What is homeopathy and how can it help your dog? 

When Ruby was just a puppy, she began to have diarrhea so often that we wondered if she was absorbing any of the nutrients in her food. She would ask to go outside as many as five times in one night! Finding nothing wrong with her, our (conventional) veterinarian thought it might be nerves and suggested obedience classes to build her confidence.

Ruby loved puppy school and her confidence blossomed, but the bouts of diarrhea continued. Our dog trainer recommended taking her to a holistic veterinarian who excelled at treating difficult cases.

At our first visit, the holistic vet determined that she was reacting to her recently completed series of puppy shots and said that she should no longer be vaccinated. He then gave her one dose of a homeopathic remedy. It was just a small capful of tiny, white pellets, but the diarrhea stopped immediately! And although Ruby did have occasional loose stools for a few months afterwards, she never had those awful liquid explosions again.

What is homeopathy?

Dating back to Hippocrates, several hundred years BC and then popularized by German physician Samuel Hahnemann in the late 1700s, homeopathic medicine is based upon the principle “like cures like." In other words, a very small dose of a plant or other organism that can cause specific symptoms in a healthy person can cure a sick person (or dog) suffering from those same symptoms. (Ever heard the phrase “the hair of the dog”?)

Homeopathic remedies contain highly diluted organic substances used to stimulate natural defenses in the body. The theory is that the immune system generates antibodies to the medicine and then goes on to fight the virus, bacteria or imbalance that is causing the illness.

Although many Western doctors distrust homeopathy because the modality lacks a large body of modern testing, there are over 200 years of anecdotal evidence to support its use. Many alternative medicine practitioners use homeopathic remedies because, as highly diluted natural products, these remedies do not carry the risks of serious side effects found with drugs. And, like other modalities of alternative medicine, homeopathy works with the body’s ability to heal, rather than thwarting it, as many conventional medical treatments do.

A homeopathic vet will ask detailed questions about your dog's medical history, (as well as his temperament, likes and dislikes) then tailor remedies to your pup's specific body type and symptoms. Homeopathy can be used to treat skin allergies, ear infections, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, thyroid problems, inflammatory bowel disease and more. It is especially effective in treating chronic illnesses that fail to respond to conventional treatment.

To learn more about using homeopathy to treat your dog, read Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs by Don Hamilton, pictured at right. Also, check out The Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy's website to find a licensed homeopathic veterinarian near you!

We continue to use homeopathic remedies for our dogs, finding them to be effective, but gentle -- even with Ruby's sensitive system. See Ruby all grown up on the About page!