Taiwanese veterinarians specializing in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM)

"Old dogs who can't be helped by Western medicine, maybe Chinese medicine can!" - Dr. Liu, a Chinese medicine doctor in Taipei, personally explains the wonderful power of Chinese medicine for pets.

Have you noticed that older pets often show some chronic problems in the body, such as limping, coughing all the time, sometimes barking at night without sleep, and even some dogs will have emotional anxiety.

In these cases, taking western medicine sometimes works at first, but it returns to its original state once the patient stops taking it, and it may hurt the liver and kidneys. In fact, Dr. Liu who has both human and animal TCM qualifications, has been using scientific TCM to help pet owners solve various chronic disease problems in their pets for many years.

Dr. Liu shares: How can Chinese medicine help your pet?

"Many owners ask me: Can dogs really take Chinese medicine? In fact, Chinese medicine emphasizes toning the body. Whether people or pets, they have qi, blood and organs.

Chinese medicine not only can be used for pain relief, but to help pets regulate the body from the root and slowly improve symptoms," Dr. Liu explained.

Traditional Chinese medicine may have a medicinal taste and is not easy to feed, but scientific TCM powder solves this problem. Dr. Liu added:

"Many brands of scientific TCM are now designed to be free from medicinal taste and can be mixed directly into the feed. Dogs and cats don't resist at all. They don't even sniff."

FAQ You Want to Know about Pets Taking Chinese medicine

🐾 Q1: Can cats take Chinese medicine?

👉 Of course you can. However, cats are more sensitive to taste, so it is recommended to choose tasteless/specially treated scientific TCM herbal powders, mixed into staple foods or snacks, to adapt faster.

🐾 Q2: Will Chinese medicine put a burden on your pet’s kidneys/liver?

👉 On the contrary, Chinese medicine is mild and natural, will not irritate the kidneys and liver. Western medicine relies on suppressing symptoms, while TCM is to tone the root. For elderly dogs, long-term illness is even more appropriate to treat with TCM.

🐾 Q3: How long does it take to see results? Does it take a long time?

👉 TCM belongs to "slow work out of small goods". Generally recommended to take 3 weeks to 1 month to have significant improvement. Serious situation can be prepared by a veterinarian trained with Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) for continuous use.

🐾 Q4: What is the best way to feed Chinese medicine to pets?

👉 Can mix TCM powder into the main food or feed with wet food / meat puree wrapped. If the pet is very sperm, it is recommended to feed in small portions twice a day for better results.

🐾 Q5: Can Chinese medicine be used as long-term health care?

👉 Yes. Many Chinese herbal prescriptions on the market such as Four-Substance Decoction (Si Wu Tang), Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoctio (Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang), are commonly used in daily health care, targeting physical conditioning/preventing disease, especially suitable for aging pets.

【1】Skin Issues (Itching / Hair Loss / Allergies)

Symptom 1: Red rashes, eczema, and intense itching

👉 Recommended Herbal Formula: Xiaofeng San (Eliminate Wind Powder)

📌 Benefits: Clears heat, dispels wind, and relieves itching; treats eczematous dermatitis

🧪 Typical Cases: Summer eczema flare-ups, generalized itching, and skin redness caused by biting or scratching

Symptom 2: Excessive hair loss, dull coat, and dandruff

👉 Recommended Herbal Formula: Si Wu Tang (Four-Substance Decoction)

📌 Benefits: Nourishes and replenishes blood; moisturizes skin and fur

🧪 Typical Cases: Heavy shedding during seasonal changes, dry and lusterless fur, and constitution prone to nutritional deficiency

Symptom 3: Allergic reaction due to "heat-toxin" (inflammation/heat accumulation); pustules or redness and swelling

👉 Recommended Herbal Formula: Long Dan Xie Gan Tang (Gentian Liver-Draining Decoction)

📌 Benefits: Clears liver heat, drains fire, resolves dampness, and detoxifies

🧪 Typical Cases: Red, swollen skin with pus; noticeable heat sensation; accompanied by bad breath and foul-smelling stool

 【2】Gastrointestinal Issues (Poor Digestion / Diarrhea / Vomiting)

Symptom 1: Diarrhea or loose stools immediately after eating

👉 Recommended Herbal Formula: Xiangsha Liujunzi Tang (Aucklandia and Amomum Six Gentlemen Decoction)

📌 Benefits: Strengthens the spleen to stop diarrhea; regulates intestinal absorption

🧪 Typical Profile: Sensitive stomach/intestines, chronic diarrhea, underweight

Symptom 2: Poor appetite, bloating after meals, tendency to vomit

👉 Recommended Herbal Formula: Banxia Xiexin Tang (Pinellia Decoction to Drain the Epigastrium)

📌 Benefits: Harmonizes the stomach and redirects upward-surging energy; resolves dampness and stops vomiting

🧪 Typical Profile: Nausea immediately after eating, abdominal bloating and flatulence, picky eater

Symptom 3: Slow digestion, dry/hard stools, poor appetite

👉 Recommended Herbal Formula: Pingwei San (Calm the Stomach Powder)

