Turmeric for Cysts in Dogs and Cats

| Modified on Mar 20, 2024

Turmeric has healed many pets of cysts. This natural remedy is used internally and is easy to mix with food. Ideally, you will give your pet turmeric with his food twice daily.

How Much Turmeric Should I Give My Pet for Cysts?

The chart below will show you how much to give your pet for each dose. Ideally, you will mix the dose into your pet's food twice a day. For example, a 10 pound pet will get 1/16th teaspoon mixed into his food twice a day. This chart is a starting point. Your pet may respond with a lower dose or your pet may need more than the suggested amounts.

Pet Weight       Turmeric to Mix in Food

160 pounds        1 teaspoon
80 pounds          1/2 teaspoon
40 pounds          1/4 teaspoon
20 pounds          1/8 teaspoon
10 pounds          1/16 teaspoon

Make your your dog or cat has plenty of clean water. Turmeric can be constipating. If your find that turmeric constipates your dog, you can add some canned pumpkin to his diet to help his system move better.

You may notice changes in a day or two. For some cysts, it could take a month of the turmeric treatment to heal a cyst.  If there is no change after a month, consider another remedy.

Have you used turmeric for a cyst in your pet? We would love to hear your story!




29 User Reviews

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4 star (3) 
  10%
3 star (2) 
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1 star (1) 
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Posted by Myra (California Missouri) on 03/20/2024
★★★★★

My 14 yr old Sheperd mix

had a cyst on right shoulder for yrs the size of a softball and this past Friday he as coming in from outside and something happened he yelped real loud and then he could barely walk. Next day he was still rating and drinking and going to potty as best as he could so I got on here and started looking and reading.I had used termuris for boils before and it worked so I thought why not, starting putting in his food(1 tsp) 2xday then 3rd day started 1/2 tsp, on 3rs day saw improvment well the 4th day that thing exploded blood and goob everywhere.He can walk alot better so now its healing time Thanks Earthclinic


Turmeric
Posted by Sandy (CA) on 11/16/2021
★★★★★

My 12yrs f shepherd I noticed a large looked like fluid filled sack between back legs. Having just had surgery myself & we have 2 rott pups, hard to see. I read up on site. Gave her yesterday turmeric. My granddaughter was at vet so I took pic to send to her. This a.m. looks like it has 2 holes & no longer filled with fluid. Looks like it burst open. Now what?? All 3 try to lick. Put warm castor oil compress on or get her antibiotics??

Replied by Myra
(California)
03/20/2024
★★★★★

Oh my, my 14-year-old Shepdrd mix has had a softball-size cyst on his right shoulder for years. Something happened last Friday night. He hurt and could barely walk, so I came to see what I could do. I started putting turmeric in his food twice daily (1 tsp) each, then backed off to 1/2 tsp. It's been four days, and today, it exploded. Wow, but I think we are onto healing. He can already walk better.


Turmeric
Posted by Kristin D. (Danbury, Ct) on 02/19/2018
★★★★★

Thank you SO much for the info on your site! It has been a life-extender for our cat. I wanted to share this in case it helped someone else.Wanted to share our experience in case it helps someone else.

Last week, our 16 year old cat was diagnosed with small intestine cancer, kidney stones, and most importantly, large liver cysts that were pushing on her stomach, preventing her from eating. She stopped eating and drinking altogether (thus, the vet visit), and we weren't sure she was going to last through the weekend.

We opted against the surgical option for the cysts and the cancer for a variety of reasons, and thought we would just be making her comfortable for the next couple of days until the inevitable.

I am shocked but happy to report that for the time being she has done almost a complete 180. She is eating and drinking again as well as spending time with us again and it is almost as if we have our original cat back.

Specifically, I have been using Thorne's Meriva Soy Free (because I had it from my Lyme disease treatment) and opening the capsules, giving her approx 1/16 tsp mixed w/ warm water 2x/day via syringe. (Straight Tumeric is not advised due to bioavailability issues.) Literally, after 2 doses, she was MUCH better. Yesterday we started with pet-grade Milk Thistle drops found on Chewy.com. She is back to being super squirmy and nervous (i.e. normal for her) which gives us hope. Even if she passes sooner rather than later, the Meriva supplement made a HUGE difference for her quality of life. Maybe this anecdotal evidence will help others who are struggling with the same choices for their cats.

