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Homeopathic treatment of bovine diseases
by
Dr. V. N. Viswanatha Reddy

Background - Veterinary Homeo Therapeutics
Nowadays homoeopathy is being called as Alternate Medicine. Homoeopathic system of medicine was founded by Dr.Samuel Hahnemann, a German Physician (1755-1843). The basic principle is "LIKES CURES LIKES". A drug capable of producing a set of symptoms in a healthy individual cures when administered in microform to a sick individual having similar set of symptoms. 

Origin of a disease can be at conscious level sub conscious level and super conscious level. Example for this can be an injury at conscious level, development of hypertension in a healthy person who had been fed the information at conscious level can work during sleep in the mind and later he suffers from hypertension, research is considered to have developed at sub conscious level. While super conscious level the examples can be cancer, genetic conditions manifested as disease. An outbreak of a disease has an origin at super conscious level. Mind can be the culprit for the origin of a disease. In human beings patient should have a faith in the physician or surgeon and the drug and then the cure is more certain. Unlike in human beings the development of mind in animals is being poor the response is better but here the client should have a faith in the drug and the doctor. The line of treatment judged by the doctor, helps the animal to recover from the disease condition. Percentage of recovery is 50% from the doctor's effort, while 30 % is from the faith of client with the doctor and drug/s and 20 % is with animal origin

In all systems of medicine the action of drugs is at three different levels: 
1. At compound level (Group of atoms) - Para Amino Benzoic Acid - sulfa drug.
2. At atom level - in hypocalcaemia (milk fever) - calcium ion will work and
3. Drugs can act at subatomic 'energy level' such as electron, proton, neutron and deuteron. I have no specific example for this. (Dr. M.T.Mohan Rao, Professor, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012) 

In disease aura of the entire body or a particular part gets elevated or depressed. In homoeopathy the drug corrects the aura of the body either a depression or an elevation get corrected. Different drugs can correct the aura of a given tissue so people have claimed different drugs are useful for a particular given condition.

In homoeopathy Mother tinctures (Q is the letter used for the mother tinctures in homoeopathy prescriptions) and up to 12 potency they are used for diseases at compound level, while 30 and 200 potencies are used for conditions at atom level and one M and higher potencies are used in chronic conditions, cancerous conditions which are considered to be of super conscious in origin. Usually, mother tinctures and lower potencies are not repeated in a day. Higher potencies are repeated very frequently at 5, 15, 30 and 60 minutes interval. So selection of potency of the drug is the responsibility of the physician. Few do mix two potencies like 30 and 200 of same drug. Homeo drugs are obtained from vegetable, mineral and animal kingdoms. Nosodes are remedies derived from morbid tissues/secretions. Sarcodes are prepared from healthy animal tissues/secretions. Imponderabilia includes magnetic/sun force, electricity, X-ray, etc. 

In homoeopathy it is called as a holistic approach of treatment because including the mind 14 systems are evaluated to treat a patient and to search the cause of disease. Totality of symptoms is taken into account before arriving at a drug. It deals with the whole patient as one unit and not by part. It aids the nature in the body and vitalizes itself and thus repairs the system. The cure is GENTLE, QUICK and PERMANENT. The order of cure is last comes first go, center to circumference and upward to downward. It believes in SINGLE DRUG, MINIMUM DOSE and INFREQUENT REPETITION. 

In homoeopathy these drugs are preferably not used on Full moon day, New moon day and two days on either side of it. Moon has an effect to cause gravitational force on water and results in high tide on full moon day and low tide on new moon day and our body contains more than 75% water and moon has an effect on the mental status. If used, some drugs do cause aggravation of symptoms.

In homoeopathy in principle one has to use one drug at a time and the result of it can make the disappearance of the latest symptom in the individual and the earlier symptom of it, will be surfaced and for that symptom when it is treated the earlier symptom of that is going to appear. So it takes time to cure chronic conditions. This is so with constitutional drugs.

In many instances low dilutions are used for rapid, superficial and short duration of action while high dilutions act slowly, deeply in a prolonged matter.

