Reishi and Benadryl

[Deleted]

So since I think Marley has a MCT, I want to get him started on reishi right away but I need help. What brand is the best? I'm looking to buy it off amazon, if that helps. Also, I'm looking into childrens liquid benadryl but I'm also unsure what amount to give. Marley is currently 3 lbs. and I would like to keep it on hand in case he itches still. Thanks!

[Celene]

I think katt uses reishi.

In about 95% of cases MCTs will simply heal and go away on their own without any medicine or help.

[katt]

I use Reishi for IBD. I have never seen it make a lick of difference for MCTs, but others seems to have luck with it. Best thing for an MCT in my opinion and experience is hydrocortisone cream. Just standard 1% hydrocortisone you get at the grocery store. It reduces the inflammation and putting it on 1-2 times a day the MCT will shrink, if not vanish, in days. That said they do inevitably come back (even if you have them surgically removed by the vet), and 99% of the time they will go away on their own. They just come and go. I only use the hydrocortisone when they have a particularly bad one.

[Deleted]

I saw another post on here that says hydrocortisone is bad to put on ferrets, so I'm a little skeptical if he eats it or something.I know I wouldn't be putting a huge glob of course but I don't want to hurt him either.

[katt]

Why would it be bad? I would be curious to hear where that person got their information. It's just a topical steroid - like pred but not processed systemically so you don't get any of the liver strain and other bad side effects of pred, and it's effectively a much, much lower dose. Even if they did happen to lick the area, you don't need to worry unless you leave a huge glob not rubbed in and they ingest a large amount. FYI it was a vet who originally recommended hydrocortisone for MCTs.

ALSO - hydrocortisone actually targets the underlying cause of the symptoms in MCT. A MCT is an overgrowth of a specific type of immune cells called mast cells that secrete histamines (which cause the itching). Topical steroids help to reduce/prevent the overgrowth, inhibits the function of the mast cells as well as decreasing their numbers, and reduces the inflammation in that spot. OVERUSE of topical steroids over an extended period of time can cause skin atrophy, but this is typically reversible unless you are just chronically using topical steroids in the same spot over a very long period of time. Using it 1-2 times a day for a few days to 1-2 weeks at a time really shouldn't cause any issues and should be plenty of time for the MCT to respond. I typically only need to use it for 2-4 days.

If you are still really resistant to using hydrocortisone, try some benadryl cream - it will help to negate the histamines causing the itching (but will not target the other mechanisms at all unfortunately).

[Deleted]

I ended up using hydrocortisone. Of course I read that on the Internet that it wasn't safe but I would rather choose this forum than anywhere else to get my information. I applied it 2x a day for 4 days and the mct is gone, so thank you!!

[katt]

Glad it helped. Most MCTs go away fine on their own (and come back, and go away, and come back....), but I use the hydrocortisone for any bad or large ones because they keep just itching and re-opening them.