Healing the Whole Patient

Conventional medicine, as we know it, uses drugs to target a part of the body where disease has control. Homeopathy looks at the whole patient and treats the individual, not just the disease. In homeopathy, the individual's reaction to the imbalance is the guiding process that determines the homeopath's course of action. The signs of discomfort and abnormal function as well as any emotional considerations are the most important indicators for a proper treatment. The homeopathic practitioner also takes into consideration the personality of the dog, the time of the year that the symptoms tend to be worse, the time of day when the dog seems uncomfortable, the past illnesses the dog has had, what he eats, how he is housed, and perhaps most importantly, his relationship with his owner.

When using conventional medicine, palliation or suppression of the disease is implemented in an attempt to alleviate the symptoms, which rarely results in a cure. With the proper use of homeopathic remedies, the disease will not return. Homeopaths understand that by gently allowing the body to express the symptoms instead of suppressing them by the use of drugs that illness can make its way out of the body.

Homeopathic Remedies for Dogs & Cats

Conventional medicine, as we know it, uses drugs to target where disease has control. Homeopathy looks at the whole patient and treats the individual, not the disease. In homeopathy, the individual’s reaction to the imbalance is the guiding process that determines the course of action. Signs of discomfort and abnormal function as well as emotional considerations are important for proper treatment. The homeopathic practitioner also takes into consideration the cat’s personality, the time of the year the symptoms are worse, the time of day when the cat seems uncomfortable, past illnesses, what he eats, how he is housed, and perhaps most importantly, his relationship with his owner.

The Five Elements

Each season is assigned an element:

Spring is Wood, when Qi is in the liver and gallbladder.
Summer is Fire, when Qi is in the heart and small intestine. Fall is Metal, when Qi is in the lungs and large intestine. Winter is Water, when Qi is in the kidneys and bladder.

The two weeks between the seasons (solstice/equinox) is designated as the element Earth and Qi is in the stomach and spleen.

The Chinese found that when the energy of the prevailing season is in the corresponding organs, diseases of those organs are more prevalent. For example, more serious kidney diseases are diagnosed between the end of December and late February, than at any other time. Heart disease occurs more frequently in the summer months, than at other times.

By treating a weak organ during the time when the Qi is in that organ, a cure can take place. Treatment any other time of the year can only achieve relief, but no cure.