Tough it is in principle one should use one drug at a time today in the market we see combination of drugs being used for one condition some are good and some have failed, the Homeo drug manufacturers quote one reason for such combination is pollution of air, water and food by pesticides etc. Minimum dose is sufficient and the dose (Quantity in the form of pills or liquid/dilution) decided varies with each prescribe It is observed if the condition is severe or acute, people use higher dosage even in homoeopathy like Allopathic drugs.

It is experienced when the result is seen with few drugs we should not repeat and such repetition can adversely affect. (Example: use of Rhus tox, Arnica, Bellis P and Hypericum in Caesarean operation).

Homoeopathy is the cheapest one in the present day world. It has no to least side effects and can be used safely used by a layperson as a first aid for 2 to 3 days. Certain combinations are hazardous. Belladonna and Dulcamara etc.

What we must not do in homoeopathy (Refer: Fortier Bernoville, B.Jain Publishers)
Mistakes done in homoeopathy are due to: 1). Drug source, 2). The dose, 3). Repetition of dose, 4). Time of the application of the dose and 5). Some particular case needs particular remedy only. Example, Sulphur for skin infection should not be given in low dilution. Nuxvomica is an appetizer should not be repeated for three weeks. 

Many people are of the opinion that the homoeopathy drugs do not have any side effects, but, experience has shown use of Calcaria sulph 6 and Hepar sulph 6 together are repeated within a day 2 - 3 times for few days can cause ripening of an abscess, while same drugs of higher potencies can cause absorption of pus into the system causing pyemia. Nuxvomica a homeopathy drug as a single dose is considered to relieve the side effects of toxicity of several allopathic drugs and some homoeopathy drugs. The reader is sincerely requested to go through the basic action of a drug in the repertory like, Borieck. One can come across in the Repertory of homoeopathy materia, medica, the inimicals and drugs that follow well for a drug and antidotes; this should be made use of before mixing different drugs. In homoeopathy in principle one has to use one drug at a time and the result of it can make the disappearance of the latest symptom in the individual and the earlier symptom of it, will be surfaced and for that symptom when it is treated the earlier symptom of that is going to appear. So it takes time to cure chronic conditions.

Some drugs like Dulcamara (used to let down milk) will work very well in the cold, rainy season, for same condition this drug does not work in summer. Sepia is a better drug to let down milk. Similarly, the complexion of the individual, body condition of the patient in homoeopathy has to be considered to select a drug.

You will come across several books as well for same clinical case the drugs suggested have varied between persons and that puts a beginner into confusion. A maiden attempt is made here for few conditions, which occur more common and with the drugs suggested more cases have responded. A sincere request is made among the Veterinarians to record the symptoms and the drugs used (Allopathy, Ayurvedic, Homoeo etc individual or combination of systems of drugs) and to record the outcome, which helps for future use.

Homoeopathy injections were used and their injudicious use by half knowledge people caused for their withdrawal by the manufacturers. I have listed few drugs and their combinations for certain specific situations. You can find few of them in the chapter, Holistic Veterinary Medicine by Late Dr. B.L. Pradeep in the book "Diagnosis and treatment of reproductive disorders in dairy cows" which has been published for the field veterinarians by me through M/S Vijaya Scientific Publications.

For Nasal Granuloma (Nasal schistosomiasis) experimentally 2ml Q. Somaraja, 2ml Antimony tart 30, 2ml Sabadilla 30, and 2ml Q.Nigeria sativa (Krishna jeerigae) and 22 ml of distilled water are mixed 3 ml of it in 10ml water injected subcutaneous daily, 3 to 5 injections. In very severe cases more injections are needed. Good number of pregnant animals has been treated but has not caused abortion. (The effect is now being studied on GI tract parasitic load.) The success rate is 88 to 100 per cent in milk-shed area by Bangalore Milk Union Veterinarians. Credit goes to Dr. D. Balakrishna Rao, Asst. Director of AH, Punganur, Chittor District, AP State, for suggesting the combination. Orally the success rate was poor. 

As an anti-inflammatory drug about 60ml of inner clear colorless sap from two leaves of Aloes vera (In Kannada Lolesara/Lokisara/ Ollae Kattaali), 25 gm. of slaked lime (Sunna used in panbeeda), 10-15ml of lemon juice and 5gm of turmeric powder are mixed and pasted to the mastitic part of the udder. 

