Veterinary Homeopathy

The Guernsey with Collapsing Feet

Homeopathic veterinarian Edward De Beukelaer presents a case of a Guernsey with lameness.

For this Guernsey cow the lameness started shortly after calving, after she ‘fell over pushed by one of the other cows’. There is an ulcer of the sole in left hind. The foot was trimmed and improved and then an ulcer developed in the right hind. Again this was treated successfully and the problem reappeared in the left hind. Then interdigital polyps grew and became ulcerated and painful. The foot trimmer did well but could not solve this problem.

After 12 months, I am called in. She already received a number of remedies and responded temporarily to nat mur. The soles of the feet are very pitted, like small, regular concave craters in the sole of the hoof. It is strange to see how she appears to slide backwards of her claws, as if the claws have come loose in relation to the bone (but they are still well attached). They had to search for her to find her in the herd. She hides in the herd and she is usually not with the other cows. She likes being pressure hosed but she will not tolerate a trickle of water on her feet. We can smell her coming in the parlour. Although she has been many times in the crush for various treatments she is still willing to come in. She also never really dropped in milk production.

Solution:

I used the follow rubrics:

– General, sides alternating sides

– Extremities, nail complaints (with all subrubrics to make sure all remedies that can be associated with nails are in the repertorisation).

– Perspiration, odour, offensive

– One rubric with: General, hard pressure amel.

– General, pinching amel

– General, leaning against something hard amel

– Generals, old age premature (to illustrate the situation with the claws)

-Generals, touch agg.

 

Only Sepia covers all the rubrics:

I prescribe the remedy because of the aspect of the claws and the fact that this cow hides in the group without being amongst the animals. Sepia 30c is given daily for 3 weeks. The remedy is repeated daily because of the curious anatomical deformation in the hope that it corrects itself. In indeed, she gradually gets back to normal over three weeks time and the claws return to their normal position.

The essence of Sepia according to AFADH, Loutan and Brunson:

Sepia has to go through the rationale of knowing whether those around her really love her, to be sure that it is safe to be with them. There is the memory of death after giving birth, which was the consequence of loving. Sepia gets lost and is wondering whether the love is ok. Wants to be close but not too close, hiding to avoid problems and sensation that there is no real support… no support hence bearing down. This cow fell off her claws….. .

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

4 Comments

  • Not a comment, but a question. When you mention “claws”, are you referring to the dew claws or the hoof itself? I’ve never heard cow feet referred to as “claws” before, so I’m not sure what you’re saying.

  • Dear Joy,
    I used the word ‘claw’ in the hope it would be understandable by all people. It is indeed the Hoof, (the part which the cow walks on) I am talking about in this article.
    Edward

  • I am having 40 cows in uppalli village, sagar taluk, shimoga district, karnataka state, India. I am facing the problem of mosquitos, flies and ticks. I am an organic farmer and I don’t want to use any pesticides. please suggest me some homoeopathic remedies.

  • Dear Dr Anand,
    first thing is to make sure that the feeding of your cattle is 100% accurate which you can do by using the Obsalim observation technique. This will reduce the incidence of the reactions of the animals to external aggressors.
    Second: there are no specific homeopathic remedies to avoid insects.
    But there are people who prepare homeopathic dilutions specific for certain areas to reduce the incidence of pests etc. Their field of specialty is usually agrohomeopathy. The website considera.org may be of help here.
    hope this will help you forward

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