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witch hazel gel. I also gave a single dose of Staphysagria 200c as a constitutional.
Two days later, the owner called to say that the nail bed of one of the puppy’s hind toes looked red and swollen and the puppy was licking it frequently. It may have been caught, or, as the owners had recently cut their grass, it could have been an insect bite reaction. I advised salt- water bathing, witch hazel gel application, and giving Apis mel 6c twice daily for two to three days. The nail was reported as looking near normal next day, so treatment was continued for two more days. The following day, I briefly checked the ear lesion and toe: the latter remained slightly inflamed, the nodule showed slight reduction across the base and was no larger in overall size.
definitely reduced further in size, was still freely movable, and despite the injury, was not looking angry or active. I continued with the Thuja and Conium and they began applying Helios SOeSsence balm, a product I have found to have excellent skin repair and healing properties, to the nodule (when he would let them!).
On next examination six days later, the nodule appeared to be progressing well with further size reduction, flattening off and healing, though it was still tending to crack and bleed around the margins. Gandalf had become very lively and evasive again; I repeated Arnica 1M to assist in application of the balm, to help soften and protect the lesion and reduce injury.
Now to decide on remedy continuation, or not! In some previous cases with a good initial response from Conium and Thuja, I have stopped on seeing improvement but the lesions didn’t continue to resolve, and needed further treatment (usually with higher Conium potency) or even gone to surgery after having become active again. So now I wondered what would be the best course to take, bearing in mind palliation and proving considerations, whilst of course wanting to counter the need for surgery.
Given location of the lesion and age of the puppy, I decided to continue Conium 6c for another week and Thuja 30c for a few more days, and then stop remedies but to continue application of the balm. During that week, the lesion regressed rapidly; a week later, the owner reported very little to see and changed to applying witch hazel gel (it was easier than the balm if Gandalf played up!). On final check- up, a month after first examination, there remained only a bald patch into which hair was growing; the skin looked clear of any mark or scab.
On re-examination eight days after treatment began, the ear nodule was noticeably smaller, standing more proud from the skin with a distinct neck region though unfortunately it was cracking and bleeding, where it had been knocked.
I gave as constitutional at this point, Arnica 1M, for "fear of being touched" slightly aggressive behaviour, which Gandalf had developed (he had been like that when younger but had improved). He had now, again, become very averse to being touched by anyone, including his owners on first approach, and very evasive about having the lesion looked at or palpated, The Arnica calmed him and allowed good examination of the nodule, which had
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