• Homeopathy

  • What is Homeopathy?

    Homeopathy derives from the Greek homeo, meaning similar and pathos, meaning suffering or disease. Homeopathy is the treatment of disease with a substance capable of provoking similar signs and symptoms in a healthy body. This is treatment by similar or ‘like cures like’. For example, imagine what it feels like to cut up a strong onion. You may experience watery stinging or burning eyes, sneezing, runny nose and headache.

    If you had a cold or hay fever with similar symptoms to those experienced by someone cutting up an onion, you could take a homeopathic medicine made from onion to treat those cold or hay fever symptoms.  The serial dilution and succussion method of preparation used for homeopathic medicines  is not an essential part of homeopathy.  It is the body's reaction to these homeopathic medicines that brings about the curative process.

    Why Use Homeopathy?

    Dr Megan at Vitality Vetcare, Bangalow uses homeopathy because it works! Homeopathy can be a safe and effective treatment for a wide range of acute and long-term problems either on its own or integrated with other treatments, according to what is appropriate for an individual animal or group of animals. Homeopathy is cost-effective and easy to administer.

    What are Homeopathic Medicines?

    Homeopathic medicines are made from plants, animals and minerals. They are prepared by potentisation, which is a process of serial dilution and succussion of the original substance in solutions of water and alcohol. Succussion is the vigorous agitation, with cavitation, of the homeopathic medicine at each stage of dilution.

    It is this process that is thought to result in the energy changes of the solution. Homeopathic medicines may be compounded as tablets, pillules, drops or sterile solutions for injecting. A homeopathic and herbal medicine may come from the same plant, but they are prepared and used in different ways.

  • What happens in a Homeopathic Consultation?

    A homeopathic consultation is different from a standard veterinary consultation.  Dr Megan, at Vitality Vetcare requires detailed information about your animal to ascertain their previous medical and family history, body type, diet, exercise, social contacts, housing, medications, parasite control, exposure to chemicals, grazing management (herbivores) and current physical and behavioural symptoms.

    She will be interested in how your animal is affected by their condition, what is characteristic about their behaviour and how they are affected by external stimuli such as the weather, temperature, time of day, season and feeding. Dr Megan may spend extra time working up the case after the consultation before a homeopathic medicine is prescribed. This medicine will be unique to your animal and may differ from what is given to another animal with the same condition.

    Which Conditions can be Treated with Homeopathy?

    Animals with a wide range of acute and chronic conditions may be treated with homeopathy. Dr Megan may prescribe a homeopathic medicine on its own or with other therapies according to the needs of your animal. For example, a dog with a skin allergy may benefit from homeopathy as well as dietary changes and flea control.

    Research

    There is a small but growing body of research on veterinary homeopathy. Please visit the Faculty of Homeopathy https://facultyofhomeopathy.org/homeopathy-the-evidence/ for more information.