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This is from a few years ago but is still relevant today:
I’ve recently received a few questions about the use of homeopathic medicine for pets. Some wonder why any scientifically trained veterinary doctor would use homeopathic remedies. Some pet owners think that homeopathic medicines can not have any effect beyond that of placebo.
I’ve been caring for animals for thirty years. My scientific career began as a molecular biologist. Pretty scientific stuff. One of the first “rules” that budding scientists learn is that inquiry and open-mindedness is essential. Avoid DOGma. This is how science progresses. Modern science is just beginning to quantitate the molecular basis of homeopathic medicine. Unfortunately, some pet owners and veterinarians still think that this exquisitely effective medicine can not possibly work because they can not understand it.
I welcome questions about the use of homeopathy in scientific veterinary medicine medicine. This gives me a chance to point everyone to the current homeopathy research and clinical findings.
Veterinary and human doctors have known for hundreds of years that low (and even submolecular) doses of medicine can be used successfully to treat the sick. This is similar to how holistic docs have known for a long time that vaccines can do as much harm as good.
Medicine (veterinary and human) is now validating both facts. It wasn’t until 1997 that vaccines were linked directly to cancer in cats by vet researchers at Cornell University. Similarly, newer techniques are now able to demonstrate the presence of minute active substances in homeopathic remedies. Medicines utilizing these nanoparticles are on the cutting edge of science and are being used both in conventional therapies as well as homeopathy. There is a wealth of clinical experience and research that shows how effective homeopathy can be. Many of these studies can be found referenced by <a href="http://theavh.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Homeopathy-White-Paper.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">clicking here</a> for the AVH’s “White Paper”
It is our ethical duty as animal health care providers to offer our clients and patients all effective therapeutic options. These may include dietary treatments and other lifestyle changes, drug therapy, surgery, chiropractic, homeopathy, etc. Readers of Dogs Naturally are very fortunate to be learning about many of these integrative options.
When investigating any treatment option, be sure to ask about potential long term risks as well as the benefits. Is the treatment that your vet is recommending addressing the underlying cause of the problem leading to long term health (curative) or just covering up symptoms (palliative and suppressive)? If your pets’ red ears, itchy skin or diarrhea and vomiting resolve but behavioral problems or deeper physical symptoms develop it’s time to question if the conventional treatment possibly has more “unrelated” risks vs. the benefits of resolving individual symptoms.
Personally, I just want to help my patients as effectively as possible while teaching pet owners how best to advocate for their beloved companions. For example, when I saw a young dog who had become paralyzed two days after a vaccine, I gave him both the homeopathic remedy that was indicated by his specific symptoms as well as a referral to a neurologist. The client never saw the neurologist because the pup was walking the day after the homeopathic remedy. Our beloved companion animals deserve the best of both worlds.
I’ll climb down from my soapbox now!
Dr. Jeff
I’ve recently received a few questions about the use of homeopathic medicine for pets. Some wonder why any scientifically trained veterinary doctor would use homeopathic remedies. Some pet owners think that homeopathic medicines can not have any effect beyond that of placebo.
I’ve been caring for animals for thirty years. My scientific career began as a molecular biologist. Pretty scientific stuff. One of the first “rules” that budding scientists learn is that inquiry and open-mindedness is essential. Avoid DOGma. This is how science progresses. Modern science is just beginning to quantitate the molecular basis of homeopathic medicine. Unfortunately, some pet owners and veterinarians still think that this exquisitely effective medicine can not possibly work because they can not understand it.
I welcome questions about the use of homeopathy in scientific veterinary medicine medicine. This gives me a chance to point everyone to the current homeopathy research and clinical findings.
Veterinary and human doctors have known for hundreds of years that low (and even submolecular) doses of medicine can be used successfully to treat the sick. This is similar to how holistic docs have known for a long time that vaccines can do as much harm as good.
Medicine (veterinary and human) is now validating both facts. It wasn’t until 1997 that vaccines were linked directly to cancer in cats by vet researchers at Cornell University. Similarly, newer techniques are now able to demonstrate the presence of minute active substances in homeopathic remedies. Medicines utilizing these nanoparticles are on the cutting edge of science and are being used both in conventional therapies as well as homeopathy. There is a wealth of clinical experience and research that shows how effective homeopathy can be. Many of these studies can be found referenced by <a href="http://theavh.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Homeopathy-White-Paper.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank">clicking here</a> for the AVH’s “White Paper”
It is our ethical duty as animal health care providers to offer our clients and patients all effective therapeutic options. These may include dietary treatments and other lifestyle changes, drug therapy, surgery, chiropractic, homeopathy, etc. Readers of Dogs Naturally are very fortunate to be learning about many of these integrative options.
When investigating any treatment option, be sure to ask about potential long term risks as well as the benefits. Is the treatment that your vet is recommending addressing the underlying cause of the problem leading to long term health (curative) or just covering up symptoms (palliative and suppressive)? If your pets’ red ears, itchy skin or diarrhea and vomiting resolve but behavioral problems or deeper physical symptoms develop it’s time to question if the conventional treatment possibly has more “unrelated” risks vs. the benefits of resolving individual symptoms.
Personally, I just want to help my patients as effectively as possible while teaching pet owners how best to advocate for their beloved companions. For example, when I saw a young dog who had become paralyzed two days after a vaccine, I gave him both the homeopathic remedy that was indicated by his specific symptoms as well as a referral to a neurologist. The client never saw the neurologist because the pup was walking the day after the homeopathic remedy. Our beloved companion animals deserve the best of both worlds.
I’ll climb down from my soapbox now!
Dr. Jeff
