By Sherry L. Granader.
A Natural Alternative For Healing
Just as in the human body, homeopathy is a natural alternative for healing that addresses the underlying imbalance in your pet’s
body that is causing the symptoms. Most conventional medical treatments do not always cure the cause but rather suppress the symptoms of the disease or illness. The signs and symptoms that your pet exhibits is a way of showing how hard the body is fighting to return to a state of balance. Suppressing the symptoms does not solve the problem and often cause the disease to go deeper, yielding a more serious situation down the road.
Take allergies for example. The most common treatment involves injections of steroid drugs to relieve the symptoms of itching and hot spots. However, frequently a new problem appears such as digestive problems or asthma. The immune system has actually been suppressed, kidneys and liver are stressed and the overall health of the animal is diminished and left weakened. Holistic homeopathic treatments offer an alternative that really does work.
Homeopathic remedies consist of micro doses of substances from plants, minerals and animal sources that actually create the symptoms of the disease being treated. The remedy works with the immune system to stimulate a return to balance by treating the root cause of the disease. Homeopathic remedies come in liquid and pellet form and if given as prescribed, they do not produce harmful side effects yet some may cause drug interactions. They reason they supposedly work is that instead of suppressing the symptoms, they stimulate healing from the inside out.
In most cases, once the disease is resolved the right treatment, symptoms will not return provided any diet or lifestyle issues have been addressed. Sometimes seasonal allergies will require periodic treatments that are quite beneficial.
Combination Remedies verses Classical Homeopathy
Combination remedies are formulations designed to treat symptoms by combining several different remedies. They work well when treating mild to moderate acute conditions, however it is helpful to find a veterinarian that is well trained in homeopathic medicine, especially when dealing with a serious disease.
Classical homeopathy takes into account all the symptoms of your pet including the emotional, mental and physical states or the whole patient. In other words, the bigger picture of the whole pet determines the remedy. Sometimes a single dose of the right remedy is all that is needed to resolve a health issues. The length of time it takes for a homeopathic treatment depends largely on the length of time the disease or illness has been present and the severity of the symptoms. Chronic skin problems may take longer to respond and may get worse before they get better.
It is best to give homeopathic remedies at least one hour before or after a meal so there is no food residue in the mouth. Liquid remedies can be filled by first removing the needle of a syringe, and drawing up the liquid to the amount required, then simply drop the amount into the animal’s mouth. Liquid remedies are preserved with alcohol and some animals are sensitive the taste or odor.
Simply let the liquid stand for about 20 minutes so the alcohol can evaporate before administering to your pet. This will not affect the potency. Pellets can be crushed and emptied into your pet’s mouth with a small piece of paper rolled into a funnel. If all else fails, add the pellets or liquid to a small amount of food, milk or water. The potency will be reduced but the treatment will still be effective.
Homeopathic healthcare for pets is growing in popularity for its safety and gentle effectiveness. Combination remedies can be an effective way to help our pets heal from chronic conditions without side effects. It is a welcome solution for helping our pet’s lead happy, healthy lives, while providing the best natural healthcare.
Reviewed and approved by Dr. David L. Roberts, DVM
Photo: Courtesy of Agnes Scholiers via Flickr (CC by 2.0)
