Homeopathy, Shmo-meopathy!
Ok, so prepare yourself for the Woo Woo!
Homeopathy requires you to put your science mind to one side. As a person with a scientific background when I first encountered homeopathy I thought it was an utter load of tosh! However…
My personal experience and my personal views:
I first used homeopathy on recommendation of a friend who suggested to help with my first ever rescue, a staffy called Taz. She had a contact reaction (atopic dermatitis) to wet grass, and as she had a bare belly she would get these horrendous, hot red welt rashes.
Nothing seemed to stop this, and treating her post rash took time; a period during which she was obviously in a lot of discomfort.
My friend suggesting giving her Apis homeopathic remedy “It might help, and it won’t hurt”! As you can imagine I was very sceptical all together about giving my dog something that, in my mind, was just sugar water. However, I thought she’s right I’ll give it a go.
I added the remedy to Taz’s bowl; she didn’t even know I had added it…. let alone what it was or what it would help with. Amazingly, literally right before my eyes her rash faded almost immediately!! Even more incredulously, she had no further reactions to the wet grass!
I have subsequently witnessed a number of positive effects with homeopathic remedies; however this is only my experience and interpretation.
As with everything I encourage you to do your own research, and come to your own conclusions.
It was, however, this experience that set me on my current path. It made me question my own thoughts on the parameters of modern medicine! And realise how arrogant I was being, presuming that just because science could not currently provide “evidence” or an “explanation” for how something worked, that it must be bunkum!
A good comparison perhaps.....around 350 BC, the great Aristotle declared that the Earth was a sphere based on observations he made about which constellations you could see in the sky as you travelled further and further away from the equator. However it wasn’t until sometime between 500 B.C. and 430 B.C., that a fellow called Anaxagoras actually determined the true cause of solar and lunar eclipses - and then the shape of the Earth's shadow on the Moon during a lunar eclipse, which was accepted evidence that the Earth was round.
Scientific Proof:
There is a growing body of published research in good quality peer-reviewed journals showing that homeopathy has a positive effect[1]. One study in particular showed grounds for use of homeopathy in treatment of atopic dermatitis (similar to what Taz had)![2]
Current research is also scientifically proving now that there is something in homeopathy; if you want to blow your mind with the science read below!
Currently, research using the principles and explanations of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED), which provides theoretical models and experimental frameworks for the emergence and dynamics of coherent structures, even in living organisms, is providing the homeopath with a firm grounding in the practice of rational medicine. QED provides a model of multi-level coherence for living organisms in which oscillations of water are able to link and regulate a biochemical reaction.
Experiments using QED demonstrate how a homeopathic medicine can bring back a patient from a disease state to a healthy one. In particular, by adopting QED in the preparation of homeopathic medicines, the progressive dilution/succussion processes create the conditions for the emergence of coherence domains (CDs) in the aqueous solution. Those domains code the original substance information (in terms of phase oscillations) and therefore they can transfer said information (by phase resonance) to the multi-level coherent structures of the living organism.
Basis for Homeopathy
Homeopathic medicine was founded by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, in the early 1800s.
Hahnemann theorized that disease is a disruption in the body’s life force, that symptoms of disease are not the disease itself, and that the body could be stimulated into healing itself. (This way of thinking has been replaced by specific pathophysiologic explanations; but there are still many circumstances where the medical profession refer to an illness as “idiopathic” i.e. no known cause!)
The theory behind homeopathy is that something which causes certain symptoms in a healthy person is the best treatment for those symptoms in someone who is sick. This is a principle that is known as the Law of Similars. (The way I describe it is like 2 magnets; if you try to push the positive to the positive they get pushed apart)
The second principle of homeopathy is the Potentization by Dilution and Succussion. This is the idea that homeopathic medicines become more potent the less active ingredients they contain; the potency coming from the vibrational transfer or “imprint” rather than the content. This is where the argument that homeopathy lacks any substance comes from.
This potentized remedy stimulates the body’s vital force to react to the symptoms. This is like giving the vital force a guide to the disease state so it knows how to react and start the healing.
Administration
A single homeopathic remedy is chosen to treat the whole animal, including their mental, emotional and physical symptoms. This is in contrast to conventional medicine where diagnosis is based on physiological symptoms only, which are then suppressed or removed by the use of drugs such as antibiotics or pain killers.
Of course there are certain life threatening situations where allopathic medicines are essential, as we have discussed previously; but homeopathy actually stimulates the body to heal itself, and strengthens the immune system, and consequently leaves the body in a better state of health than before it became sick.
There is no official definition of what the word "potency" means in homeopathy. It is usually used to refer to the degree of dilution that a homeopathic remedy has undergone in its manufacturing process. This is indicated by the number and letter listed after the name of the remedy. For example, Pulsatilla 30C has undergone 30 steps of dilution, each step having been a one-to-one-hundred dilution (indicated by the letter "C" meaning centesimal).
