HOMEOPATHY IN VETERINARY PRACTICES: A BRIEF REVIEW ABOUT ITS APPLICATION ALONG WITH BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS
Trilochan Barman
4th professional year B.V.Sc. & A.H., Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science,
Assam Agricultural University, Joyhing, North Lakhimpur, Assam-787051
Email: trilochan.barman.vl18@aau.ac.in
Abstract:
Homeopathy or the use of homeopathic medicine is gaining very much importance in the veterinary practice in the recent times. It is evolving as an alternative and complimentary therapy for treatment of various sort of acute and chronic diseases and ailments in animals. Homeopathy is a non-invasive treatment of curing diseases or ailments. Despite of certain drawbacks, most of the veterinarians across the world are using homeopathic medicines for treatment of ailments and diseases in almost all large animals, small animals and pets.
Keywords: Homeopathy, Alternative therapy, Veterinary, Medicine, Animal.
Introduction:
Homeopathy, the word with Greek origins “homios” meaning “similar” and “pathos” meaning “disease or suffering”. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann founded the base of homeopathy in the late eighteenth centuries with the principle “similia similibus curantur” meaning “like cures like”. The main objective behind the use of homeopathy is to treat the disease or ailment from the roots. The use of homeopathy in veterinary practices was first introduced by Dr. Baron von Boenninghausen in the nineteenth centuries. In the year 1986, the International Association for Veterinary Homeopathy (IAVH) was founded in Luxembourg, Europe with the purpose of understanding and using homeopathy for the betterment of animal health.
Benefits of homeopathy in veterinary practices:
Homeopathy is being incorporated into veterinary practices as an alternative treatment protocol because of its tremendous advantages in the treatment and curing of diseases and ailments in the various animal species worldwide. Some of the points to be noted in this aspect are like-
- Almost all animal species respond to the homeopathic treatment protocols.
- It is a non-invasive method of curing diseases or ailments.
- The medicines used are harmless to the animals.
- They perk up the natural healing process.
- The homeopathic medicines enhance the animal’s chances of survival often by a wide margin.
- There are no chances of developing antibiotic resistance in the animals.
- The chances of recurrence of the disease condition are almost nominal.
- The drugs or medicines used are having negligible or zero side effects.
- The medicines are reasonably priced and are therefore easy on the pocket.
Drawbacks of homeopathy in veterinary practices:
Homeopathy in veterinary medicine is having minimal or negligible drawbacks as it is attributed as a natural way of treating diseases or ailments. Despite of almost cent percent benefits, still the use of homeopathy is limited in some aspects due to certain drawbacks.
Some of the points to be noted in this aspect are like-
- The homeopathic medicines take a longer extent in healing or curing diseases.
- They are not that promising as emergency use drugs and hence don’t work in emergency situations & serious health conditions.
- Some of the drugs or medicines used may cause undesirable reactions in a few animals.
- Some of the treatment protocols are still lacking adequate or accurate scientific basis or theory.
Homeopathy in veterinary practices:
Homeopathy is one of the most promising adjunct treatment protocol or therapy in the veterinary practice in the present times. The practical purpose of homeopathy in the veterinary field is in the treatment of several health conditions in both large and small animals like infectious diseases, acute diseases, chronic diseases, trauma or injuries, behavioural disorders, first-aid etc. Most frequent application of homeopathic medications in the veterinary practices are in conditions that includes cases of arthritis, laminitis, acute and chronic diarrhoea, mastitis, meningitis, allergy or hypersensitivity reactions, respiratory conditions like cough, asthma etc., autoimmune disorders, periodic ophthalmic, gingivitis, head shaking, ring womb, epilepsy, bites, dermatitis, rhinitis, colic and many more. Homeopathic remedies can also be used for disease prevention as immunisation or vaccination.
The sources of homeopathic drugs or medicines are basically:
- Mineral kingdom that includes substances like metals, non-metals & metalloids (selenium, sulphur, aluminium, antimony etc.); organic & inorganic acids (acetic acid, citric acid, hydrofluricum acid etc.), mineral spring water etc.
- Plant or Vegetable kingdom that includes sources like Belladonna, Calendula, Ipecac, Rauwalfia, Bryonia, etc.
- Animal kingdom that includes products from animal sources like Coccus cacti, Naja tripudians, Blata americana, Spongia tosta
- Sarcodes that includes tissues or secretions from healthy animals like adrenaline, thyroidinum, pitutrinum, orchitinum, oophorinum, cholesterinum etc.
- Nosodes that includes products obtained from any diseased part or product of the human, animal or plant like cancer tissue, lymph nodes, respiratory secretions, ustilago etc.
