Friday, October 3, 2014

Homeopathy Success Stories in Animal Care

by Dr. Wendy Jensen, D.V.M., Homeopathic Veterinarian & Co-op Wellness Educator

Greetings from Acorn Acre, my own little slice of paradise here in the (currently quite moist) wilds of Bow. I am pleased to share some happy stories from my practice. Yet even though accepting and appreciating my stories, my editor reminded me that the Co-op is all about SELF help. Now that is a trait near and dear to my heart, so why the success stories from a practitioner’s perspective?

Simply this: to show what healing really looks like. Once animal guardians understand what healing from within is truly about, they will be better equipped to assist their beloved animals. Facilitating health is not about using the right remedy to treat an ear infection, it is instead about understanding what is needed to restore the balance at the very core of the patient’s being. This requires letting go of the idea that if we can just get that bad breath to go away or that rash to heal or the flatulence to quit or the eye discharge to stop or the blood glucose to go down then all will be well. It’s not about telling our animals to heal; it’s about asking them what they need in order to awaken their innate ability to restore balance to their physical, mental, and emotional selves.

Homeopathy is a system of medicine based on the principle of “like cures like,” meaning that the curative remedy must match the unique symptom pattern of the patient, rather than a diagnosis label.

One of my favorite cases is a spunky Airedale dog named Jazzy, who was so lame that she couldn’t play her favorite game of fetch. Even walks were limited because she lagged so far behind that her guardians regretted going out in the first place. She had been on multiple pain killers, and had tried many and varied treatments to address the pain, all to no avail. After years of this, at age four she walked “like an old dog,” and her guardians were considering euthanasia, “because that’s no way to live.” But after a few homeopathic remedies spaced over a couple of years, she regained her vital self and was back to chasing balls and swimming in the river. Her last homeopathic remedy was given over two years ago.

Though my case study included all of Jazzy’s previous health records and diagnostics, my success did not hinge on Jazzy’s diagnosis, but instead on finding the remedy that matched her particular unique illness. From a thorough intake consultation and careful follow-ups, the client and I together were able to determine Jazzy’s symptom pattern, indicating her curative remedy. She was not just a lame dog, but a dog with lameness that improved briefly with mild exercise, and also a dog with a puppy-hood history of mucous-y diarrhea. She was not a lap dog, but quite content to join the family and greet visitors. Her remedy had to match all of these states in order to drive out her body’s need to be painful.

Another favorite patient of mine is Sirus, who at the tender age of three years began having seizures, after which he would attack his guardian. If he was a lapdog, this would be problematic enough, but for a 90-pound shepherd, this behavior was positively dangerous. Not wanting to sedate him for the rest of his life, his guardian called me. After carefully planning for her safety, we began treatment, and now Sirus has been seizure-free for the past three years. His last treatment for seizures was given over three years ago. When the vital force directs treatment, there is no need to continually medicate.

Thank you for reading my stories and I hope they pique your curiosity about homeopathy and healing from within!

Dr. Jensen runs Jensen Homeopathic Veterinary Practice in Bow, which includes house calls. Call 603-225-2601 or email jensenhvp@gmail.com to learn more.