We have an animal case this time! Try and guess the remedy….
__________________________________
Mom, it’s time for the quiz again! But first, we have a lot to talk about!
Shana Lewis
We do? What is it this time?
Only two days left till the Eagles concert at the Wells Fargo Center!
Don’t remind me! We have the worst seats in the house and I have no idea where we’re going to park!
But just think, Mom, The Eagles!!!
The only reason I’m going is to hear Timothy B. Schmidt do “I Can’t Tell You Why”, and then we’re leaving!
We are not! Don’t you want to hear “Outlaw”?
OK, maybe “Outlaw”.
And don’t you want to hear “Tequila Sunrise”?
Well, maybe “Tequila Sunrise”.
And don’t you want to hear….
Alright, Shana!
We’ll give a full report to our readers in next month’s ezine!
I’m sure they can hardly wait.
Did anybody die this month?
Well, Shana, since you ask…..we did lose Frankie Lymon’s brother, Louie Lymon.
Louie Lymon died????
He wasn’t as big as Frankie, but he did do one of my favorite doo-wop songs!
What, “I’m So Happy”?
You know, Shana, I am really impressed with your knowledge! But no, actually, my favorite song by Louie Lymon is “Honey Honey”. I love the beginning! (“You don’t know, honey honey!”) Here he is now, Louie Lymon and the Teenchords from 1957 with “Honey Honey”:
That is a great song! Did anybody else die?
Sadly, one of my favorite blues singers, Bobby “Blue” Bland!
I’ll play my favorite song by him; you know, there aren’t too many songs where you can say you liked it right from the start, but, this is one of them! This has “HIT” written all over it!
“I Wouldn’t Treat A Dog The Way You Treated Me”, my man, Bobby Bland:
And you know what? This is very appropriate because our patient this month is a dog! His name is Eddie. Shana… roll the tape!
Rolling…..
And….Action!
Hi Elaine,
I am wondering if you take acute cases for dogs?
Well, that settles it, I’ve finally gone to the dogs!
My little dog Eddie is not acting like himself.
Who is he acting like?
He is quite lethargic, and normally he is very happy and energetic. It has gotten worse throughout the day. I thought maybe he was just tired from gallavanting with my little girl dog (who was just in heat and not yet fixed). They have spent the past few days very much “in love” and not getting much rest.
I see……………..
I am hoping that tomorrow Eddie will wake up bright eyed and full of energy. I thought I would check into whether or not you take animal cases though, as I have three dogs, and it would be good for reference. If Eddie is still lethargic in the morning, I will need to seek treatment, and I’d much rather use homeopathy than conventional treatment.
Makes sense to me…
Last night he slept well, whereas the two nights before he and the little girl were restless. He was tired this morning, but still got around just fine. He was digging under a tree this afternoon and he spun around a few times like something had bit him. He ran to me, and I checked him and he seemed fine. We then went back to the house, but I noticed he was walking slowly- I thought he was actually minding me and not running ahead! Then on our walk this evening, he walked very slowly and was at the back of the pack (he’s usually at the front and dragging me along).
He is eating okay, breathing is fine, just very lethargic. Maybe I should go ahead and have you take the case, although I am not even sure if I’ll have the right remedy. I have a little collection but not a full kit.
Questionnaire For Pets
Your name: Kathryn Schmo (not her real name)
Pet’s name: Eddie Schmo (not his real name)
kind of animal: Mini Dachshund
Pet’s gender: Male
Pet’s age. 1-3 years (says the vet- he was a stray)
Your email address:
Date: 7-8-13
1. What is your pet’s complaint/s?
Lethargy
2. When did this problem start if not already mentioned?
Earlier today, it has gotten worse as the day has progressed
3. What was going on in the pet’s life around the time this complaint started that might explain it, if not already mentioned.
Humbling, recently given heartworm preventative, digging under tree
4. Describe your pet’s thirst.
Does not drink much- this does not seemed to have changed today
5. Is your pet on medications or supplements?
Heartworm preventative (taken 4 days ago); Garlic & Brewer’s Yeast tablets for flea prevention; Dog digestive enzymes
6. Describe your pet’s diet.
He eats ground turkey, veggies from my garden, brown rice, cheese, some deli meat for snacks; he ate spaghetti today
7. Are drugs he’s taking causing a problem?
Not sure- maybe side effect from heartworm preventative
8. What aggravates your pet’s complaint or what aggravates your pet in general? Think about food, weather, exercise/movement, rest, sleep, eating, noise, heat or cold, company, sympathy, touching, pressure, presence of strangers, being approached, or anything else you can think of.
It has been very rainy here for two weeks, and I have noticed my other dog and my cat have been sneezing (maybe mold/mildew).