Or a plant called Ekanayakanagida in Kannada, Naramamidi in Telugu (Litsea glutinosa) a rare plant bark or stem or Somavarada beru (this plant bark or stem) are taken as a paste in lemon juice with the help of a grinding stone mixed with turmeric powder and applied to the affected quarter/s in mastitis and has given wonderful anti-inflammatory results. Dr. Balakrishna Rao has potentized this plant material homeopathically and used as a paste to the affected quarter in active phase of mastitis and has given good results, when used along with allopathic drugs. Either paste application or potentized Homeo drug of this plant bark could reduce the duration of treatment, degree of inflammation when compared to the use of allopathic drugs alone. The Botany department, University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), GKVK, Bangalore 560065, sells Somavarada beru sapling.

In the following Tables I and II, the quantities of drugs are given in milliliters (in homoeopathy the liquid form of drug is called as a dilution). The asterisk (*) mark indicates it is a must for the combination. Every 10 ml of dilution can be charged (added) to 100 gms of 20 size sugar globules (pills) and screw capped glass bottles are used (for storage of Homeo drugs plastic bottles are contra indicated by few practitioners) and contents are mixed by moving the bottle in numerical number 8 shape and should be tightly corked. Homoeo drugs have a shelf life of 5 years. For teat canal fibrosis use Aurum muriaticum natronatum & Thiosinum (each 10 pills TID x 7 days). 

I dispense the drugs, preferably facing north and chanting "Om Hari hi, Om Sri Guruve namaha, Om Sri Dhanvantaraye namaha and Sri Krishnarpana mastu". Om sarvae jano sukhino bhavanthu san mangalani bhavanthu.

For the present colour plastic covers are being used to dispense the Homeo drugs and hence against few combination colour has been mentioned. You can mix turmeric powder to get yellow colour (I use for anoestrous condition in heifers), for metritis cases Kunkum (made from starch) is mixed to give red colour to the pills.

1. Anoestrous in heifers / dry cows: (AP): Yellow colour: 20-30 pills BID/TID 3 days in a week for 4 to6 weeks + Deworm + mineral mixture 45 g/day in feed. Can be given even after AI. In 4 months they become pregnant. In a trial 0.33 ml of this combination in 3 ml of distilled water was given as a single s/c injection and the animals which came into heat within 10 days could become pregnant in that induced heat. In heifers with under developed genitalia inject Duroprogen / Proluton Depot 250mg i/m and skip first induced heat. This allopathic treatment is done 1 to 3 months after deworming, feeding extra concentrates and giving Homeo treatment. (Reason for under developed genitalia is not feeding colostrum within 15 minutes after birth of the calf). 

2. Anoestrous in milking cows: (AIM/MP): Green colour: 20-30 pills BID/TID 3 days in a week for 4-6 weeks + Deworm + mineral mixture 60 g/day in feed. Give extra feed and give it in 3 divided parts for 60-90 days. Use these pills even after AI and record whether the pregnancy gets interfered (Aurum Iodum helps follicle growth, that secretes 17Betaoetradiol which is needed to stretch uterus to accommodate the foetus and fluids).

3. Metritis: (MEPT): Red colour: 40 - 50 pills tid for 5 days in the first week and thereafter 3-4 days per week for 4 to 6 weeks. Deworm. Mineral mixture 60 -90 g/day, 60 - 90 days. Germinated gram, grind, boil with salt/jaggary ½ to ¾th kg per day 30 to 45 days or feed 150mg sodium selenite & 2 x 400mg Evion caps 3-5days. Livamisole s/c 2 injections weekly once. If CL has not formed inject Folligon / Trophovet to induce heat and GnRH be used on the day of heat but no AI, or inject GnRH and after ovulation when the CL is 12-14 days old use PGF2alpha 2 to 3 times at 14 days interval. PG can be used at ¼ to ½ the recommended dose in 10ml of distilled water by depositing into the fornix region of vagina. We have used Vetmate/Juramate (0.2 to 0.5ml) and Ilerin (0.75 to 1.75 ml). In the first heat i/u terramycin liquid or similar drug can be used for 3 successive days. One or two cycles rest is best advise.

Note: Please see vulval lips are thoroughly cleaned, wiped dry, the A.I. gun is sterilized with 70% alcohol / Tr.iodine / Wokadine / Betadine for one minute before inserted into the sleeve for all intra uterine treatments. 