Replied by Anon
(Uk)
06/28/2018

Thorne meriva is likely to be toxic to cats-even in really tiny doses if given repeatedly-curcumin is such a potent blood thinner it can make red blood cells fall apart-so be aware, this may be very dangerous. This lady, after all, is talking about less than a week, there is no follow up.


Turmeric
Posted by Hummingbirdlady (Irvine, Ca) on 10/12/2017
★★★★★

Turmeric stopped Dog's cyst from bleeding.

Wow! My friend's dog was bleeding from a cyst for days. We researched and researched and tried many things, but this is what worked:

  1. First we bathed him in a mild warm water solution of soapy water to get blood off of his legs from cyst on abdomen.
  2. Next we used a mild solution of Epsom Salt and warm water, and repeated again for about 15 minutes.
  3. Next we applied turmeric. It bled again but it slowed down, so I applied the turmeric again and it finally stopped.

This is how we stopped it from bleeding. He is sleeping on a dry white towel and not even a drop of blood an hour or so after treatment. AMAZING stuff turmeric.

Replied by Maggie
(Idaho)
10/15/2017
36 posts

I am having the same problem with my dog. I put turmeric on the cyst after it burst and all that did was to stop it from oozing. It closed up the cyst but then it filled up again right away. Cayenne powder did the same thing. They work great at stopping the bleeding and oozing but they don't heal the cyst on the inside. I'm still trying to find a cure to heal the cyst completely.


Turmeric
Posted by Terri (Chicago, Il) on 05/07/2015

My black lab has a large growth on the top of his paw. I started adding a 1/4 tsp of Tumeric to his food a few weeks ago. the growth changes color and is oozing daily. Is this a sign of improvement or is it getting worse. I'm also wondering if I should bandage it so my pet will stop licking it? Should I be applying an topical antibiotic as well? I also have castor oil, but not sure what to do with it. Please advise.

Replied by Clarissa
(Kansas)
09/06/2017

Hi! I have a yellow lab that I took to the vet for her rabies shot and she has had ozzing raw tumor looking things that come and go on the back if her front paws for some time. The vet knew exactly what it was but I can't remember the name. He said that it's some kind of growth they get and licking it makes them (the dog themself, not the tumor) feel good. Might be the same thing. He didnt recommend any treatment.


Turmeric
Posted by Barbara (Illinois, United States) on 11/26/2014

I tried treating my 9 yrold Airedale's sebaceous cyst with oral and using salve of turmeric and virgin coconut oil. The vet already tried antibiotics and steroids with antiinflammatory but it didn't help much. It has been bleeding off and on, but no sebaceous material. The second day of salve my dog started licking it and it oozed more blood. I've kept him on oral and added bacitracin per vet. I'm trying to decide about also using castor oil, any suggestions/ideas?
Thank you!

Replied by Om
(Hope Bc Canada)
11/26/2014

Barbara -- to stop the bleeding and encourage healing, use generous amounts of turmeric powder on the cyst. When the bleeding does not occur anymore, you can mix turmeric with cold pressed castor oil, even adding some coconut oil in the mix. Licking it is only beneficial.

See if that works. I have good experiences with this.

Namaste, Om

Replied by Susan
(Exton, Pa)
12/01/2014

I have a 5 yo german shepherd male, has interdigital cysts between his right front paw, pinky toe. It is Dec 1 and I just soaked it, cleaned it, dried, and placed a salve of turmeric and coconut oil on the cysts. I bandaged his paw. He is taking cephalexin 500mg. His diet is now brown rice and lamb, homemade due to extreme food allergies and yeast overgrowth. I will keep you posted on the status. Vet did a needle aspiration only found blood, now I am facing thousand dollars in more vet surgery bills. Also I exercise him daily, brush him. Hope to hear from a first time turmeric user soon, and best wishes for your furry friend's ailments.

Linda
(East Burwood)
06/06/2023

Half to one teaspoon of apple-cider vinegar in dogs water once a day will stop the overgrowth of yeast. Helps with fungal infections and helps keep your dogs teeth clean

Replied by Theresa
(Mpls., Mn)
12/02/2014

Hey Susan!

