By Carissa Kuehn
This article was adapted and expanded upon with permission from "How to Evaluate a Homeopath", written by Magda Aguila of Aquiline Animal Nutrition and Homeopathic Consultations. The original text can be found in the Files section of both the TruthAboutVaccines and ClassicalHomeopathyPets groups.
The purpose of this article is to provide you with some tips in selecting a qualified homeopath that practices classical homeopathy. There are several variations of "homeopathy" out there, and not all forms are created equal. In fact, some of the practices of these "homeopathic" practitioners are just downright dangerous!
Selecting a good homeopathic practitioner can be a daunting task at times, particularly if you live in an area that is steeped in conventional medicine! The good news is that several competent homeopaths will do long-distance consultations; it is not necessarily a requirement that they see your pet in person in order to treat chronic disease. That is one of the beautiful things of homeopathic treatment!
When searching for a homeopath, there are a few things to look for. The first and most important of these aspects is that they practice in accordance with the teachings of Hahnemann's Advanced Methods as outlined in the 5th and 6th editions of the Organon. Many homeopathic practitioners have only read the 4th edition of the Organon, and are therefore missing out on some of the key principles that Hahnemann (Homeopathy's founder) laid out. The 5th and 6th Organon further refined homeopathy into a very powerful yet gentle medicine, and also cautioned against the use of combination remedies, large doses, and high potencies like the 200C potency. If a homeopath has read the 5th and 6th editions of the Organon, then they will have learned about the following crucial ideas:
1.) The use of medicinal solutions and of LM potencies instead of dry pellets and C potencies
2.) The limitations of the C potencies and dry doses
3.) The problems with mechanical dosing and over-medication
4.) The absence of aggravations, or "healing crises" that were once thought to be necessary for healing but can be harmful to an animal, and can be avoided through the use of medicinal solutions and LM potencies
A homeopath who has studied and who practices from the 6th edition of the Organon will be better equipped to become "the healing artist [that] takes into account the constitutional sensitivity or the nature of the disease so they can individualize their dose and potency properly" (David Little, Comparison of the 5th and 6th Organon and the C and LM Potency).
Another key aspect to look for is that they have expanded their homeopathic training beyond the few hours required by the Veterinary Certification. If they have been certified by the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy (AVH) in the past 2-3 years, then their knowledge of homeopathy is fairly adequate because the AVH has made their certification process more strict in the very recent past. If they have studied Human Homeopathy with schools/homeopaths that emphasize Hahnemann's Advanced Methods, then their homeopathic training is also likely to be more advanced.
Exercise extreme caution and possibly even avoid altogether veterinarian homeopaths or homeopathic practitioners that:
Are practicing based on the teachings of the 4th edition of The Organon, and have never read or even heard of the 5th and 6th editions of the Organon! This means that they do not know about the changes and refinements that Hahnemann made to the art and medicine of homeopathy, and are therefore limited in their knowledge of classical homeopathy. A homeopath who has not read the 5th and 6th editions of the Organon will tend to rely on many of the practices listed below, when "in Hahnemann's advanced methods there is no need of aggravations, crises, over medication, antidotes, long periods of waiting, or any excess counter reactions" (David Little, Comparison of the 5th and 6th Organon and the C and LM Potency).
Primarily use large dry doses in multiple pellets. Dry doses administered in large amounts of pellets are not nearly as effective or gentle as medicinal solutions (which are discussed in the 6th edition of the Organon). According to Hahnemann's Advanced Methods, medicinal solutions are almost always preferred over dry doses; dry doses tend to be used only in emergency situations where time is of the essence. Dry dosing is a practice that was popularized by another homeopath, James Kent, but replaced by Hahnemann in the homeopathy of the 1840s (6th edition of the Organon). James Kent's system offers only 7 potencies, with large jumps between strengths. Hahnemann's system offers 30 different micro-tonal LM potencies with a much more gradual increase in strength, in addition to the 7 Kentian potencies. If a homeopath has not read the 6th edition of the Organon, they will be limited to 7 rather than 30 different potencies.
Use LM potencies in daily dosing, routinely. This is very dangerous and can cause lasting damage to the animal! LM potencies reach more deeply than C potencies without producing strong initial action and rapid aggravation like the higher C potencies do. However, according to David Little (one of the world's premier homeopaths), "LM's are not a 'low potency' remedy that can be given daily or every other day for weeks in some mechanical fashion. They aggravate just like all other homeopathic remedies if misused...It is a false claim to say that the LM's cannot aggravate so they can be given daily or every other day for weeks, months and years" (Comparison of the 5th and 6th Organon and the C and LM Potency). LM potencies can occasionally be given daily but only WHEN NECESSARY.
Prescribe remedies in a mechanistic manner (Remedy X for Ailment Y, every time). You would be surprised how many "Certified Homeopathic Vets" start every case with Thuja because of the issue of vaccinosis with animals (Please see the Antidoting Vaccines: What Homeopathy is Not article for a more in-depth discussion of this.). Mechanical dosing leads to over-medication of the patient, which results in side effects and changes in the natural symptom pattern. It also slows down the cure and complicates the overall picture. A good homeopath will take into account the individual nature of the patient and disease rather than prescribing mechanically.
Routinely or automatically start cases with 200C potencies. 200C is a very strong potency that has been known throughout history as "The Great Aggravator." It is well-known for causing aggravations in animals, and is often too strong and crude for most chronic disease cases! Many of the homeopaths prescribing 200C potencies right away often have not read past the 4th or 5th Organon and thus believe that a crisis-like aggravation is needed to push the remedy into the place of the natural disease, and to force an increase of energy in the vital force. This is not necessary!
Believe and tell their patients that aggravations are "healing crises" and that they are to be expected and are good. Healing crises are simply aggravations that are caused by too large a dose, too strong a potency, too much repetition of a remedy, or an incorrect remedy. "The idea that aggravation is necessary is common among 4th and 5th Organon homeopaths, especially those who use too many dry pills as a dose" (David Little, Comparison of the 5th and 6th Organon and the C and LM Potency). Aggravations (often dubbed as "healing crises") "disrupt the natural symptom pattern, waste vitality, and complicate the cure" (David Little, Comparison of the 5th and 6th Organon and the C and LM Potency). This can be detrimental to the health of a weak, old, or very sick patient! Additionally, "if the dose is too large in too high a potency, [it] may mistune the vital force with a long term medicinal disease (aphorism 276). For this reason, the dose, potency and repetition must be carefully controlled" (Comparison of the 5th and 6th Organon and the C and LM Potency).
Tell patients that "one pellet is the same as 100 pellets". These Homeopaths usually are the same ones who believe aggravations are normal. Aggravations are normal for them because the size of their doses is too large and they start patients off at a highly-aggravating potency (200C)!
Have never read the Organon! This is one of the most important writings on the use and practice of homeopathy. The Organon of the Medical Art was written by homeopathy's founder, Samuel Hahnemann, and lays out the basic principles of homeopathy in great detail. It is considered ESSENTIAL for any good homeopath.
Recommend a variety of supplements, herbs, and other treatments in addition to homeopathic treatments from the get-go. This can be a fine line since many of these other modalities complement homeopathy; you should be looking for a homeopath who has excellent knowledge of the inner workings of homeopathy and who will not be trying to sell you various supplements, herbal 'remedies', etc. instead of treating the animal in a true homeopathic manner. While other modalities like acupuncture and chiropractic treatment can be very beneficial, using these other modalities (which include supplements and herbs) at the time of homeopathic treatment can cloud the overall symptom picture and can interfere with the work of the homeopathic remedy. A good homeopath will seek to minimize extraneous aggravating causes (such as diet, environment, lifestyle, exercise, etc.) preferably before treatment. This may or may not involve other modalities like chiropractic care for mechanical injuries, etc. Then they will give the remedy time to work on its own first to gain a good idea of just how the remedy works on the animal before recommending other modalities like chiropractic treatment, acupuncture, etc. to be used concurrently. These modalities often complement each other quite nicely, and with homeopathic treatment at the center they seem to work more effectively and efficiently.
