Homeopathy Works for Pets- Not Placebo Then?

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

 

I have a friend who at first was not so sure of Homeopathy to treat

her cat's pink eye, since, " it is mainly placebo, right? " she asked

me. The following morning when the cat's eye was much improved- I

asked her if the cat knew it had taken a homeopathic remedy. She is

now a much more advid homeopathy enthusiast!

 

Other comments?

Misty L. Trepke

www..com

 

Homeopathy works for pets - not placebo effect then?

Posted by: " Jagannath Chatterjee " jagchat01 jagchat01

Mon Jul 17, 2006 1:41 pm (PST)

Alternative medicine proves pet-friendly July 9, 2006

 

(Courtesy ZEUS INFO SERVICE)

 

By Suzanne Ellis

http://www.sundaytribune.co.za/index.php?

fSectionId=160 & fArticleId=3330119

 

In Durban, three committed professionals offer specialised holistic

help for pets - veterinary homeopath Dr Jane Fraser, physiotherapist

Hewitson and chiropractor Dr Tammy Meuwese. These women are highly

trained in their fields - which involves a thorough medical

background.

 

A graduate of the Royal School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh,

Fraser has practised veterinary medicine around the world. After

graduating, she developed an interest in complementary therapies and

began looking at applying them to animals.

 

" As I became more aware of different options for treatment, I

realised the value of natural forms of medicine and how successful

they could be, " said Fraser.

 

Her natural choice was homeopathy and she went on to study for a

post-graduate veterinary homeopathic course in London as well as

training in animal acupuncture. She has treated animals holistically

for more than 20 years.

 

Hewitson completed the required four years of standard human

physiotherapy training and five years clinical experience in Britain

before coming to South Africa.

 

Equine therapy

" As a professional physiotherapist, you have to work on humans

before you can work on animals, " said Hewitson.

 

" I have spent the past six years training in animal physiotherapy

and have attended numerous animal physiotherapy conferences as well

as training in equine therapy. "

 

Hewitson recently established the Kloof Animal Rehab Centre.

Meuwese, a chiropractic graduate of the Durban Institute of

Technology, has studied in her chosen field for eight years and been

in practice for one.

 

" I studied chiropractic with the object of treating animals. After I

completed the course at the DIT, I did a post-graduate course in

animal chiropractic in the United States. I have a passion for

animals and treating them is my calling. "

 

This calling is common to all three, yet despite their impressive

training, knowledge and expertise, they are often only approached

when conventional veterinary medicine has failed.

 

" I often get cases after people have tried everything else, " said

Fraser who runs a private practice in Glenwood.

 

" They are chronic in nature and most animals have already received a

great deal of medication and the owners are desperate. "

 

While Fraser is qualified to treat the gamut of problems and

diseases facing animal, Meuwese and Hewitson are essentially

physical therapists. Their hands have the sensitivity to find

problem areas and make clinical assessments and adjustments.

 

Both deal primarily with musculoskeletal problems, injuries, post-

operative and soft-tissue trauma, joint diseases, post-operative

rehabilitation and the like. But their training and techniques

differ as physiotherapy and chiropractic are specialist fields in

their own right.

 

Fraser, on the other hand, applies her veterinary skills to assess

appropriate treatment.

 

" The emphasis is on treating the whole animal, not just the

symptoms, " she said.

 

" I take a detailed case history because all factors are vital in

establishing the best forms of treatment. I need the animal's

previous medical history and information on its personality, habits,

relationship with other people and animals, as well as its

environment.

 

" Instead of treating all animals with the same basic drugs used in

conventional treatment, I look carefully at each animal's individual

requirements and then prescribe supplements and homeopathic remedies

and advise on dietary modification. If required, I will administer

acupuncture. But if the animal needs the expertise of a

physiotherapist or chiropractor, I will refer to Julia or Tammy. "

top.DisplayAds('Pos7',2,160);

 

Word-of-mouth

Pet owners most often find their way to one of these therapists by

word-of-mouth; vets are reticent to accept the role complementary

therapies can play. There are, however, a few vets who do refer

clients.

 

A popular, high-profile and respected vet - who chose to remain

anonymous for ethical reasons - said, " Natural therapies definitely

have an important role to play and they will be used more and more

in the future. Although I do get a lot of criticism from other vets,

I work closely with Fraser on a number of cases - especially those

where Western medicine can't give me answers. "

 

While many vets may be wary of natural therapies, Hewitson, Meuwese

and Fraser all believe it is imperative to work closely with

veterinary professionals.

 

Meuwese, who runs a private practice in Westville, also works from a

couple of practices in the Highway area. She said, " Although most of

my clientele come from word-of-mouth, I have developed a good

relationship with some vets and am earning their respect. They are

becoming more relaxed about me treating animals. "

 

" If people contact me directly, I always inform the vet concerned to

discuss the case and the treatment, " says Hewitson.

 

" If you don't have a medical diagnosis, you don't really know what's

going on. "

 

Progress

And Fraser said, " It is important to work under referral from a vet

as you need to communicate and assess the progress of a case and

what other treatments may be necessary. "

 

Although natural therapies do not necessarily provide a " quick fix " ,

the results are often dramatic, long-term and free from drug side-

effects.

 

" Chronic conditions are not easy to treat, " warns Fraser. " People

must be aware that these can take time and effort. "

 

Many pet owners who were previously unaware that these therapies are

available for animals, now sing their praises.

 

Jenny Murray turned to Hewitson when her 7-year-old dachshund Honey

was paralysed.

 

" Julia was absolutely marvellous, " enthuses Murray.

 

" I was totally amazed by her sensitivity to the animal. A lot of

people just put dachshunds down when they're injured. They should be

made aware that there are other options. "

 

After Flugal the cat was run over, he suffered internal injuries

that caused him to vomit.

 

" He couldn't keep any food down at all and lost a great deal of

weight, " explains owner Joss Armstrong.

 

" The vet did investigative procedures and tried various treatments.

Nothing worked. Eventually he suggested I try Fraser. I was a bit

unsure, but it was our only hope.

 

" Fraser gave Flugal homeopathic remedies as well as homeopathic

injections around his stomach. It took about 10 days before we

started seeing results, but he eventually stopped being sick as

often and could keep down small amounts of food. After three months

he'd completely recovered.

 

" I don't know how this stuff works, but it definitely works. I am

delighted with the results and Flugal has never looked back. "

 

And Shanna Guilfoyle's boerbul Dudley has become a regular patient

of Tammy's. She treated him for hip dysplasia and now he looks

forward to his monthly maintenance visits.

 

" Dudley absolutely loves Tammy and I am very happy with the

treatment she provides, " said Guilfoyle.

 

Although many veterinary professionals remain sceptical, some are

taking baby steps into the field, using a few basic herbal and

homeopathic remedies in their practices; others are taking giant

leaps and are actually studying veterinary homeopathy.

 

Twenty-two vets from around the country are attending a post

graduate course run by UK-based Homeopathic Professional Teaching

Group that has been organised locally by Fraser.

 

One of the vets attending, Dr Sheila Clow, has found that the course

has expanded her horizons.

 

" Homeopathy is fascinating. I now know there is far more to offer

than just allopathic medicine. A lot of vets are dismissive of it,

but people shouldn't judge what they don't understand. "

 

" Our ideal is not the spirituality that withdraws from life but the

conquest of life by the power of the spirit. " - Aurobindo.