Veterinarian homeopathy

Key question: Is it homeopathy if you eliminate the proving data and therefore the diagnostic methods?

In following a strict Hahnemannian approach, the human is the only subject that can be administered a homeopathic prescription because of the language feedback that is necessary to the prescriber. The remedy is first tested on a well subject and then the symptoms are matched to a disease state which according to homeopathic theory will cure the subject. However, in practice, many physicians have used remedies without the proper testing data (provings) going on other more available data such as poisonings, overdoses, and continued exposures to identifiable substances. This clinical data has been incorporated into the body of information that homeopathic prescribers use and find valuable for diagnosis.

This trial and error method is more similar to the current method of medical practice than to the more scientific method of homeopathy. The theory, provings, and corroboration of the efficacy of homeopathic remedies encompass a full scientific body of a curative science. Today's modern medical practice has no single philosophy of disease and is working backwards through trial and error to develop one. Drug trials and statistics are what we rely on when asked whether a drug is going to be effective. Correct prescription through matching of the symptom picture is what homeopathy relies on for a cure.

The medical arts are a valuable and practical method of saving lives and improving health. We don't throw out the baby with the bath water because there is no unifying structure. Drug testing and practical information is a very important part of advancing the state of modern medicine.

On the other hand, we should not throw out the collected experiential data of homeopaths just because it doesn't fit the inductive logic mold that Hahnemann has left us. We can use the inductive reasoning process of what we know of traditional homeopathic therapy and apply it to that data. Veterinarians have been doing that for several hundred years. Homeopaths were shocked by the destructive and tortuous methods of traditional doctors. In order to come to the aid of the animal kingdom, they then applied the homeopathic principles and started to use the more common remedies.

It was a safe and logical step to use homeopathic remedies for animals. Even though animals have a different capacity for ingesting lethal doses, the dose that homeopathy uses is less than lethal for any animal or human. The humaneness of using a dose that if is the proper remedy will cure the disease or using an incorrect remedy which does very little is very evident. The blood letting and misuse of harmful substances for veterinarian use of a hundred years ago were a good reason to start the more gentle treatment using homeopathy. Another good reason that veterinarians switched to homeopathy was to solve the problem of dangerous side-effects from improperly tested drugs.

Conclusion: If veterinarian homeopaths want to promote homeopathy, they should develop a diagnostic method based on proving data. Otherwise, the use of any substance, homeopathically prepared or not, on an animal is just another lab experiment.

With the use of veterinarian homeopathy based upon clinical use, the body of literature grew. Published books include:

The Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Veterinary Medicine; Containing the Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment of the Diseases of Horses, Cattle, Sheep, Swine, and Dogs With the General management of Animals in Health and Disease; Edwin H. Ruddock M.D.; Jain Publishers, reprinted 1984.

The Treatment of Dogs by Homeopathy; K. Sheppard; Health Science Press, 1972.

The Treatment of Cats by Homeopathy; K. Sheppard; Health Science Press, 1960.

The Hand-book to Veterinary Homeopathy; John Rush, Veterinary Surgeon; Jain Publishers; reprinted 1988.

A Veterinary Materia Medica and Clinical Repertory with a Materia Medica of the Nosodes; G. Macleod, M.R.C.V.S., D.V.S.M.;, C.W. Daniel Company; 1983.

The Treatment of Cattle by Homeopathy; G. Macleod, M.R.C.V.S., D.V.S.M.;, C.W. Daniel Company; 1981.

The Treatment of Horses by Homeopathy; G. Macleod, M.R.C.V.S., D.V.S.M.;, C.W. Daniel Company.

Objective veterinarians should not brush aside this established base of information while looking for clinical tests which will not be funded nor approved for the same reason that there has been few legitimate clinical trials of homeopathic remedies in the medical labs for humans. The prejudice and the pharmaceutical intolerance of homeopathy is common in both areas of medical practice.

Cattle

Here in Australia we have many cattle, dying after bitten by ticks, through paralysis of their lungs. Whenever this happened on farms here around, I gave 1 - 3 times a C30 of Lathyrus sativus and in cases where paralysis of hind legs continued, I followed with Plumbum C30. They all went well within three days. We lost not one in about eight years! You have to do this on your own to see this results! -- Eglolf von Egloffstein,  Australia

The Danish National Institute of Animal Science-Research Centre “Foulum”, is doing a lot of research in homeopathic treatment of cattle and has an official postgraduate homeopathic education for veterinarians as of 2001.