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responded (Nat-m and Card-m) but a month later was pyrexic and going downhill. Nux-v helped reduce fever but the responses to homeopathy alone were insufficient to restore health. Patchy did develop renal failure undoubtedly resulting from prolonged pyelonephritis/ nephrosis and was referred to a conventional colleague for diagnostic tests. She responded initially to Enrofloxacin, prior to developing antibiotic resistance and was then given Marbofloxacin.
A large part of my practice entails palliative care but I was reluctant to continue subcutaneous fluid administration in preference to end of life counselling, so Patchy died peacefully with Ars LM after a few months of weekly subcutaneous fluids at the conventional clinic down the road.
Lessons: I started writing this case up feeling, like I had failed this dog, but I see more clearly now that the homeopathic management was indeed a boost to her welfare. Apart from the fact that ectopic ureters are a surgical indication, I recognise that deep pathological changes probably cannot be cured but forget this at times in an effort to help animals feel better.
Severe or persistent bacteraemia indicates that antibiotic therapy is required and also indicates a weak vital force that may not be otherwise apparent through other signs or symptoms.
Romeo is a twelve-year-old de-sexed Maremma, rehomed at 4 years of age from a dog rescue. These dogs are unusual pets and can take some time to adjust to domestic situations after being bred and raised as working herd dogs with little to no human contact. The rescued ones I have worked with are even more unusual, because they often have emotional trauma or uncertain histories. Romeo developed a swollen scrotum after de- sexing that responded to Apis and an inflamed red pinna five months later that responded to Puls and Psorinum. He would have been vaccinated post rescue but was vaccinated
again with C5 the following year to fulfil kennel requirements. He has suffered with recurring persistent severe and incurable skin problems from five months post vaccination to present day (seven years). The symptoms present as extreme redness, hairlessness in large patches, severe pruritus of the belly, chest and foot and lower leg chewing. He was unable to sleep and would exhaust himself trying to get relief from the itch without being frenzied. He would stop when told but looked depressed and exhausted and this was having a similar effect on the owners. Skin scrapings were negative and multiple treatments for sarcoptes unrewarding even after the owner also presented with skin itch of unknown aetiology.
Romeo is stubborn, seems a bit dim but very caring and clumsy. He is a hot dog or gets hot easily and will not exert himself always appearing exhausted. (Also tried Phos-ac but maybe other acids could have helped). He can be described as switched off and unreadable though Thuja seemed to do little to help at any stage in a variety of potencies even with the suspected post vaccine aetiology.
His has been a most difficult and protracted case and has long been considered incurable, partly perhaps, due to my inexperience or having used too many homeopathic medicines. Over seven years he has had almost everything considered appropriate at some stage including Lac-can, Carc, Sil, Sulph, Nat-m, Ign and Bowel Nosodes but apparently not the simillimum. The owners have valiantly supported all manner of dietary experiments and a large range of homeopathic and herbal treatments and twelve months ago, out of desperation and resignation as they are also committed to natural medicine, started prednisolone. This has been effective in reducing the itch and self-trauma. Despite the cortisone contributing to weight gain and large craterous sebaceous cysts that require treating topically, Romeo’s quality of life has improved on cortisone and he has a very small dose infrequently, which appears sufficient to stop his itch to a large extent.
Whilst he has not had skin biopsied he has had blood tests, hair mineral and toxicology tests (very high Lithium from an unknown mystery source and also treated with homeopathic Lithium).
Lessons: When all homeopathic or naturo- pathic options are exhausted, cortisone can improve quality of life. It can be very difficult to interpret vital force response to homeopathy in some animals and cases can easily become confused and incurable.
Indiana is a thirteen-year-old de-sexed female Australian terrier that presented to me three years ago with a diagnosis of chronic active hepatitis (CAH).
Most people, who seek consultation with
me, are looking for a natural way to manage animal health and I feel privileged to be able to offer effective alternatives. What this sometimes means, however, is that I fail to recognise, when this may no longer be working and this case is another example of maybe missing the cue to resume antibiotic therapy. For three years this little dog responded very well to homeopathic management and liver support with Card-m 6C three times a week amongst other things as indicated. She is a Calc/Lyc/Sulph type dog that has also responded very well lately to Nat-m and Nat-S and tends to dislike the hot weather and heat in general. The main presenting signs were excessive sleepiness and flatulence but being a very fussy eater with certain food sensitivities it was hard to get her onto an optimum diet that she would eat and would keep her stools firm. She is naturally a busy, industrious and involved dog and very sympathetic to her owner and some smaller dogs, but can also be aloof and picky with whom she chooses to associate. She is bossy but not aggressive but will snap rarely when pushed too far or fearful of being hurt. She is observant and an astute judge of character or intent.
This dog would often present with superficial doughy lumps and bumps at various locations on the torso including superficial lymph nodes that would come and go, so I knew that the vital force was actively trying to do something. The owner would see these changing also and not be alarmed as they came and went.
It is disappointingly difficult in general, to explain to people that skin signs can be an indication that disease is being exteriorized and can be a good sign that healing is occurring. When this dog started chewing her hind foot and I was unable to get sufficient control with homeopathy, the owner used cortisone and antibiotics, which gave relief, not surprisingly, but the case was lost to me for the following six months. In the months prior I had been seeing this dog more often than ought to be necessary so that could have been a sign that I was missing something important, even though I saw the dog responding well to my treatments each time. I was not surprised when following up recently that the dog was reported to be doing well on pulsed antibiotic therapy from the
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