Your Pet Health Questions Answered

Homeopathy to the rescue!

Dear Dr Goldberg:My dog was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and is on Levoxythyroxine. Are there any homeopathic remedies with which to treat this condition, and how do I find a homeopathic veterinarian in my area?

I first treat hypothyroidism with certain supplements that I see fit based on the individual case. There are a number of homeopathic remedies that may help, but the only way to determine which is the best is to find a practitioner to work with. Often times, the longer the pet has been on supplemental thyroid (Levoxythyroxine), the more difficult it becomes to wean it off, as the gland itself will further atrophy once on the supplements. The good news is that patients on supplements can often be treated in other ways at the same time. Go to eavh.org, the Web site of the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy, for a list of classical veterinary homeopathic practitioners across North America.

Dear Dr Goldberg:I have a seven-year-old cat who has always had inflamed gums. Over the past six months, he has lost weight presumably because his mouth is sore. Do you have any treatments that may help?

Inflammation of the gums is often a response to bacteria in the mouth as well as the bacterial products from the plaque on the teeth. If left untreated, this problem can eventually result in gum destruction. Then, as destruction to other gums around the teeth occurs, the teeth and the bone can also become compromised.

There are a number of actions that can be done to combat this. The first is healthy nutrition, which gives the body the best first line of defence. A raw food diet is perhaps the most important change you should make in this situation. I have seen amazing changes in the teeth and gums after a few short months on this type of diet. Check out amorepetfoods.com or felinefuture.com for information on the raw diet. I also recommend coenzyme Q10 at two milligrams per kilogram of body weight daily for cats with gingivitis, as this is an antioxidant and aids the cells in the gums with production of energy.

There are a number of toothpastes on the market that may also be helpful in your situation. Take a piece of nylon and wrap it around your finger and massage your cat's gums on a daily basis. There are a number of mouthwashes containing zinc and vitamin C that are available that may help as well.

From a homeopathic perspective, this condition is a chronic condition and should be treated with the help of an experienced practitioner. If there is salivation and general irritability, Mercurius vivis 6C can be used on a daily basis until there are any changes, at which point I would stop the remedy.

Pulsatilla 6C daily can be used if there is a whiny, clingy nature to your cat when the mouth is sore. Other remedies that may be useful are Thuja or Carbo-veg in 6C potencies daily until there is any change.

For tooth pain and nerve sensitivity, Hypericum 6C can be used daily until there is a change, at which point you should stop the remedy. Overall though, I can't stress enough the importance of a fresh, raw diet, as dramatic changes can occur.