Veterinary Homeopathy

Vet Case: Laminitis

laminitis

This case demonstrates how perception of symptoms plays a role in proper selection of the homeopathic remedy.

Laminitis

We suspect there was probably a bit of colic as well but a conventional treatment with antispasmodic and laxative does not make any difference and Tigger still refuses to eat. A decision was taken to use homeopathy to manage the case.

Tigger used to go driving with a neighbour. He loved this and was very good at it. Then the neighbour moved away and Tigger sort of ‘retired’ because the owner could not stop him when riding out, because he was too eager to go. The owner feels guilty that he does not work anymore, because driving appeared to be his life.

He has always been a good family pony, being good with the children, a bit naughty and ‘slippery’.

Even after castration he appeared to be very interested in the mares and tried to appropriate any mare in the field: there was so much doubt that he was tested for being a rig but the castration had been properly conducted.

The only thing he gets aggressive about is his food, but he knows when he is bettered, when another horse is stronger than him and he will back off then. He is generally quite happy to be on his own.

He is ‘slippery’ and ‘cheeky’, he pushes over the wheel barrow for attention, and he will pull the elastic on my coat just to annoy me. Sometimes he sulks a bit: nobody loves me. I get the impression he has been hard done by. He is bored on the moment.’

His feet had not been looked after properly. During most of the consultation he lies down and then later gets up and just stands there. Then he walks up to the owner and pulls on her coat for some attention. He refuses to eat all the lovely hay and haylage that are offered. He wants to eat grass and nothing else.

Solution

Because the owner mentioned so many times that she felt guilty about not giving him enough attention and that he was not driven any more, the first rubric I selected was: Mind, Ennui.

It was also curious to see this pony who would attempt to fight over his food, not eat anything at all unless he could get some grass (he did break out at the previous day by pushing over a wall to reach the grass). Stomach, appetite, capricious.

The references to ‘slippery’ and naughty, I translated into: Mind, jesting

This repertorisation produces the following list of remedies: Ars, bar c., calc, choc, croc, ign, ip, lach, merc, nat-m, nux-v, phos, rhus-t.

In this list it is chocolate that appears to fit this case where the loss of a purpose appears to precede the downfall into laminitis.

Chocolate 200 for 3 days and the next day already he starts to eat the hay and is much more alert and active. Bit by bit he is moved back on the grass with less and less restricted grazing.

A proper barefoot trimmer takes him on and his feet improve very quickly. He has a bad episode 2 months later which responds in 24 hrs to another dose of the remedy.

Eight months later all the news is good, but he moves away with his owner and I won’t get to see him anymore.

Marc Brunson writes about the remedy: ‘I have an enormous potential but it does not realise itself.’ It is interesting that even castrated Tigger was still an attraction to the mares.

About the author

Edward De Beukelaer

Edward De Beukelaer, DVM mrcvs, practices classical homeopathy for animals in the UK (Wiltshire and Gloucestershire). 5 St David's Way Marlborough SN8 1DH 07786213636 c/o Riverside Veterinary Centre, Marlborough, Wiltshire, 0167205140875 Severnside Veterinary Group, Lydney, Gloucestershire, 01594 842185 Visit his websites: www.1-4-homeopathy.com and www.marlboroughvets.co.uk

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