Sorry to hear about your GSD's paw ailment :-(

Read up on interdigital furuncles here.

You may find it beneficial to soak your dog's paw in Ted's Mange Remedy or Ted's Anti-fungal/anti-staph solution. The hydrogen peroxide in these formulas help the working ingredients penetrate the skin, which is a challenge when treating this condition.

You might also consider seeking a second opinion for treatment; consider a holistic vet in you area:

http://ahvma.info/page-1186497?

Lastly, you might consider alkalizing with baking soda in your dog's drinking water; start out with a 'crisis dose' of 1 teaspoon of baking soda into 1 liter of water and have this as the only drinking water. After 5-7 days you can drop it down to 1/2 teaspoon per liter for another week or so, and then to 1/4 teaspoon as a maintenance dose.

Replied by Dan D
(Waco, Texas)
11/02/2016

I have a 4yr old GSD and I paid $400 to have a Sebaceous cyst removed 2 years ago and now he has another one about ten inches from the previous location. I just mixed some organic Turmeric root powder with virgin coconut oil and applied the paste directly to the cyst and I will mix a teaspoon in with his food later. I feed Presley the "Prey Model Raw Food Diet" 80-10-10 method and I give him a fish oil capsule as a supplement every other feeding. Is there anything that you might suggest as a preventative to prevent this from reoccurring again in the future??

Replied by Wendy
(Columbus, Oh)
11/04/2016

I would continue to add the turmeric and coconut oil to your dog's food. Maybe a teaspoon of each mixed in at each feeding. One of my past Golden Retrievers has a pea-sized cyst on her hip. Then her immune system got compromised with IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia) and all the meds she was on. The cyst grew to the size of a quarter and was red and seeping (kinda gross! ). I started adding the turmeric & coconut oil (she LOVED coconut oil! ) to her food, and no joke, the entire cyst was GONE in 2 weeks! I was astounded!

Replied by Deb
(Ca)
11/14/2016

Stop the vaccines; they cause warts, cysts, growths along with brain inflammation, immune system confusion/suppression, DNA alteration/harm and other damage. I've read that tea tree or castor oil will naturally heal them. Surgery only results in them returning as the body develops these in an effort to remove system toxins.


Turmeric
Posted by Tiffyb1414 (Durant, Ok) on 05/03/2014
★★★★☆

I have 5 dogs and all are in pretty good health, except for my oldest. Ricky is a 10 year old mini schnauzer that is the first dog I had as an adult. I've never had children, so needless to say, he's like my first child. Schnauzers are known for skin problems (dry skin, cysts, fatty pockets, ect.) He's had a fatty pocket on his left side kind of by his hip area for over 2 years now. My vet told me not to be concerned with it because it's not cancer and at his age, anesthesia to remove his cysts would be more dangerous than the cysts themselves.

So, fatty pockets and cysts on him seem normal to me. Until one started growing on his lower belly, right beside his "male parts" (he's fixed, so he only has one male part lol). This growth was aggressive and seemed to be getting bigger a lot faster than the others and also had a hard ball-like texture to it, whereas the fatty pocket feels just like chicken fat, squishy and moveable. I am supposed to take him in to get the growth looked at, probably a biopsy or something, but I don't want to put him through that anxiety yet, if I can help him myself.

That's when I found this site. I started giving all 5 of my dogs turmeric mixed with coconut oil in the dog food, once a day for the past week. The fatty pocket on Ricky's side is almost gone!! He's running around and playing like he's 4 years old again!!! I'm hoping the turmeric helps my biggest dog (she's 160 pounds and 9 years old) and her torn ACL issues she gets each spring when she likes to think she's a pup and runs around wanting to play! I just wanted to share my experience with the positive results I've gotten so far, and I expect many more. I'm Native American and believe with all my heart that these spices and earth-grown remedies were put here for a reason, and I will use them in every way I can!

I'm so thankful for this website and all the members that have posted their experiences. Without your posts, I wouldn't have been able to help my animals naturally.

I'm going to try the Essiac Tea for Ricky next...where can I get that? At an organic health food store, maybe?

