Homeopathy
Conventional medicine as we know it uses drugs to target where disease has control. Homeopathy looks at the whole patient and treats the individual, not the disease. In homeopathy, the individual’s reaction to the imbalance is the guiding process that determines the course of action. Signs of discomfort and abnormal function as well as emotional considerations are important for proper treatment. The homeopathic practitioner also takes into consideration the dog’s personality, the time of the year the symptoms are worse, the time of day when the dog seems uncomfortable, past illnesses, what he eats, how he is housed and, perhaps most important, his relationship with his owner.
The homeopathic dog; courtesty of Wendy Volhard and Kerry Brown, DVM, from “Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog” second edition.
For information on how to treat the ailments shown here, please consult this book.
When using conventional medicine, palliation or suppression of the disease is an attempt to alleviate symptoms, not cure the disease. With the proper use of homeopathic remedies, the disease will not return. Homeopaths understand that by gently allowing the body to express the symptoms instead of suppressing them, illness can make its way out of the body.
There are two ways to use homeopathy: Classic and acute. Classic is best left to the expert practitioner since taking the case history and doing the research is an art in itself.
Treatment of acute disorders, with remedies in low potencies, can also be used. When treating an emergency, use one dose of the remedy and wait 15 minutes. If it looks like it’s working, stop. If not, try another dose, and wait 15 minutes more. You can do this up to four times. If 15 minutes after the final dose there is no change, stop. You need to consult a specialist.
Once you start to read about homeopathic remedies you may feel homeopathy is the answer to everything you may encounter with your pet. Be sensible. It takes many years to become proficient at using homeopathic remedies. The best idea is to find a veterinarian trained in conventional and homeopathic medicine.
There are many books available on homeopathic treatments and remedies. Read as much as you wish, and understand we do not recommend you rely solely on homeopathic remedies. To help find a homeopathic veterinarian, try visiting www.altvetmed.org.