- Imponderabilia that includes immaterial power or energy available from natural or physical reactions like X-ray, sun ray, magnets etc.
In the present times, the veterinarians across the world are emphasising the utilization of homeopathic medications for the treatment of most of the acute as well as chronic diseases or ailments in large animals, small animals, and pets. The most common disease conditions or ailments affecting different animal species with their required homeopathic treatment measures along with their sources are tabulated below (Table-1):
Table -1:
| Remedy | Source | Indication |
| Agaricus muscarius | Mushroom | Frostbite, Poisoning |
| Agnus castus | Dried fruits of
Chasteberry plant |
Oestrus expression,
Sexual dysfunction |
| Allium cepa | Onion | Coryza, Hay fever, Asthma, Bronchitis, GI disorders |
| Antimonium tartaricum | Tartarate of antimony and potassium | Nasal Schistosomiasis, Pneumonia, Asthma, Whooping cough, Bronchitis, Dyspnoea |
| Apis mellifica | Honey bees | Insect bite, Swelling, Heat stroke, Inflammation |
| Arnica montana | Leopard’s bane | Pain, Overexertion, Musculoskeletal injury |
| Arsenicum album | Arsenic trioxide | GI upset with Vomition
and Diarrhoea, Anthrax, Ranikhet disease |
| Atropa belladonna | Roots of the plant
Atropa belladonna
|
Fever, Redness, Pain, Panting, Rut or Musth in elephant, Irritable Bowel Syndrome |
| Aurum iodatum | Combination of metal
gold and iodine |
Folliculogensis |
| Baptisia tinctoria | Indigo plant root | Influenza, Typhoid |
| Borax veneta | Boric acid | Thrush, Blue tongue |
| Bryonia alba | Root of Bryonia plant
|
Arthritis, Dry cough, Constipation |
| Calcarea carbonica | Middle calcium layer
of Oyster shell |
Milk yield |
| Calcarea phosphorica | Mixture of dilute phosphoric acid to lime water | Bone calcification |
| Calendula officinalis | Fresh Marigold flower
and leaves |
Skin infection, Cuts, Bruise, Abrasion, Burn |
| Cantharis vesicatoria | Iridescent Green Beetle (Blister Beetle/Spanish Fly) | Burns, Urinary tract
infections, Cystitis
|
| Caulophyllum thalictroides | Roots of Blue Cohosh | Labour pain, Repeated abortions, Profuse haemorrhage after delivery |
| Causticum hahnemanni
|
Potassium hydrate | Scalds & Burns |
| Cephaelis ipecacuanha | Dried rhizome
and roots of plant Cephaelis ipecacuanha |
Haemogalactia, Poisoning, Expectorant, Nausea, Vomition |
| Cicuta virosa
|
Cowbane or Northern Water Hemlock | Encephalomalacia, Epilepsy,
Muscle spasms, Convulsion |
| Cina maritima | Unexpanded flower heads of plant Cina maritima | Deworming |
| Citrullus colocynthis | Dries fruit of bitter cucumber | Colic |
| Colchicum autumnale | Bulb of the plant
Colchicum autumnale |
Gas eructation |
| Crotalus horridus | Poison of Rattle snake | Testicular atrophy, Antidote to snake venom, Anaplasmosis |
| Cuprum metallicum
|
Copper
|
Encephalomalacia, Epilepsy,
Muscle spasms, Convulsion |
| Echinacea augustifolia | Leaves, flowers and roots of plant Echinacea augustifolia | Blood purifier |
| Euphrasia officinalis | Stem, leaf and flower of plant Euphrasia officinalis | Conjunctivitis, Allergy,
Watery Eye |
| Ferrum metallicum | Powdered iron | Haemoglobin formation |
| Ferrum phosphoricum | Mixture of iron sulphate, phosphate and sodium acetate | Haemoglobin formation |
| Fragaria vesca | Ripe fruit of Wood
strawberry plant |
Dental plaque |
| Gun Powder | Mixture of potassium nitrate, sulphur and charcoal | Septic suppuration,
Blood poisoning |
| Graphite | Graphite elemental carbon | Cradle cap, constipation |
| Hamamelis virginiana | Fresh bark of twigs and root of plant Hamamelis virginiana | Haemostatic |
| Hepar sulphuris calcareum | Inner layer of calcium rich oyster shells mixed
with flowers of sulphur |
Abscess, Eczema, Black Quarter |
| Hypericum perforatum | Flowers, leaves and stem heads of Hypericum perforatum plant | Nervine injuries |
| Ignatia amara | Seeds of
St. Ignatius bean tree |
Agalactia, Reduce excitability,
Anxiety, Stress |
| Iodium iodine (Iodum) | Elemental iodine | Foot & Mouth Disease, Glandular & Metabolic disturbances |
| Ledum palustre | Marsh Labrador tea
or Wild Rosemary |
Puncture or Penetrating wounds caused by bites, stings,