The more commonly available and used potencies are the 6C, 12C, 30C, 200C, 1,000C (abbreviated 1M), and 10,000C (abbreviated 10M).
In most of the homeopathic world, potencies up to 30 are often referred to as low potencies and those of 200 and up are referred to as high potencies.
For acute issues, preference would be given to a high concentration, 200C+, given over a short time period. You would expect to see a quick response if the right remedy is given.
For chronic, long term illness, the dosage may be less concentrated and administered over a longer time period. Typically you would use 6c or 30c.
Homeopathic remedies are traditionally administered in tablet form, although they can be given in liquid or powdered form.
How often should you give a dose? The frequency of repetition depends upon the response of the patient. Simply stated, as long as most patients are improving, it is not necessary to repeat the remedy.
• In acutely ill or injured patients: These patients need more frequent repetitions whether the remedy is high or low potency. Don't be afraid to repeat or change remedies frequently in this situation. "Frequently" means every few minutes in urgent situations and perhaps every 3 to 4 hours in less urgent situations. The frequency should taper off as the patient recovers. This form of homeopathy can be used at home, and I would recommend getting a homeopathy first aid kit.
• Patients suffering from chronic (long-term) illness often need lower potencies repeated frequently to both obtain a good result and to avoid aggravations. However, it requires a bit more experience to successfully treat these patients, and treatment should be with a qualified homeopath. In general, treatment will begin either with low potencies repeated frequently or with higher potencies repeated infrequently. What happens next depends almost entirely on how the patient responds to the initial dosing. Some patients will take a dose as infrequently as every few months whereas others will be taking higher potencies daily after a while. Remedies should be changed infrequently
Homeopathic Remedies
Homeopathy can be most effective when individualised i.e specific to your dog in every way; matching not only symptoms but temperament and preferences.
However, it can also be used generically to treat a wide range of diseases and illness.
Many dog, cat and horse owners use homeopathic remedies to protect their animals from acute infectious diseases such as kennel cough, cat flu or equine flu and tetanus; and also as an alternative to traditional vaccination using homeopathic nosodes (I will talk more about this in my vaccinations blog).
These listing are to be taken as a guide only. To help identify the appropriate treatment consider the following and establish a ‘case history’:
The route cause - underlying disease
The patient – normal characteristics and mental symptoms
The complaint - presenting symptoms
Modalities – what makes the symptoms worse, what makes them better
An incorrect remedy that is very close can produce a change in symptoms, if this happens go back to square one and take account of new symptoms to choose the right remedy. A wrong remedy produces no effect.
Carbo Veg: collapse
Apis: Stings
Arnica: injury & shock
Belladonna: Illness with temperature
Ars. Alb: Food poisoning
Hep. Sulph: Skin & ear & anal gland infections
Thuja & Lysine: Pre and post vaccination
Ledum: Bites
Nux Vom: Digestive upset & sickness/diarrhea
Rhus Tox: Aches & pains in joints/muscles
Silica: Splinters; poor hair/skin/nail condition
Aconite: Shock, trauma, exposure
Allergies, Insect Bites & Stings: Apis; Ars Alb; Rhus Tox, Cantharis, Hypericum Ledum and Urtica
Burns: Apis, Cantharis, Urtica; if infected Hepar Sulph
Dehyrdration: China, Phos Acid
Fever: Aconite (onset of colds); Belladona, Echinacea, Gelesemium, Pulsatilla, Sulphur
Kennel Cough: Phos, Byronia, Aconite, Carbo Veg
Heat Stroke: Belladonna, Gelsemium, Sulphur
Pre-Operations: Arnica, Argent Nit, Gelsemium, Aconite
Post Operative Care: Arnica, rhus tox, nux vomica (if vomiting), staphysagria
Convalescence: Acetic Acide, Calc Carb, Calc Phos, China, Kali Carbon, Kali Phos
Grief: Ignatia, Nat Mur, Phos Acid
Vaccination reaction: Silicea, Thuja, Lyssin
Terminal Illness: Arsen Alb – to ease sufferings prior to euthanasia
Diarrohea: Gelsemium; Arsenicum; Arg Nit, Sulphur
Eye Inflammations: Puffy eyes, Aconite; conjunctivitis symptoms Arg Nit and Pulsatilla;
Constipation: Urging but not going, Nux Vom; hard stools, Lycopodium; sheep dung stools Nat Mur
Cystitis: Cantharis, Apis, Pulsatilla
Travel Sickness: Nux Vomica, Coccolus, Petroleum, Tabacum
[1] https://www.britishhomeopathic.org/evidence/the-evidence-for-homeopathy/
[2] https://www.britishhomeopathic.org/media-centre/research-initiative-studying-atopic-dermatitis-in-dogs/
