Veterinary Homeopathy

Fox and the Rights of the Dog

Written by Gustavo Gomez

A wonderful and funny dog story. Homeopathic vet Dr. Gustavo Gómez treats a dog who is truly a member of the family.

Translated by Katja Schütt and Alan Schmukler

Sometimes we hear stories about dogs which amaze us because of their courage, abnegation, and selfless dedication to their masters. But sometimes we hear other stories which amaze us, about their highly developed adaptability in an environment which differs completely from their natural conditions. It proves that their intelligence is their principal adaptability tool to form habits, faults, fears and characteristics which belong to the species they live with: humans.

Maybe the Lycopodium types are the ones which have the best ability to adapt their development. The following case is presented to demonstrate this.

A dog named Fox was brought in on 3/18/94, for a problem that is unusual in a veterinary consultation. I think I have never had a dog with this problem before. It was about decreasing his weight.

His owners were informed that I practiced homeopathy, but they confused me with those physicians who claim almost magical treatments with multiple pills of different colors, to take on a certain schedule and who promote their treatment as homeopathy to lose weight (but which has nothing to do with true homeopathy as applied by us).

Fox is a 7 year old German Shepherd. He has a robust build and weighs about 80 kg. The normal weight for a Shepherd is 40 to 50 kg, although they can weigh more in exceptional cases. Although he is not an old dog, his face is covered with white hair (since a very young age). Mr. Enrique, his owner, told me that he is “prematurely aged”.

“He has always had problems with allergies. When we used pesticides it got even worse. He gets chicken to eat, sometimes bones, apples, carrots, port-salut cheese, milk with bran, and a balanced diet, but we never managed to decrease his weight.

Since childhood he’s had a hip dysplasia problem which could be controlled with medicine, and which is one of the reasons why I’m concerned about decreasing his weight.”

During the consultation there occurred a situation which was somewhat ridiculous and uncomfortable for me. Mr. Enrique constantly interrupted the narration to address Fox and to tell him: “You are in the vet practice, he is going to examine you.” “He will cure you”. Pointing to me with his forefinger he showed the dog that I’m the “veterinarian”. With a mixture of surprise and discomfort Mr. Enrique told me:

“I have to explain things to this dog because he understands everything. You cannot say anything strong or insult him, because he feels offended. If you shout or mistreat him he goes into the corner, takes a fancy, and does not take notice of anybody. He is very sensitive to reprimands. Once challenged he obstinately stays on the floor and does not respond to anybody. He has always had a strong character. He does not let you touch him, but he does not bite, just goes in the corner. When we enter a shop he considers the place as his own after a while and gets angry with anybody who enters the place and attacks the person as if he were at home. Occasionally he fights with my wife and shows his teeth. But she is also a bit burdensome. She cleans his teeth and washes his feet when coming home from a walk, and she puts a wet cloth on his face because of the tails which he could have smelled out there.”

“When I’m shaving myself in the morning he also wants to be shaved and I have to give him the shaver and to pretend as if he were being shaved. He sleeps on a mattress which I have for him. If our cat wants to sleep on this place he waits with patience until she gets up. He never throws her out. He eats everything. There is nothing which he does not like. He eats rapidly. If he sees someone eating he begs. Chicken and roast beef are what he likes the most, also sweets and milk. He also likes fruits, oranges, mandarins and delicious apples, more than the sour ones.”

“He waits until the warm food becomes cold and even likes it more if it is frozen.He drinks a lot of water, but only mineral water. He does not drink tap water and does not want dirty water from watery holes. He takes all in one gulp and then stops. Sometimes he vomits, if he eats too much, or if he is challenged or if he is in a shop and barks a lot”.

“He barks at large dogs and protects the children. He avoids conflicts. When he has to walk past a path where a dog lives who barks a lot at him, he avoids him. He walks stealthily past a cordon. With the lead he feels more protected but is afraid”.

“He is not afraid of noise or rockets, but barks at thunder and lightning. When he was a child a balloon burst.Since then, if someone blows up a balloon, he goes back and asks us not to blow it up. He suffocates and drools when it is very hot, so we gave him a fan,which is put on while he sleeps. He asks us to switch it on if he is going to have a nap. He is also much affected by cold.”

