Integrative homeopathic treatment and pharmacopuncture with Viscum album in canine mammary carcinoma: Case report.

Abstract

Inflammatory mammary carcinoma is a highly aggressive tumor that affects dogs, characterized by progressive disease and a high mortality rate. Affected dogs have diffuse swollen mammary glands with little demarcation between tissues, making the region firm, in the form of plaques, hot and painful on palpation with possible thickening of the skin and sero-bloody secretion. Acupuncture is considered as an adjunctive treatment modality, as it improves the quality of life of cancer patients, in addition to controlling these metabolic changes. This paper reports the case of a female dog treated with pharmacopuncture in association with the Viscum album. The animal arrived with normocardia, eupnea, pale mucous membranes and a lump in the breast region. Preoperative and imaging exams were carried out, followed by a pan-hysterectomy and partial mastectomy procedure, with sample collection for histopathological analysis. A Grade II Mixed Tumor Carcinoma was diagnosed and then the pharmacopuncture treatment with Viscum album was proposed. Sessions were held weekly for 9 months and there was an improvement in the clinical and physical aspect of the animal. The growing development of medicine associated with new treatment techniques promotes better results and favorable quality of life for animals. As a prophylactic measure of the disease, castration remains the best option, especially when used before the first heat.