Homoeopathy deals with how the disease manifests in the individual. It is as much concerned with personality type and reaction to diseases symptoms as it is with the disease itself.
Past events such as illness or emotional upset from which the animal has not really fully recovered can have an impact on diseases and so are also taken into consideration.
Diagnosis is complex and homoeopathic vets take a careful history to ensure the correct remedy is prescribed. Treatment is selected on a type of ‘flow chart’ basis; for example, from the number of remedies which are used for a particular condition, the vet will eliminate them one by one according to a number of factors.
The potency selected, the frequency of treatment and the duration of treatment will also vary from cases to case. It is not uncommon either for one remedy to be used for the first stage of treatment followed by a second remedy for the next stage in the healing process. A classic illustration of this is the homoeopathic treatment for phantom pregnancy which would involve the use of Pulsatilla for an animal with a mild, sad or gentle temperament where the symptoms were worse for heat and Sepia for an animal with an aggressive or unpredictable temperament where the symptoms were worse for cold.
The skill in homoeopathic diagnosis almost certainly improves the observation skills and efficacy of the vet. Owners too, often feel reassured by the attention paid to their animal during the consultation and it is my belief that this sensation of caring communicates to both animals and their owners, further enhancing recovery.
The types of homoeopathic remedies available are not restricted to the individual remedies available in the High Street. Homoeopathic nosodes can be prepared from any disease causing organism including myxomatosis, yersinia and pasteurella multocida. Remedies are also available for specific allergies such as house dust mite or grass pollen. Recovery after surgery can be helped using the remedy for mixed anaesthesia.