9. What ameliorates your pet’s complaints? What makes him feel better? Consider the examples above.
He loves affection and curling up in someone’s lap.
10. What is the worst part of your pet’s day/night? What happens at that time?
The only thing I can think of is that he gets grumpy at night and does not want to be moved. He even growls at me when I make him come to the bedroom to go to bed. Otherwise, he’s just happy-go-lucky and will go anywhere.
11. Give a time-line of medical and emotional issues mentioning his age at the time and how he coped with them.
For the year and a half that I have had him, he’s been fine. No issues. He’s sweet and submissive and will even roll over and show his belly if he is being corrected.
I have given him Arnica twice- once for after his neutering surgery and then just a few weeks ago when he was limping on his paw. He responded well both times.
12. Any digestive issues?
His poop has been runny, although I noticed this with my other dog too. I switched then from a probiotic to digestive enzymes, and I think this is the reason for the runny pooh.
13. Any skin problems in the past or present?
No! Hallelujah!
14. What’s his home-life like?
He sleeps in the bed with me. He likes to take a morning and afternoon nap. He loves digging in the yard, and we go on walks daily. He also plays with May, my little girl dog. He seems happy. He is surrounded by dog lovers.
15. What’s his reaction to the following:
Consolation- loves it
Scolding- submissive but bounces back- does not seem negatively affected or overly sensitive
Noise- either ignores it or barks at it (he is in the hound category)
Surrounding Activity- ignores or just tries to get on someone’s lap if there are a lot of people
Other Dogs/Cats- friendly but cautious of big dogs, like to play with dogs his own size
16. Does he like to be around people or is he happier alone?
Loves people- a true extrovert
17. What fears does he have?
I can’t think if any. He is cautious around big dogs.
18. What is his nature? Is he dominant, submissive, aggressive, shy, noisy, quiet, excitable, docile, impulsive, steady, careful, clumsy, gentle, rough, obedient, disobedient, etc.?
Gentle, happy, playful, easy; he can take a long nap or go on a long walk. He is perfect.
19. How does your pet react to a new person entering the home?
Barks at first, but then quickly warms up and tries to sit on their lap
20. How does he react to you or other family member entering the home?
Happily wags his tail, gets up to greet the family member
21. How does he react to new situations with new people or new situations with new animals?
Friendly, curious
22. Does he show anger or hurt if you’ve been away for a long time? How?
No, he couldn’t care less if I leave. He adapts so easily. He could get a new family tomorrow and be fine (I’d be a wreck though).
23. Any recent personality changes?
Just less excited and less animated.
24. Does your pet prefer to lie in the sun or the shade?
Sun
25. Where does your pet like to sleep?
In a cozy chair. He loves to be burrowed under a blanket.
26. In what position does he sleep?
Curled in a little ball
27. Is there anything peculiar or striking about your animal’s behavior or symptoms?
Just the part where he is grumpy at night.
—————
Hi Elaine,
Eddie is not doing any better this morning. He is having trouble going up and down stairs. He is normally so quick and moves easily. This is really surprising.
I am going to take him to the vet this morning. Maybe they can diagnose him. I will let you know what they think- maybe it will help us find the right remedy.
***
Hi Elaine,
I just returned from the vet. She did an exam and said Eddie’s muscles by his shoulders were tight, and he squealed a bit when she pushed on them. She said she thought it was the muscle and not a disc.
She also said that his stomach was tight when she felt it.
What do you suggest I do from here?
Thanks again for your help, and I look forward to your insight.
You might want to try a dose of __________________30C.
***
Hi Elaine,
Just wanted to let you know I saw some improvement this afternoon. This morning, Eddie would only take a few steps and then sit down.
We went outside about an hour after the dose of ______________________ and that’s when I noticed improvement in his mobility.
His eyes are much brighter. He is trotting around, going up and down the steps with ease, and he even ran after the cat!
When you’ve run after the cat, the case is over!
I would say he is at 80%, at least.
His recovery has really been miraculous!!!
Three days later:
He is doing great! He is back to his old self.
__________________________
OK everybody, that was it! Do you know the remedy? Write to me at [email protected] and let me know! The answer will be in next month’s ezine; see you after the Eagles concert with a full report, apparently; bye-bye!
________________________________
Votes:
Ledum
Mag-phos.
Pulsatilla
Phosphorus
Nat-mur.
Nux vomica
Hi Elaine!
For this month’s quiz I don’t know what to vote for…
Join the club! From the looks of things, people are afraid of dogs!
…except Ledum. The reason is the possible etiology of insect bite. I have no other idea!