Replied by Karen
(Pueblo Of Acoma, Nm)
05/09/2014

Hi Tiffyb,

I order the Essiac herbs online, but you could possibly find it in health food stores. Look for the original Essiac formula, because there are many versions out there. I understand it also comes in capsules, but I have never tried them. Anyway, I use the whole dried herbs and brew my own tea using non chlorinated filtered water. I strain off the liquid into in a jar and I also put the thick herbal "sludge" into a separate jar as well. I store them in the frig. I always have brewed Essiac on hand. I give my girl one tablespoon of the tea mixed in with her food and use the sludge to treat the spots on her skin. I, too, am Native American, and know that Mother Earth has given us everything we need, if we will just listen. I hope that is helpful, and good luck with your beloved furballs!


Turmeric
Posted by Tiffyb1414 (Durant, Ok) on 05/03/2014
★★★★★

My 10 year old mini schnauzer has a fatty pocket, or tumor on his left side. I started giving him turmeric in coconut oil and mixing it in with his food. I've been giving this to him for a week now, and the tumor is almost completely gone! Also, he's been running and playing like he's 4 years old again! Turmeric will be a daily part of his diet regimen from now on!

I'm going to start giving him BSM for a growth the vet thinks is cancer. I've read a lot of others posting about how it has cured their pets cancer!


Turmeric
Posted by Shih Tzu Momma (Gibsonburg, Ohio) on 02/13/2014
★★★★★

My Boots got a cyst a couple months ago. Took him to the vet and $65 later I had a vial of antibiotics and the cyst took several weeks to ago away, long after meds were gone.

Monday I noticed another one growing in the exact same spot, gave him benadryl so he wouldn't mess with it but by tuesday it was broke open. So I got on the internet and found this site. I followed the advise of a few different people, mixed tumeric with coconut oil and applied directly to cyst. Also sprinkled a little in a slice of cheese and rolled it up.

Wednesday it was the size of a ping pong ball. I repeated the same steps. This morning (Thursday) this thing is practically gone!

I suppose I was lucky that it worked so fast for us. I want to thank you all for your posts and Boots does too:)

Chantel

Replied by Angela
(South Carolina, US)
02/02/2015

Took my miniature schnauzer to the vet for a pea size lump on his hip. Vet said nothing to worry about may go away by itself. He now has 2 more. How much turmeric and coconut oil should I add to his food daily? His weight is approximately 17 or 18 pounds.

Replied by Tiffany
(Greeley, Co)
02/16/2015

I started off with have a tsp for all of my dogs. Because turmeric is quite strong in flavor, the dogs will turn their nose up at it if too much is in their food.


Turmeric
Posted by Sueyd (Harrison, Me) on 01/15/2014
★★★★★

Our dear family dog developed a cyst near his tail recently. We noticed it under the fur for several weeks before he finally started biting at it and removed the fur. It was quite a mess! My husband was afraid that it was time to put him down (he's a 10 yr old, big, furry husky/shepherd, etc mix). I searched online for a home remedy and came across your site - and was SO pleased to find that many others had experienced similar things with their dogs and offered solutions that seemed to WORK!!!! So - I bought some turmeric from the grocery store. We started sprinkling it on his dry dog food morning and afternoon - probably 1/2 teaspoon per day. By the end of the first week, the skin was growing back, by the end of the second week, the fur was growing in. It's been two months now - we give him a sprinkle a couple times a week - I think he misses it! - but the cyst is completely gone! AND - he is more lively and 'happy' ever since!

OK - that's only HALF of the story! My husband broke a tooth the other day and is experiencing flu-like symptoms since then, so I told him I'd go on-line and do some home-remedy research for him. Well...I've been reading on your site for HOURS today (we'll be starting the oil-pull soon! ), and was reading about the benefits of turmeric (for humans! ), and thought, "Oh! I should post on here that it works for pets, too! " and...come to find out - it's the SAME wonderful site that I had found that saved our dear dog!!! You guys are amazing! I'm so thankful and excited - and taking notes - that I found your site - what a great resource!!! And so thankful for all the comments from people that have tried the different remedies.


Turmeric
Posted by Wendy (Columbus, Oh) on 07/05/2013
★★★★★

For cysts in dogs - Get some turmeric (real cheap, in bulk, at the Indian store... That's India). Add 1/2 tablespoon to his food, and mix it all up, each time you feed him. I did this with my golden retriever who had a cyst which was the size of a pea when it first started, but grew to the size of a quarter and got all red and oozing when her immune system was compromised. Within 2 weeks the cyst disappeared!


