Homeopathy for Animals

One of the remedies your therapist might choose for your animal is a homeopathic preparation. Many people have heard of and might even have used Arnica. Arnica, although well known, is only one of literally hundreds of homeopathic remedies.

Samuel Hahnemann is known as "the father of homeopathy". In the late eighteenth century he formalised the theory of "Like Cures Like". He realised that the symptoms a medicine caused when taken by healthy people would, if given to unhealthy people who showed the same symptoms, cure the disease.

Hahnemann also found that the more dilute he made his remedies the more effective they became. This methodical serial dilution and succussion (his method of vigorously mixing the diluted remedies at each stage) is called potentisation. Numbers on remedy bottles e.g. 6c, 12c, 30c, 200c etc are their potency, or dilution. The higher the number the more diluted and stronger the remedies become!! This is the direct opposite to allopathic medicines which become stronger by having more of the substance, not less.

The remedies are diluted in water and the vigorous succussing between each dilution releases the curative energy of the substance to imprint in the "memory" of the water, while the successive dilution removes its toxic or harmful effects. Therefore the homeopath can be confident that if the wrong remedy is chosen it will not achieve a cure, but it will not be toxic either.

Homeopathic remedies come under the umbrella of "Energy Medicines" as it is the energy of the substance which achieves the cure. This can be a difficult concept to understand.

To find the correct remedy for your animal a detailed case history needs to be taken. In order to follow the principle of "like cures like" everything about your animal should be taken into account. His presenting problems e.g. itchy skin, as well as his character, emotional problems, any pain, his likes and dislikes, does the weather, time of day, hunger, thirst etc make any difference? Anything and everything which makes him unique.

The therapist will then cross reference all the symptoms to find the remedy which exactly fits the picture. These references are "human" based which makes life more difficult when prescribing for animals as things like pain are hard for your animal to describe, they just know it hurts and dogs are particularly stoic, so the owner's observations are invaluable.   Some remedies have "likes heat" as a reference, how many cats just love being in the sun? "likes cold" would be more meaningful!

A good knowledge of the normal behaviour of animals is required because it's the abnormal which points to the correct remedy.

Once a remedy has been selected for your animal you will be instructed on the dosage and the best method of administration. Usually directly into the mouth (it doesn't have to be swallowed) or into the water bowl. Always use clean droppers, and try to give at a different time to meals.

The dose usually depends on whether the problem is acute or chronic, and the general vitality of the animal. Often the very young or very old require a lower potency.

Keep your remedies in a cool place, away from strong smelling substances and electrical appliances. The cup cupboard is a good place. Carefully stored they will last for years.
Longstanding chronic problems can require more than one remedy to completely affect a cure, and older animals with a degenerative type condition often need repeats to keep them comfortable.
The remedy will have been chosen especially for your animal. Homeopathy doesn't follow the "one size fits all" maxim. The exceptions can be herd animals where a preventive remedy can be put in the trough for the whole group. An example of this would be a remedy for "ticks".