Page 12 - Spring 21

Surgery or Medicine – CAVM or Mainstream?
Is Homeopathy the answer? By Chris Day, UK
It has deeply saddened me that, in recent years, the veterinary community has been so sorely divided over the issue of CAVM in general and homeopathy in particular, with the declared ‘battlegrounds’ being ‘science’ and ‘welfare’. It is high time that the focus shifted back to the patient and anything that might help a patient should be considered impartially, whatever one’s main leanings in ‘science’ or medical ‘creed’. The patient cares not what methodology is adopted, so long as a positive result ensues with minimal delay and minimal discomfort or stress.
I have noticed during my long career how medicine has so often failed and surgery is so often employed to rectify what medicine has failed to resolve. Don’t get me wrong; I believe surgery has advanced beyond all my imagination over the last half-century, with unbelievable feats being performed. However, in my opinion, it is wrong to ask it to do a medical job. If the practice of medicine confines itself to the products of the pharmaceutical industry, then it will become even more restricted in its capability. I am a medical man and prefer to use medicine before surgery, wherever possible or appropriate (i.e. in medical situations). Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Herbs, Bach Flowers, Essential Oils, LASER Therapy and others have helped me to do just that. I have seen how this can help shift the point at which surgery may be needed and remove the need for surgery in so many cases.
However, I received an email today that illustrates the point that there are times when neither surgery nor medicine is appropriate and will fail to do the required job.
Elsa is a 4-year-old female Scottish Terrier - quite long- backed and short-legged. She came into the room in a
hyper-excited way and made lots of ‘overtures’ for my attention but avoided close contact. I took her hyperactivity to be a distraction ploy.
The complaint was that she was ‘skipping’ a lot, esp. with the right hind leg. She had been assessed and an unstable patella had been identified and put down as the likely cause. Surgery was proposed.
She came here for a second-opinion assessment. When she walked around the room, she was striding ‘short’ with
10
The patient cares not what methodology is adopted, so long as a positive result ensues with minimal delay and minimal discomfort or stress.