turmeric for cysts

[wolfsoul]

Just thought I'd give everyone a little piece of advice for if their dog ever develops a cyst.

Visa developed an interdigital cyst between one of her back toes. I tried to lance it myself, which didn't really work -- I've lanced cysts before but not one quite like this. So I've just been soaking it in epsom salts and applying tea tree oil and oil of oregano twice a day. It was getting smaller and harder and it had scabbed over where I lanced it -- didn't look bad by any means. Then I missed a couple of days of treating it and it got really big again and yesterday she started to hobble, wouldn't put any pressure on that foot at all. I really wanted to avoid using the sarcoma salve on it as between the toes isn't really the best place for that stuff -- it tends to just eat whatever it's in contact with.
So I've heard all about turmeric for cysts. So I went to the grocery store yesterday and bought a $6 jar of turmeric and mixed 1 tsp of it into some canned food lastnight (I didn't even get home until midnight lastnight). Got up at 9:00 this morning and she's now walking on her foot, doing the odd limp in between steps sometimes, but for the most part the cyst has gone down in size and it's not causing her as much discomfort. I heard that turmeric works fast, but I thought it would take atleast a week or so before I'd see any results.
I learned this from a lady at the dog beach who has a lab that had large cysts all over his entire body. She started giving him turmeric and all of the cysts went away. If she stops giving it to him, they will come back in other places (much like when you have them removed), so she gives him 2 tsps a day (same dosage I'm doing right now) to prevent them.

Visa's never had a cyst before, and I'm concerned because often I find cysts happen to unhealthy dogs, and I don't want to be breeding an unhealthy dog, so I think it's time to go to the vet and get some allergy tests (I recently switched her food). Her thyroid is high-normal so I know it's not that. She's always been very healthy so I hope that it is nothing.

Just thought I'd give everyone the heads up. I'll update when the cyst is entirely gone. You know most conventional vets reccomend removing interdigital cysts (which can cost hundreds of dollars) but like most ailments, I find alot of natural cures/treatments that work even better. Sometimes conventional vets try to pick weeds with a backhoe. I'm glad I have a holistic vet that encourages me to explore natural options before begging for surgery.

[Karen]

So how did that work? I know it was a while ago you posted this ...

[IRescue452]

Tumeric is just anti-inflamatory. I definately think people need to make sure the cyst is not anything bad before treating the symptoms. Tumeric is no cure for cancer. Its not good to cover up symptoms while the cause is not addressed. I would however like to know how it is for treating arthritis pain. I want to go to Penzey's and pick some up since its 59¢ an ounce there as compared to $3 in the grocery store, but Penzeys is someplace I'll go this weekend. The construction season makes it a 30 mile trip.