There were too many “etiologies”, Maria: Sleep loss, over-exertion from “horsing around” with the female dog, possible insect bite, heartworm medicine, 2 weeks of rain…. And then when “Kathryn” couldn’t find an actual insect bite? I had to let go of that one. In the end, I settled on Over-Exertion from attempting to have sex with the female dog and Ailments From Damp Weather (2 weeks of rain), plus the “shoulders feel tight” report from the vet and “stomach feels tight”, putting them all together, I came up with Rhus tox! “Tight” is a Rhus tox word, and so is “restless”, another word from the case. (“…he and the little girl were restless.”) Remember the quiz where Caralyn’s father was up pacing back and forth all night with leg cramps? Here’s what Caralyn said:
“So, I asked him to describe the pain. He said that the pain felt like something too large was trying to fit into something too small. He said that the feeling was of a tightness.”
So that was a Rhus tox case, the operant word being “tight”. So, when I saw that word coming up again, my mind went immediately to Rhus tox, then I remembered the restlessness, over-exertion, and 2 weeks of rain, and there it was, Rhus tox. Thanks for voting, Maria!
******************
Hey everybody, Vamsi’s in the house!!!!!
Hi Elaine,
This time it’s animals. It’s exciting and interesting as usual.
Coming over to the quiz, I see Eddie is strained up with lots of physical work playing around. He also has a muscle cramp as seen by the vet and his stomach seems tight (bloating due to gas probably? I guess so. )
No, don’t guess. When we don’t know something for sure, we just put it aside. “Stomach, tight” is all we know.
Muscle Cramps, stomach tight, pain increased by movement, does it go for Magnesia Phosphorica? Please let me know. Did i miss anything?
Thanks in anticipation.
Well, Vamsi, I see that you and I were thinking along the same lines because I too was thinking about a muscle cramp; but, what if you add the over-exertion and the fact that it had been raining in that part of the country for 2 weeks, and now what do you come up with?
I always enjoy your hints thoroughly as they make me to delve more into this wonderful subject.
Yes Elaine, if you were to add over-exertion and cold damp weather to the above….
Wait, it wasn’t cold. She said nothing about it being cold, just rainy.
Complaints arising due to over-exertion and damp weather, would it be RHUS TOX? Please suggest.
Yes, it is Rhus tox!
When we get a case, often it’s like being dealt a hand of cards. You look at all the cards and nothing makes any sense, it’s like a mish-mash until you start sorting them. You can put all your three’s together or all your face cards together or all your spades together and see if by doing one thing or another, something comes to the fore. You might notice that, “The best thing I have here is an Ace!” (That would be a super-keynote of a remedy.) You might notice that all you have are common things, like–2 fives or 2 sixes, what we would call “common symptoms”, like sneezing and runny nose, not too helpful. So, we’re “dealt” all these symptoms, and by themselves they’re pretty much unusable until we find a way to put them together. So, I first saw the word “tight”, that was my first clue. I put that together with over-exertion, rainy weather, and another Rhus tox word in the case, which was “restless”, and it was like finding an Ace, King, Queen and Jack of spades! Your choice of Mag-phos? You had no cards to go with it!
Mag-phos. has terrible pains. This is from Allen’s Keynotes:
Pains: sharp, cutting, stabbing; shooting, stitching; Lightning-Like In Coming And Going (Belladonna); intermittent paroxysm becoming almost unbearable, driving patient to frenzy; rapidly changing place (Lac caninum, Pulsatilla), with a constricting sensation (Cact., Iodium, Sulphur), CRAMPING, in neuralgic affections of stomach, abdomen and pelvis (Caulophyllum, Coloc.).
So, you see, all we’ve got from this dog is slowness, “lethargy” she called it, moving very slowly. Plus, Mag-phos is not worse damp weather. It’s worse for cold, but not rainy.
Elaine, that was a wonderful explanation, loved it thoroughly. Yeah, I can never forget that Mag-phos is for cold but not damp.
Here, this might help, from Murphy’s Materia Medica:
“Allen adds to the above that the pains rapidly change place, that cramping is the most characteristic type of the Mag-p. pains. Dread of cold air, of uncovering, of touching the affected part, of moving, of cold washing.”
Thanks a lot for being so very patient and answering all our queries.
With heartfelt regards,
Vamsi Sudha
********************************
Dr. B, unfortunately, we have no winners this month. But, 6 brave quiz readers dared to hazard a guess; so, I suggest we give a shout-out to…..
Maria
Vamsi
Dr. Kimtsou
Eva
Yvonne
Rosman
Thanks for voting!
See you next time!
_________________________________
Elaine Lewis, D.Hom., C.Hom.
Elaine takes online cases. Visit her website:
Email her at: [email protected]
