rn Homeopathic Medications for
Travelling with your Pet
Sara Fox Chapman MS, DVM, MRCVS, VetMFHom
Who doesn’t enjoy travelling with their pet?
Homeopathy can make the trip smoother for everyone. Homeopathy can be used as a symptomatic treatment on a short-term basis. Homeopathic medicines are virtually free of side effects, but the wrong medicine will have very little effect at all.
The medicine should have as many of the patient’s symptoms as possible for the best result.
Ideally, give homeopathic medicines before conventional treatments. If you can wait a bit, you may not need the conventional medicine! Remember, use common sense. If an animal is severely ill or depressed, prompt veterinary care is essential. If the patient fails to improve, veterinary care is required.
Choose a low (6X, 12X, or 6C) to medium potency (30C). Keep the homeopathic medicines clean and in the dark, and don’t let them become contaminated. Tip 4 to 10 granules or 2 pilules out into a clean spoon and re-cap the bottle immediately. Give the medicine to the animal right away by pouring it into the cheek pouch or mouth. They taste good, so most animals don’t mind this a bit. Put the bottle back in its dark box.
Assess the case and re-dose as needed. If there is no response after several doses, it is probably not an appropriate choice.
Before the trip
Argentum nitricum: feel rushed, out of control, forgetful; diarrhoea; anxiety about trip/flight
Coffea: sleepless from over excitement
Motion sickness
Borax: fear downward motion, worse downhill or plane landing
Cocculus: nausea and dizziness with desire to lie down, worse watching movement or from
sight/smell of food
Kali bich: seasickness, severe nausea and dizziness, worse standing, weak and achy in face/head, bilious vomit
Nux vomica: nausea with difficulty vomiting, intense headache, chilly, worse smell of food/tobacco/coffee
Petroleum: persistent nausea with profuse salivation, stomach pain, stiff neck, worse light, noise and sitting up
Rhus tox: airsickness with nausea / vomiting, thirsty, dry mouth and throat
Tabacum: nauseated, look ‘green’, better from cold fresh air
During the trip
Chamomilla: tired, cross, childlike; too over stimulated to sleep
Bellis perennis: tailbone compression or sciatica from sitting in one position
Bryonia: homesick, grumpy, talks of home / work / business [humans]
Jet lag
Arnica: exhaustion
Cocculus: difficulty sleeping, bitter taste in mouth
Food problems
Arsenicum: most food poisonings with vomiting, diarrhoea; spoiled meat
Pulsatilla: ‘bad’ fish; also Apis when itching is part of the reaction
Lycopodium: ‘bad’ shellfish
Veratrum alb: diarrhoea and vomiting not responsive to Arsenicum
Belladonna: allergic reaction to MSG
Nux vom: overindulgence in food or alcohol [humans]
Insect bites and stings
Apis: hot, swollen, itchy bites and stings
Belladonna: hot throbbing bites/stings with dizziness/headache
Cantharis: red hot, extremely itchy bites/stings
Hypericum: bite/sting leads to shooting nerve pain
Hepar sulph: painful infected bite/sting
Ledum: bite/sting deep in palm, sole, breast; feels cold to touch and better from cold
Silicea: force out stingers/splinters, resolve infections
Urtica urens: itchy bite/stings, also hives and nettle rash
Environmental stresses
Cantharis: sunburn
Belladonna: sunburn with throbbing skin
Glonoine or Belladonna: sunstroke en route to the emergency room
Natrum mur: cold sores following sun exposure
China: speed recovery from dehydration
Rhus tox, or Anacardium, or Ledum: poison ivy
Coca: altitude sickness
Injuries and accidents
Arnica: bruising, physical shock
Rhus tox: muscle strains and sprains which feel better from motion
Ruta: ligament and tendon injuries
Bellis: deep bruising of breast, scrotum
Hypericum: nerve injuries
Aconite: extreme fear, emotional shock
Staphysagria: unexpressed rage from assault, especially sexual assault
Ignatia: emotional shock, loss, or bereavement
Creams and Ointments
Arnica: bruising and swelling of unbroken skin
Calendula or Hypericum/Calendula: natural antiseptic for cuts, sores, or broken skin
Urtica urens: hot itchy burns, sunburns or allergic reactions
2018 © BAHVS – The British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons