Homeopathic Pet Remedies: Too Good or Too Good to Be True?

People are more aware than ever before of their medical options, and pet care is not excluded from this. Owners are continually seeking out different opinions and options for their pet’s care. Many have turned to homeopathy in their quest for new solutions for their pet’s problems.

Homeopathy is not a new thing. It was first created in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann, who believed that if something caused symptoms of a disease in healthy people, it would cure people with that particular disease.

Today, homeopathic pet remedies abound. If you spend some time doing a web search, chances are that you won’t have any trouble finding a few dozen alternative “cures” for whatever ails your pet. Just because these options are out there, though, doesn’t make them effective or even safe. Keep reading to learn more about homeopathic pet remedies and what you need to know.

Is There Any Validity to Homeopathic Pet Remedies?

In general, the scientific community regards homeopathy as a pseudoscience, meaning that it has no scientific backing. This hasn’t stopped this branch of alternative medicine from growing in leaps and bounds, however.

Homeopathic pet remedies are derived from various herbs, minerals, and other natural substances. Most times homeopathic remedies are quite diluted.

Many pet owners (and even some veterinarians) turn to homeopathy for difficult and chronic problems that are not responding to more mainstream treatments. In general, while there may not be a lot of scientific support for homeopathic pet remedies, in situations such as these they are unlikely to hurt anything.

How Homeopathy Can Go Wrong

While the actual components of homeopathic remedies are often harmless, that doesn’t mean all homeopathic pet remedies are totally safe. There are some important considerations to take into account when dabbling in alternative cures for your pet:

• Even avid veterinary homeopaths will admit that homeopathic pet remedies are not a cure-all and have limitations.
• There are well-established cures and treatments for most pet problems that have a much higher likelihood of helping your pet, particularly in life-threatening situations.
• Pet owners who seek out homeopathic solutions instead of seeking out veterinary care may be delaying or inhibiting helping their pets.
• Many homeopaths are strongly against vaccines and parasite preventatives, which have well-established health benefits.
• When administered by someone not well-versed in veterinary medicine, many common ingredients in these type of remedies can be harmful.

This is not to say that alternative medicine options do not have their place in veterinary medicine. Many alternative treatments including acupuncture, traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and chiropractic techniques are widely accepted by the veterinary community.

Where problems occur is that many alternative remedies, especially over the counter type preparations, are used by pet owners in place of traditional veterinary care. Please be sure to use any alternative techniques under the guidance of a veterinarian as a part of a comprehensive wellness care plan.