Anyone use Homeopathy for their horses?

[Smitty]

Because the placebo effect can make people feel better but it won't cure them. For the 'small' thinngs you may well ask 'whats the problem' but the issue is it promotes pseudoscience so people don't understand have evidence based medicine work and then try to apply the same flawed principles to more complex/life threatening illness. Its sad enough when an adult refuses treatment that could actually cure/prelong their life in favour of homeopathy etc, but its a tragedy when science illiterate parents reject treatment for their children in favour of quackery. For example (not homepathy but same principle as above):

I hope nobody is suggesting that people forego medical/veterinary advice in favour of 'natural' remedies, but I had 3 lots of antibiotics last year (2 different sorts for a sinus infection and 1 lot for pleurisy), none of which worked and in desparation I turned to homeopathy which for whatever reason, and I actually don't care what it was, did. This did make me wonder if when I contracted pneumonia whilst in hospital a few years ago, instead of the different types of antibiotics they used to try and clear it up (I think they tried 3 types), maybe another approach would have worked better.

I mentioned in my last post that I had met a chap out riding who had been cured of cancer by homeopathy. I do not remember the details at all now, but did feel at the time he must have been very very brave to go down that path. I actually do not remember if he had tried 'conventional' medicine first. I am damned sure I would.

 

[ozpoz]

I agree, Smitty - I would not use homeopathy for anything but minor ailments without consulting vet or GP. I don't believe anyone should.
It just happens that my Vet practice has a qualified ( I stress qualified!) homeopathic vet and my registered GP has also specialised in homeopathy. They both use homeopathy where appropriate.

 

[Lolo]

Ben Goldacre has no endorsements from pharmaceutical companies- I think one tried to sue him for an article he wrote pointing out that they were veiling the true side effects of a drug. If you want a better idea of what he stands for, read his book Bad Science. It's an interesting read, and certainly made me think.

 

[lazybee]

Thanks Lazybee, but one of the important principles of homeopathy which you have left out is the practice - the aim of treating the person/animal as a whole entity, and the belief that the body aims to heal itself. Homeopathic medicine in designed to assist the natural healing process which is why mainstream testing which involves isolation of ingredient and cell may not throw up the true picture of how and why!
But my point is this - why do scientists talk of the placebo effect in such scathing terms? Maybe because there are no harmful side effects, no toxic residue, no years of expensive testing and erm, no profit to be made..... that's my guess.
Who cares if the desired result is brought around by psychological reasons?! Doesn't healing have to come from the mind in the first place?

One of the earlier posts mentioned 'horse strength' doses. If homeopathic principles are applied it would have to be more diluted, as they say the more the dilution the more potent the mix ??? I think people should read a bit about it first and realise it's total quack. If your horse drinks water what could be in that? Probably one hundred and one contaminants a small trace down to single molecules. Therefore a bucket of water out of the tap could be considered the best homeopathic medicine to treat everything.

I'm not scathing about the placebo effect. If it works, fine. As homeopathy is only placebo, then you might as well take a couple of Smarties.

 

[Stamford]

The book I regularly use is 'Homeopathy for Horses' by Tim Couzens. It explains homeopathic philosophy and treatment really well and covers most issues you are ever likely to encounter. I got mine off Amazon.

You can used homeopathy for acute type illnesses, i.e short term things but for longer term stuff you need to consider what is called 'constitutional' treatment. This treats the patient as a 'whole', working on the idea that if there is illness, there is an imbalance. Treat the imbalance and the body will deal with the illness. You really need to be experienced or consult a homeopathic vet for that.

Good luck.

 

[tallyho!]

Thanks Stamford. Also, Holistic Horse is good too.