“He gets into the car with enthusiasm and loves travelling. But once in the car he screams and is desperate; I can never get him to be quiet. He gets very restless and does not let anyone near the car, which he takes as his property.”

I asked Mr. Enrique: “What is a typical day in Fox’s life?” He answered: “Generally, he lives a sedentary lifestyle. He gets up at 5 a.m. to bark at the milkman (Mr. Enrique is the owner of a shop) and comes back to sleep again. At 7.30 a.m. he expects the newspaper delivery boy, and at night he waits for me to eat”.

I asked him: “He does not eat if you are not there?

“Yes. He waits for me, sitting on one end of the table, with his tablecloth and plate, and does not start eating until I sit down to eat. He rightly considers himself as one of the family. If I go into the bathroom, I cannot close the door because he tries to come in. Each morning, when I’m going to buy the bread I buy a butter croissant for him, which the baker puts in a bag which Fox grabs with his mouth and brings to the shop. He feels offended if I don’t buy his croissant and ignores me all morning. When we go to a shop he wants to take the things in his mouth and does not want to be touched while carrying something. When going to the vet I have to improvise and prepare a package or box for him to wear between his teeth, otherwise he will insist on getting something to carry.”

“You know doctor, I have blood pressure problems and cold meats are forbidden for me. Working in a delicatessen, this is an enormous temptation for me. Then there are times when I cut a slice of ham and eat it behind the shelf so that my wife does not see it. But Fox sees me! He runs to my wife and barks in a special way, telling her that I’m committing a fault, so that she comes and scolds me. Then he feels pleased. He is a real gossip!”

Without any further questions I prescribed Lycopodium 200.

Next month Mr. Enrique, who obviously senses perfectly when healing is occurring with Fox, said to me with all his good humor:

“The dog is fantastic, doctor. He is healing. For the first time he bit my wife. It is as if he were 3 years younger; he has rejuvenated. He is less anxious, eats less, and is more sociable with other dogs. And he has developed some skin lesions, which he has had before.”

The symptoms which I could have taken for repertorization and which are covered by Lycopodium are numerous, like:

  1. Easily offended

  2. Compassion

  3. Cowardice

  4. Admonition aggravates

  5. Ailments from anger

  6. Mortification

  7. Hard with subordinates and kind with superiors.

  8. Aversion to being touched.

  9. Sensitive to noise.

  10. Desires cold food.

  11. Eats rapidly.

  12. Eating until satisfied aggravates.

  13. Worse in closed rooms.

  14. Prematurely aged.

One even could take the symptom of “spying” which is also covered by Lycopodium. Above all there is the problem of power, which is precisely the fight for one’s rights against the rights of another, and as Mr. Enrique says: “He rightly considers himself as one of the family.”

He has the right to be accepted and not be mistreated, and of not having his pride hurt. He has the right to be shaved like his owner. He has the right to eat at the table like everybody. He has the right to drink mineral water and not tap water. He has the right to breakfast with bills in the morning like everybody. He has the right to know when someone enters a room and closes the door. He has the right to sleep with a fan switched on. He has the right to ask us not to inflate balloons or bags in his presence, whose noise could be bothersome.

The very young have the right of his protection, like his cat. And above all, he has the right to feel useful whenever he wants to carry something in the mouth when going on the street.

To this day he gets Lycopodium. Once he has lost his overweight and ameliorated his public image, he will launch his candidacy for a canine representative “For the rights of the dog”.

About the author

Gustavo Gomez

Gustavo E. Gómez, 51, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is a veterinarian and graduated from the Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA). He studied homeopathy at “Escuela Medica Argentina Tomas Pablo Paschero” (EMHA), graduating in 1991. In 1994 he started lecturing at the same school where he still teaches today. His career as a teacher at the EMHA has involved various functions and included an Honorary degree. Currently he is in charge of the second year of the regular Veterinary Homeopathy course. His medical practice mainly focuses on small animals.

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