Routinely uses combination remedies. Combination remedies are not classical homeopathy and present their own set of problems. Provings of remedies were performed only on single remedies. Combinations were not administered and proved, so their collective energetic results were not studied. If there is an aggravation or worsening of symptoms while taking a combination remedy, one will never know which remedy it was that caused the aggravation or if it was the actual combination itself. Look for the homeopath who has the knowledge and skill to select the single remedy rather than one whose skills are unrefined so that they attempt the "shotgun" approach of combination remedies. Please note that using multiple remedies in treatment is not the same as a combination remedy. Several different remedies can be administered as part of a treatment, but they are administered separately over the course of the day. Combination remedies are several remedies combined and given at the same time, all together at once. This can sometimes be ten remedies at once! This is a large energetic 'pounding' on the body and should be avoided.
This may seem like a lot of things to avoid, and it may be challenging to find a homeopath who does not do some of the practices listed above. One of the MOST important practices to avoid in a homeopath is the repeated, mechanistic dosing of homeopathic remedies: "give five pellets three times a day for a week." This is NOT homeopathy in any way, shape, or form. It is simply using the remedies as if they were an allopathic drug; this shows not only a lack of knowledge of how homeopathy works, but also a lack of skill in the art of prescribing homeopathic remedies in appropriate doses. Stay away from any homeopath that doses an animal in this repeated, mechanistic manner regardless of the potency used! True homeopathy is tailored to the individual and takes into account the "constitutional sensitivity" and nature of the disease. If there is any noticeable progressing or striking improvement during treatment, then the remedy need not be repeated since the cure is already taking place.
Here are some questions you can ask any potential homeopathic practitioner:
1.) Where did they study? Who did they study with? How long have they been practicing? This is just to give you an idea of their credentials and experience. Ideally, you want someone who has practiced under another good homeopath that used and taught Hahnemann's advanced methods. Look for a practitioner that has experience in taking cases, repertoirizing them, and prescribing appropriate doses of remedies. Certification by the AVH or through a veterinary college does not automatically make them a good homeopath! Look for someone who has expanded their training beyond the few hours required by most veterinary certification programs.
2.) Is their practice based on the 4th edition of the Organon, or on the 5th and 6th editions? A good answer would be that they have read the 5th and 6th editions of the Organon and practice from those. If they have never heard of the 5th or 6th editions (or of the Organon), consider using someone else even if it means long-distance consultation.
3.) How do they typically dose animals? Do they use dry pellets or medicinal solutions? If they use dry pellets, how many pellets do they consider to be a dose? The most preferable answer is that they primarily use medicinal solutions. If they use dry doses, consider it a requirement that they only use one or two pellets, not five or ten or twenty! When it comes to homeopathy, less is more. Also stay away from those that dose animals repeatedly in a mechanistic fashion. Sometimes only one or two doses of a homeopathic remedy is enough to cure the animal! You want someone who will dose and then carefully watch the patient rather than repeatedly dosing the patient.
4.) What potency do they typically start animals out at? Answers to this question will be variable since different animals may require different potencies. Overall, however, you should be looking for someone who does not start all animals out on high potencies like 200C! You want the homeopath who individualizes the treatment to the animal—and part of this individualization involves the potency!
5.) How familiar are they with the use of LM potencies? How do they prescribe LM potencies? If they say that LM potencies can and should be given daily on a routine basis, turn around and walk out the door! LM potencies are VERY powerful and long-lasting; it takes an experienced practitioner to use these appropriately.
These basic questions should help you discern between those who are still not practicing as well as they could, and the ones who are.
For a listing of veterinary homeopaths, please visit the AVH Referral List to search for a veterinary homeopath near you. ClassicalHomeopathyPets also has a listing of approved homeopaths (those that practice homeopathy according to the principles outlined here) in the Files Section. ClassicalHomeopathyPets is a group that supports proper classical homeopathy; if one is looking for a group that is open to other forms of "homeopathy", then this would probably not be that group. Within Classical Homeopathy (both the Yahoo! group and the medicine of classical homeopathy), the emphasis is always placed upon the individual and upon using the single homeopathic remedy to initiate healing.
For further information on classical homeopathy, please visit the Little Library.