Page 13 - Winter 18

Green Level – The options of prescription renal diet were reviewed. The owner elected to stay on senior diet for the time being. His lifestyle is kept the same.
Amber Level – Cinnamon is started on Berberis 6c as a “kidney tonic” initially daily, then reducing to twice weekly. He is also given Anguila serum 12c because of the early impression of some proteinuria.
Time goes by and Cinnamon is doing fine.
Then his owner phones because he has been off his food and vomiting. I fear the worst and he is brought in for a check up. Examination shows nothing specific, but he is a bit dehydrated.
Red Level – There are a variety of differentials for an elderly vomiting cat. Similarly there are a variety of investigations that may be useful. For now the owner elects to hold and continue to monitor. A urine sample shows similar low spe-
through without complications. He has not needed any Red Level input for the throat issues.
Senior Phase: He first flagged up issues that were a concern when he started drinking more water than usual. Based on the urine tests we suspect early Chronic Kidney Disease. The owner has been advised about Red Level options, but prefers to continue with Amber Level approaches. Most recently he had a period of vomiting, which was managed with Amber Level Nux vomica, followed by Hepar Sulph.
Discussion
An integrated holistic approach will include the best of what conventional medicine and surgery has to offer, with the best of what natural medicines have to offer. It is only in the senior years that there is a possible concern in management style. In an ideal world it might have been possible to pick up early signs of renal problems with a blood test that could
cific gravity and just a trace of protein. He is given some sub-cutaneous fluids.
Red Flags – The owner is aware of possible intervention needed if he does not improve.
Green Level – He goes home for extra TLC and syringe feeding.
Amber Level – He is started on Nux vomica 30c
The update later in the day is that he is feeling brighter and starting to eat. No more vomiting. I suggest a few doses of Hepar Sulph as its a remedy he goes well on. The following day he is still eating well. Time goes by and a week later I bump into the owner. “Cinnamon is most grateful for your support”. He had continued to improve and after a couple of days brought up a large fur ball, then continued from strength to strength.
Review
Looking back over Cinnamons life so far:
Junior Phase: He went through this without any major health issues. He had an acute injury that was managed with an Integrated Holistic Approach. He recovered well and there have been no subsequent problems.
Adult Phase: He has intermittent throat problems that have principally responded to Hepar Sulph, with occasional use of other remedies. We have always managed to get him
flag up raised SDMA before other clues were available.
Like many owners, they only got concerned when the increased drinking was noted. We know that there is signif- icant loss of normal kidney tissue by the time that polydip- sia is noted. If we had been able to pick this up at an early stage, then there would have been opportunity to start remedies early and perhaps slow the progression.
Equally there is the option of giving blanket treatment at an early stage for a range of senior diseases that could be antic- ipated. For example:
• Renal problems • Hyperthyroidism • Cardiomyopathy
At the Red Level we have medications that can be helpful when the disease state is quite advanced. With homeopa- thy we have the opportunity to support the individual at a much earlier, even pre-clinical stage.
This could include:
• Specific organ support remedies for anticipated future pathology.
• General constitutional support all the way through the life. • Addressing each problem that occurs through life with Amber approaches to minimise chronic disease developing. • Clearing any possible negative effects of routine Red Level treatments (e.g. neutering, flea treatments,
worming) through life with remedies. n
11