📌 Benefits: Dries dampness and invigorates spleen function; promotes gastrointestinal motility

🧪 Typical Profile: Prone to constipation, thick and greasy tongue coating, low appetite but no diarrhea

【3】Joint & Mobility Issues (Difficulty Moving / Limping)

Symptom 1: Joint pain, stopping after taking just a few steps, reluctance to go down stairs

👉 Recommended TCM Formula: Duhuo Jisheng Tang (Pubescent Angelica and Taxillus Decoction)

📌 Benefits: Tonifies the kidneys and strengthens bones; dispels wind-dampness and relieves pain

🧪 Suitable for: Senior dogs, dogs with joint degeneration or limping

Symptom 2: Difficulty rising, weak hind legs, instability when standing

👉 Recommended TCM Formula: Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia)

📌 Benefits: Tonifies the kidneys and strengthens the lower back; boosts hind-leg strength

🧪 Suitable for: Dogs with muscle atrophy, prolonged bed rest, or unsteady gait

Symptom 3: Weakness in tendons and bones; immobility during cold weather

👉 Recommended TCM Formula: Yougui Wan (Kidney-Yang Restoring Formula/ Restore the Right Pill)

📌 Benefits: Tonifies the liver and kidneys; strengthens tendons and bones; promotes blood circulation and unblocks meridians

🧪 Suitable for: Dogs sensitive to cold; dogs with seasonal mobility issues

【4】 Trachea / Respiratory Issues(Coughing / Wheezing)

Symptom 1: Dry cough; coughing triggered easily by cold air/wind

👉 Recommended TCM Formula: Zhisou San (Stop Coughing Powder)

📌 Benefits: Relieves cough and expels phlegm; dispels wind and releases the exterior

🧪 Common Cases: Dogs that cough as soon as the weather turns cold; small breeds like Pomeranians

Symptom 2: Wheezing attacks, difficulty breathing, and audible rattling/wheezing sounds (phlegm sounds)

👉 Recommended TCM Formula: Maxing Shigan Tang (Ephedra, Apricot Kernel, Gypsum, and Licorice Decoction)

📌 Benefits: Clears lung heat and relieves wheezing; resolves phlegm and calms the breath

🧪 Common Cases: Tracheal collapse; respiratory disorders associated with lung heat

Symptom 3: Wet cough; phlegm in the throat; excessive phlegm production

👉 Recommended TCM Formula: Qingqi Huatan Wan (Clear Qi and Transform Phlegm Pil)

📌 Benefits: Moistens the lungs and relieves cough; clears heat and resolves phlegm

🧪 Common Cases: Dogs with high internal dampness; chronic bronchitis

[5] Emotional/Nervous Issues (Fear/Restlessness/Convulsions)

Symptom 1: Excessive fright, barking, trembling with thunder

👉 Recommended Chinese medicine: Gan Mai Da Zao Tang (Licorice, Wheat, and Jujube Decoction)

📌 Function: nourish the mind and calm the mind, relieve anxiety

🧪 Common objects: Dogs that are afraid of sound, excessive tension, and stick to their owners

Symptom 2: Sleepless nights, mood swings, false pregnancy

👉 Recommended Chinese medicine: Jia Wei Xiao Yao San (Augmented Free and Easy Wanderer Powder)

📌 Function: soothes the liver and regulates qi, soothes the nerves and regulates menstruation

🧪 Common objects: estrus, irritability, hormonal instability

Symptom 3: Convulsions, epilepsy, neurotic behavior

👉 Recommended Chinese medicine: Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin (Gastrodia and Uncaria Drink)

📌 Function: wind and shock, stabilize nerves

🧪 Common targets: Sudden cramps, epilepsy tendency dog breeds (such as Schnauzers)

🌿 Chinese Medicine is Especially Suitable for Chronic/Senile Diseases

For common joint degeneration, intestinal weakness, emotional instability, and breathing problems in elderly dogs and cats, Dr. Liu emphasizes:

"Chinese medicine does not rely on suppressing symptoms, but allows the body to slowly restore its own ability to regulate. Even if they have joint pain and are reluctant to move, often have soft stools, vomit, or have thunderous voices, Chinese medicine can slowly help them recover."

🧪 GMP-certified TCM Powders Formulated Specifically for Pets

Scientific TCM powders currently on the market—from brands such as Sun Ten, Kaiser Pharmaceuticals, and Koda Pharmaceutical—feature a fine texture, consistent quality, and a safe profile free from side effects. They are widely used for:

•         🦴 Joint degeneration (e.g., Duhuo Jisheng Tang, Duzhong Bushen Tang)

•         🍽️ Gastrointestinal discomfort (e.g., Xiangsha Liujunzi Tang, Banxia Xiexin Tang)

•         😮‍💨 Coughing and asthma (e.g., Zhisou San, Maxing Shigan Tang)

•         🧠 Anxiety/Seizures (e.g., Ganmai Dazao Tang, Tianma Gouteng Yin)

（This article is translated from a Hong Kong website）