thorn or nail |
| Magnesia phosphorica | Magnesium phosphate
|
Colic |
| Matricaria recutita | Flowering German Chamomile | Colic |
| Medicago sativa | Alfalfa plant | Improve nutrition |
| Mercurius solubilis | Powder of precipitated mercury (Mercury Nitrate) | Mouth-Throat infections, Catarrh, Eye-Ear infections |
| Myristica sebifera | Fresh red juice of the Brazilian plant Ucuba | Anal sac infections, Boils |
| Natrum sulphuricum | Sulphate of
Sodium-Glauber’s salt |
Oedema and Cystic ovary |
| Nicotiana tabacum | Tobacco plant | Nausea, Vomition,
Motion sickness |
| Nux vomica | Seed and bark of tree
Strychnine nux-vomica |
Appetite booster, Constipation, Migraine, Erectile dysfunction |
| Opium (poppy) | Unripe seedpod or
capsule of the plant Papaver somniferum |
Prepartum prolapsed, Trauma, Nausea, Anxiety |
| Podophyllum peltatum | Dried root and
rhizome of plant Podophyllum peltatum |
Uterine eversion, Gastrointestinal discomforts |
| Pulsatilla nigricans | Dried stem of
Wind flower plant |
Oestrus correction, Pseudopregnancy |
| Pyrogenium
(Artificial Sepsin) |
Decomposed lean meat | Suppuration |
| Raphanus sativus | Radish | Ruminal motility enhancer |
| Rhus toxicodendron | Poison Ivy leaves | Arthritis, musculoskeletal injuries, skin infections, Rheumatism |
| Ricinus communis | Seeds of castor plant | Agalactia |
| Ruta graveolens | Rue oil | Tendon and ligament injury |
| Sabal serrulata | Terminal bud or stem of tree Saw palmetto | Hydrosalphinx, Prostate cancer,
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia |
| Sabina officinalis | Young fresh tops of
the branches of the shrub Juniperus sabina |
Uterine mucosal maintainance, Heavy uterine bleeding |
| Secale cornutum | Fresh spurns of the Rye plant before harvest | Uterine contraction |
| Selenium metallicum | Selenium | Muscle maintainance |
| Sepia officinalis | Ink sac from the common cuttlefish | Uterine infection,
Utero-ovarian diseases |
| Silicea | Quartz or Flint | Mastitis, Chronic catarrh,
Ulcerative wounds |
| Symphytum officinale | Comfrey roots and leaves | Bone union |
| Thiosinaminum | Oil of mustard seed | Fibrolytic agent |
| Thuja occidentalis | Leaf and leaf oil of
the tree Thuja occidentalis |
Warts, Skin infections |
| Thyroidinum | Thyroid gland of sheep | Milk yield, Heat inducer |
| Viburnum opulus | Bark of the flowering
shrub Viburnum opulus |
Uterine irritation, Morning Sickness, Skeletal & Smooth muscle relaxant |
Conclusion:
Homeopathy is still one of the debatable topics of discussion. Homeopathy or homeopathic medications are lacking in some aspects due to its certain drawbacks and short of sufficient scientific evidences in this field. However, it is a very promising and effective treatment protocol with higher success rate and with negligible side effects in the animal species. There is a successful future ahead with the advancement of homeopathy as an adjunct therapy or treatment protocol in the veterinary practice field. It the greatest need of the time now for all the veterinarians around the world to work jointly to uplift the homeopathy sector and its treatment protocols to make it successful to be applicable in the veterinary practices in every aspect in every disease and ailment conditions of large, small and pet animals.
References:
- P. Madrewar & Matthew Glencross, 1996. Therapeutics of Veterinary Homeopathy & Repertory, 5th impression, B.Jain Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
- Kayne, S.B. 2006. Homeopathic Pharmacy Theory and Practice, 2nd Elsevier
- David W. Ramey & Bernard E. Rollin, forward by Franklin M. Loew. Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine Considered, 1st, Iowa State Press.
- AVMA Guidelines for Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine.
- John Rush, 2007. The Handbook to Veterinary Homeopathy, B.Jain Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
- Ruddock E. & Lade G. 1879. The Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Veterinary Medicine, The Homeopathic Publishing Company, London.
https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/application-of-homeopathy-in-veterinary-practices/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5738588/
