Tales of four cats... and a dog
homeopathy for pets

By Eirc Asher and John Saxton

All these stories emphasise the fact that homeopathy is a universal healing principal. Eric Asher is a medical homeopath (or medical doctor practising homeopathy) and John Saxton is a homeopathic veterinary surgeon. Eric’s prescriptions are based on his knowledge of treating people and a deep understanding of the cats and dog involved �?their personalities and little idiosyncracies that are so important in homeopathic healing. However, before sharing his experiences with others, he invited John Saxton to comment on his treatment approaches.

Lynx
A long time ago, in a galaxy far away...(well it was Australia, ten years ago, but it does feel like a galaxy away from UK) there was a much loved, if moderately simple tom named Lynx. He was a Russian Blue/Burmese cross and most handsome indeed. His silky fine coat was the pride of the family. A philosopher cat, a studious cat; not one given to hastiness. His indecision was indeed a source of some annoyance, especially in a household already given to this Libran vice.

When he developed scabby eczema at the base of his spine, his vet muttered darkly about a series of cortisone injections. While this is perfectly sensible conventional veterinary advice, it did not sit well with his family so we reasoned that homeopathic remedies might work as well for him as for the human patients.

Lynx was a chilly lad and such a scabby boy. His little face would look out the door in perplexity. Should he go out for a stroll or not? What weighty matters for a feline brain to bear. Like many cats he would hog the heater and seemed, again like many cats, almost impervious to heat. The poor fellow spent such effort trying to stop the infernal itching but scratching only seemed to make it worse.

His refined bearing and fine silky coat made me think of some Silica children I had seen, although they were somewhat cleverer than the cat. I gave him Silica and then finally Psorinum, based more on the keynote of itch and chilliness than any other clue such as smelliness. Smelly? My cat? His eczema left him never to return.

JS: The standard conventional veterinary approach to problems such as this is either steroids, as recommended in this case, or hormones. These latter take the form of the contraceptive pill (in an animal formulation), administered either orally or by injection. Unfortunately the other knee jerk reaction of many conventional vets is a diagnosis of “flea bite allergy�? This removes the hormonal approach from consideration, but substitutes heavy and routine application of flea treatments, in spite of the fact that no fleas have been seen in the household within living memory!

This is an extension of the widely propagated idea that if there is an animal in a household then a flea infestation is inevitable which, in my view, is not the case. Although modern flea treatments have moved on from the organo-phosphate days, they are still strong chemicals which should not be administered without good cause. Fortunately for Lynx, none of these approaches would “sit well with his family�?

Although the remedy Silica was selected on purely physical criteria, it is interesting how aspects of the mental picture can be seen in Lynx. The love of heat is there, and in the literature phrases such as 'faint-hearted', 'anxious' and 'irresolute' are used about Silica. When assessing an animal’s 'cleverness' it is always necessary to remember the species involved, as their social and intellectual priorities may be very different from those of the human assessing them.

Similarly with 'smelliness', this is an emphasis made from the human perspective, and although some animals needing Psorinum do indeed smell (and how!), it is not an absolute imperative. The full reason behind the need for two remedies is beyond the scope of this commentary, but the combination was obviously correct.

Lottie
My cat-in-law in the West Midlands also had cat eczema, a few years later. Now, compared to her, our Lynx was a marvel of determination. She too would stand for extended periods at the back door considering the pros and cons of going outside. At times a helpful boot would assist her decision-making process.

Lottie was a dyspeptic and rather flatulent. Her family made hurtful comments about her 'cheap nylon fur' and indeed, though an unkind description, this was more or less the effect it gave. Her scabs were impressive and seemed to be of crusty white tenacious material on her upper back. Her vet had given her several cortisone injections but these had made no difference whatsoever.

She had not a cruel claw in her paws and this made Anacardium seem unlikely. In chatting with her mummy, my sister-in-law, I confirmed all the above and suggested that before giving even more cortisone, that she go to chemist and get some Graphites 6c. She did this and three weeks later the scabs were better and at six weeks were gone, never to return.

Moreover Lottie has a lustrous shiny coat and now, at seven-year follow-up, we never hear any more nasty talk of cheap nylon fur (indeed!).

JS: The unsuccessful use of cortisone here emphasises the common pattern in many skin conditions treated in veterinary practice. Unfortunately, as outlined above, the conventional approach offers few alternatives although antibiotics may be thrown in periodically for good measure.

The accurate diagnosis in this case was obviously 'Graphites deficiency', and the remedy addressed not only the presenting worry of the scabs but also the underlying imbalance in the body. As with Lynx, a remedy selected on local grounds also fitted the broader picture, in this case of dyspepsia, flatulence and indecision.

Bully Beef
Bully Beef is a large, nervous and affectionate boy with thicker white fur. In Oz he would always be sunning himself despite my advice that it would give him skin cancers on his face. The 'white cat �?no ears' syndrome seemed inevitable.

Eventually an early cancer did develop on most of his right forehead. The vet suggested treatment with radioactive gold needles. Before proceeding to mortgage our house to pay for this, I suggested we treat him as if he were a human, with Fluorouracil cream, a cheap anticancer drug. The vet agreed. It worked a treat, but took months to heal properly.

Now, Bully Beef was a thirstless cat with a passion for cuddles and butter. Easy one! Pulsatilla. This used to keep him generally well in Oz. However, once in UK, he became a thirsty cat with a definite aversion to cold and particularly to sudden noises.

We thought no more of this until the cancer started to return at the edge of the treatment field after several years. I did not have the heart to have him blasted with the chemotherapy cream again immediately, so I studied his case: thirsty, affectionate, desire to be stroked, startles, elegant, epithelioma (cancer of the face).

Only one remedy stood out: Phosphorus. The cancer went. He needs a repeat dose each three to six months. He recently developed insulin dependent diabetes. Phosphorus, acting on the pancreas (among other tissues) seems to have helped keep his insulin requirements to the lower end of the treatment range.

JS: The quarantine experience obviously did not have the same effect as it did with Poppy, but there were definite changes after coming to the UK. It is interesting to speculate as to the influence of the change of hemisphere in these, as in the remedy based on the north pole of a magnet, marked sensations of coldness in the body are reported. Be that as it may, another possible influence could have been the confinement of quarantine tipping Bully Beef towards a remedy which is even more loving of company than Pulsatilla.

The tendency to cancer was present in both locations and the local treatment, although apparently helping,was obviously not the answer. The influence of the Phosphorus on the insulin requirement raises the question of the effect of constitutional remedies on the functioning of endocrine glands.

This primarily involves the pancreas and the thyroid glands. Whether the problem is one of over- or under-activity, if constitutional remedies are being used successfully to treat associated conditions, they will tend to normalise the gland function. Hence any animals who are receiving treatment for such conditions will require closer monitoring of those conditions than would be normal. This is an area where close cooperation with a vet is essential.

This is an edited extract and the view article can be viewed at www.  trusthomeopathy.org The British Homeopathic Association and Faculty of Homeopathy web site aims to be accurate, reliable and evidence-based - information you can trust. The site has three main sections - one primarily for members of the public, one for healthcare professionals and one about research in homeopathy. www.  trusthomeopathy.org