Turmeric
Posted by Bea (Sacramento, Ca) on 02/25/2013
★★★★★

I just had to share what success we've had with using turmeric as a treatment.

My 4-year-old German Shepherd had a strange growth on the back of her neck, almost an inch long but not very wide. Upon taking her to the vet to get it checked out, it tore off as my dog strained against her collar. This gave us a chance to see what was inside, and the vet believed it was a sebaceous cyst given what was coming out of it. Unfortunately, this was not my dog's usual vet and she didn't clean it up or treat it with anything. She merely suggested surgically removing it.

I immediately decided to search for homeopathic treatments, as I was worried about having my dog undergo surgery, having to pay for the surgery, and who knows what else. When I found the success stories on here using turmeric, I figured that would be the best path. I decided to treat her with turmeric both topically and orally.

I chose to mix the turmeric with coconut oil due to the oil's antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Since the cyst had torn open, I wanted to avoid any infections. I cleaned her up with warm water and applied the mixture. I've been cleaning the area and applying the mixture daily. I've also been giving her half a teaspoon of turmeric mixed with coconut oil twice daily. Sometimes it goes into her food, other times she'll lick it right off the spoon.

We've been at this for a little over a week now, and there is a noticeable difference in her cyst! The top of it has dried up and become almost scab-like. The bottom of the cyst has become much smaller and almost seems to be receding. We're going to continue treating her with this mixture in hopes that it'll completely go away and surgery can be avoided altogether.

Replied by Jazmine Turner
(Keighley West Yorkshire)
03/06/2014

Hi there I have a bearded dragon lizard, she has what looks like a cyst. I would really like to try this turmeric method:), please can you tell me how much turmeric and coconut oil to mix? Thanks, Jazmine

Replied by Theresa
(Mpls., Mn)
03/06/2014

Hey Jazmine!

You just need a dab of both coconut oil and turmeric. I would start with 1/4 teaspoon of the CO and equal parts turmeric and mix into a paste - it should be firm and not runny. Paint in on your beardie's wart with a q-tip to control application. Do this 2-3 times a day and give it at least 2 weeks.

Please report back and let us know how it goes!

Replied by Cindy
(Euless, Tx)
11/16/2014

I am new to this site. I am happy about getting the information on Turmeric being used with the coconut oil for the cyst. My dog is a very fussy eater and I am trying to mix it to give to him. I have found and bought the Turmeric in a capsule with 500 mg. Can someone advise me more on this. I spoke with a friend and they are telling me to be careful. I would appreciate your help. Thanks

Replied by Mimi
(Corpus Christi)
03/14/2015
★★★★★

When I read about this remedy for dog cysts, I was happy to try it. My vet wanted me to bring my dog and have her operated on to remove it. At fifteen in dog years, I was worried that she might have difficulty during surgery and the recovery. I took it upon myself to try the powdered turmeric (spice isle) and extra virgin olive oil. I mixed the ingredients adding more turmeric to the oil to make a salve and piled it on her cyst. I let it dry and applied more as necessary if she rubbed it off. Its been two months and the cyst has dried up considerably. You must be patient and keep up with the applications. I did this outside because it does get messy. I let her in the house only when the application was dry. The turmeric does stain clothing, sheets, towels, etc. Using stain remover helped me with the cleaning. You can wrap a bandage around the body part where the cyst is and hope the dog doesn't pull it off. My dog pulled bandages and the ace bandage off constantly. The remedy is giving me good results. Good Luck!

Replied by Mimi
(Cc)
03/15/2015

Use the unrefined, cold pressed coconut oil with the turmeric as a paste because it stays on longer and dries faster. The olive oil won't work because it is too messy. The coconut oil is what you want to use instead in order for the dog cyst to heal faster. I'm getting good results.


