Tripawds Nutrition

Please welcome Gina Snow as our new Tripawds Nutrition correspondent. For her first blog post, Gina discusses how to choose homeopathic pain remedies for dogs.

What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathic physicians seek to cure their patients on physical, mental, and emotional levels, and each treatment is tailored to a patient’s individual needs. Homeopathy is generally safe, as it uses medicines in extremely diluted quantities, and there are usually minimal side effects. Its non toxicity makes some consider it a good choice for the treatment of children and pets.

Homeopathic medicine is based on a “Principle of Similars,” or “like cures like” philosophy. This means that illnesses can be cured by small doses of a natural substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people. For example, tiny doses of one plant medicine that causes vomiting in a healthy person, may actually cure vomiting in a sick person.

To learn more about how homeopathy works, click here, then get a copy of the Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs: Small Doses for Small Animals.

Selecting Homeopathic Pain Remedies

Here are a few of my favorite pain remedies. I grab the first one that seems to “fit” best based on what the pet is acting like. This is where you as the owner is of such importance! You know your pet best and homeopathics rewards that. The better you know your pup, the better you are at choosing a remedy since the emotional level that the pet is on is as important as the physical.

• 30C is usually the potency or strength I grab, but a 30X is fine too.
• When dosing, if no change with 3 doses, I switch remedies.
• Acute Pain Symptoms: I give 1 dose every 15 minutes for 3 total doses.
• Chronic Conditions: For those that are not as severe on the pet, I do 1 dose, 3 times per day over a 24 hour period. If that seems to help, I dose only as needed from there. This may be only once per day or even less often. The pet will tell you.
• Homeopathic remedies should be given AWAY from food. You can mix them with Distilled water and syringe onto the gums if that’s easier.

Suggested Remedies

Here are my suggested pain relief remedies for dogs. Below the name of each remedy you’ll see a homeopathic definition of symptoms that can be cured by the remedy, and how it works. Remember, that not all the symptoms listed have to be present in the pet. There may be only one symptom.

You can learn more about them in the Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory.

Arnica Montana

Produces conditions upon the system quite similar to those resulting from injuries, falls, blows, contusions. Septic conditions; prophylactic of pus infection.

It is especially suited to cases when any injury, however remote, seems to have caused the present trouble. After traumatic injuries. Traumatism of grief, remorse or sudden realization loss. Limbs and body ache as if beaten; joints as if sprained. Relaxed blood vessels, black and blue spots. Tendency to hemorrhage and low-fever states. Tendency to tissue degeneration, septic conditions, abscesses. Sore, lame, bruised feeling.

Belladonna

Belladonna acts upon every part of the nervous system, furious excitement, exaggerated senses, twitching and pain. It has a marked action on the vascular system, skin and glands. Belladonna is associated with hot, red skin, glaring eyes, throbbing pulses, excited mental state, restless sleep, dryness of mouth and throat, neuralgic pains that come and go suddenly. Heat, redness, throbbing and burning. Spasms followed by nausea and vomiting. Belladonna stands for violence of attack and suddenness of onset.

Barberry Vulgaris

Rapid change of symptoms-pains change in regard to place and character-thirst alternates with thirstlessness, hunger, and loss of appetite, etc.

Old gouty constitutions. Pain in region of kidneys is most marked; hence its use in renal issues and gall-stones. Pains may be felt all over body, emanating from small of back. Often called for in arthritic affections with urinary disturbances. Wandering, radiating pains. Spinal irritation. All Berberis pains radiate, are not worse by pressure, but worse in various attitudes, especially standing and active exercise.

Pulsatilla Pratensis

The disposition and mental state are the chief guiding symptoms to the selection of Pulsatilla. It is especially good for mild, gentle, yielding disposition. Sad, crying readily; weeps; changeable, contradictory. The patient seeks the open air; always feels better there, even though he is chilly. Discharges thick, bland, and yellowish-green. Symptoms ever changing. Thirstless, peevish, and chilly. Great sensitiveness. Timid, irresolute. Fears in evening to be alone. Likes sympathy. Pet likes fuss and caresses. Easily discouraged. Extremes of pain. Highly emotional. Mentally, an April day.

Lachesis Mutus

When Lachesis is indicated, a hæmorrhagic tendency is marked. Septic states and other low forms of disease, when the system is thoroughly poisoned and the prostration is profound. Much trembling and confusion. Very important for patients of a melancholic disposition. Ill effects of suppressed discharges. Sensation of tension in various parts. Cannot bear anything tight anywhere. Great loquacity. Sad in the morning; no desire to mix with the world. Restless and wants to be off somewhere all the time. Suspicious.

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About Gina: For the last 20 years, Gina has worked as a licensed Animal Medical Technician, and nine of them have been spent working in holistic veterinary medicine. She is auntie to Tripawd Maggie, and has one very special dog of her own, Dilly. At 15 years old, Dilly is a nine year Mast Cell Grade II cancer survivor, thanks to the holistic medicine treatments given by Gina and Dr. Charles Loops. You can read more about Dilly’s amazing remission from Mast Cell cancer here.

Please be aware that we are not veterinarians. The information presented here is not meant to be construed as medical advice or guidance, nor should it be substituted for professional veterinary assistance. Always discuss any remedies and treatments you wish to pursue with your veterinarian.