Turmeric
Posted by Haygottago (Ocala, Florida, United States) on 05/27/2012
★★★★☆

I have 2 peeks. The tumeric is working on the female who has cyst in the corner of her eye. So much smaller in just 2 weeks. The male has them on his body. Not sure yet if they are smaller. But think it will take a while before they go away. thanks so much for the advice. karen

Replied by Haygottago
(Ocala, Florida, United States)
06/16/2012
★★★★☆

Wanted to update this post.. Been about a month now.. Female's cyst is about a 1/4 the size it was. My male is doing great- his was as big as my fist. Now the size of a golf ball. I am so thankful for the help this site has shared. karen

Replied by Corene
(Muskegon, Michigan)
12/11/2012

Hi, One of my foster dogs has a cyst on his eyelid. Did you apply paste on your cat's or give tumeric internally? thanks

Replied by Wendy
(Columbus, Oh/usa)
12/14/2012

Put a teaspoon of turmeric in the dog's food each time you feed him.

Replied by Jackie
(Canton, Michigan)
08/26/2013
★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

My husky mix weighs around 60 lbs. And about 5 or 6 days ago I started her on turmeric and worked up tp 1 pill a day and she started getting diarrhea. So I took her off pills and put her on bland diet of rice etc.

Can I start her back on it slower? Her cyst reduced size by almost half. A week or so she scratched the cyst and it burst and I had a mess to clean up. I have had it drained a few times but this last time it filled up fast. It doesn't seem to bother her except the last time when she scratched it. Please let me know what to do.


Turmeric
Posted by Gato701 (Eustis, Fl) on 12/27/2011

My border collie mix has these sebaceous cyst on different areas of her body, in varios sm sizes.. I have verified that they are sebacceous in nature and "not harmful"... But they are annoying and one on she bites at them.. She had one rupture on her 'kneww' shin.. I see that the turmeric seems to work. But need to know dosage for a 48-50 lb dog... All the comments are great but people need to mention the appx weight of their animal with the "dosage"... Advise please


Turmeric
Posted by Lainieg (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) on 04/04/2011

My plott hound Mielan has a large cyst on her head. It is soft and like a large grape. I have been giving her this turmeric capsule, opening a capsule and giving her one morning, noon and supper mixed with her food. All 3 together measures about a tsp., I would say, so don't think I'm giving her too much. Too much food yes (as she's pooping way too much), but not the turmeric.

It's only been since March 17th, but I stopped because she was sick one day and vomitted yellow substance and didn't eat all day. Of course cyst is still there, with no change. I am afraid to hurt her system with this powder. Did anyone else's pupper get sick?

Also, guess I should be patient, someone said it could take about 2 months? Is that correct? I cannot afford a vet bill or bills for this as I have 2 other pups and they are all due for their heartguard, and check up etc.

Did anyone happen to get this turmeric on their clothes by any chance? I did, not sure how, but my clothes are stained, how to get this out of our clothes. Anyone know?

Thanks - Elaine

Replied by Lisa
(Vancouver, Wa)
04/16/2011

I used the pill pocket & put the curcumin capsule in it.... Curcumin is from the tumeric root... Well he did get sick & threw up spittle that was yellow... But he was ok after that. Now both of my dogs won't take it in the pill pockets... so I think I will make mayonaise & maybe deviled eggs & give it to them that way... It definaltye stains & my dogs rub their faces in the carpet, so I can't put it in their regular food... I just let them lick it off my finger. The stuff stains reaally bad, but I'm not sure how to get it out... I just soak the clothes right away in the sink w/ some laundry detergent.

Replied by Carol
(Dillsburg, Pa)
10/11/2011
★☆☆☆☆

I have been giving my Sheppard mix the Turmeric for about 6 weeks and I have not seen a reduction in the cyst yet but still hopeful. I did find a good way to to get the yellow stain out of my white fleece jacket. Used the new oxy clean power gel, let it sit for a few minutes, then put in the washer and it came right out.

Replied by Gail
(Fl)
12/27/2016

Getting any stain off of fabric: Pour a little hydrogen peroxide on the stain and let it sit for a few minutes. Rinse or wash. Stain gone.

Replied by Anon
(Usa)
11/23/2017

My cat throws up even a tiny amount of turmeric. I put it in his food and he refused to eat it all day and by evening threw up some yellow liquid. tried mixing it in castor oil and putting it on the cyst in his ear, but I only did it once because he threw up some yellow liquid and look miserable the whole day.



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