4. Fibrosis of teats: Aurum Muriaticum Natro Natum30, 10pills TID 7-10 days + Thiosinamum6, 10pills TID 7-10 days. If the animal shows any straining in 15 minutes time after administration discontinue the use of drugs.

5. Warts on teats or on the body surface: Calcaria carb30, 5 to 10 drops BID or TID 7 to 20 days. Prick with a needle on 3 to 4 warts and apply the sap of the plant (Croton tigilium). By detaching the leaves sap will ooze out. Repeat the process daily for 3-4 days.

6. To improve haemoglobin levels: To 250 grammes of 20 size sugar pills add 15ml of Ferrum Phos6, 5ml of Ferrum Met 6, 5ml of Selenium30, 5ml of Echinacae30, and after pills are soaked add repeatedly small quantities of Lecithin 3x and mix till all pills gets a coating of Lecithin 3x. Feed the pills 4 times a day, 4 days per week (continuously or on alternate days) for 4 weeks. Dose is ¼ tea- spoon for calves, ½ teaspoon for heifers and 1 teaspoonful for adults. In human beings 30-45mg six times a day for 15 days to 30 days will improve the Hb. levels. To that adding Ferrum Phos6 (4-6 pills), and Ferrum met6 (4-6 pills) TID for 3days and 4-6 weeks will improve the Hb levels.

7. To increase milk Yield: To 250 grammes of 20 size sugar pills add 15ml of Q. Recinus communis, 5ml of Alfalfa 6, 5ml of Calcaria Carb 30, 5ml of Calcaria Phos 30, and after pills are soaked add repeatedly small quantities of Lecithin 3x and mix till all pills get a coating of Lecithin 3x. Feed the pills 4 times a day, 4 days per week (continuously or on alternate days) for 4 weeks. Dose is 2-3 teaspoon full for cows/buffaloes. (We have noticed an increase of ½ to 3 liters of milk per day).

8. For Liverfluke infestation: Calcaria Carb30, Natrum sulph 200, Podophyllum 30 mix equal quantities BID For 3 days. (not indicated in pregnancy).

9. If a pregnant animal has not made udder at full term: Sarsaparilla 30, 20-30 pills TID for 10days before calving + 7days after calving. This drug is indicated in women with inverted nipples where she feels difficulty to feed the baby. Human dose 8-10 pills TID. (Communicated by Dr.Shivakumar ADAH, Hiriyur).

10. Subclinical mastitis: When the milk is tested with a pH paper and when the milk is alkaline or small quantity of milk is boiled in a glass (preferably kept in a vessel where rice/dhall is being cooked, milk should swell twice) and decanted. If the sides of glass has the sediments attached it is a subclinical mastitis case. Here Pulsatilla 30/200, 20 pills TID for 3 or 4 days indicated, meanwhile the milk sample antibiotic sensitivity report shall be available and treat accordingly. You can give two teaspoonful (10-12g) of sodium citrate orally once a day, which reduces alkalinity of milk. 

....To be continued in the next update due June 2004

References

1. The Treatment of cattle by Homoeopathy by G.Macleod.

2. New Manual of homoeopathic Materia Medica with Repertory by William Boericke.

3. Text Book of Meteria and Medica by Dr.S.K.Dubey.

4. Biochemic Pocket Guide (Physicians Quick Referece of Dr.Schussler), B.Jain Publishers Pvt Ltd., New Delhi110055 (12 Tissue Remidies).

5. Therapeutics of Veterinary Homoeopathy by Dr.B.P.Madrewar.

6. Homoeopathy in Veterinary Practice by K.J.Biddis.

7. The Homoeopathic treatment of beef and Dairy cattle by Christopher Day.

8. What we must not do in Homoeopathy by Fortier Bernoville.

Authors Corresponding address: 

Dr.V.N.Viswanatha Reddy 
Former Professor of Animal Reproduction, Gynecology & Obstetrics
Veterinary College, Hebbal, Bangalore - 560 024, India.

Residence Address
No.42, Garden estate, Opposite Vidya Prakash School,
Galaxy Enclave, Jakkur plantation, Yelahanka, Bangalore 560 064. India. 
Phone 0091-80-56981189, E-mail: vnvreddy2004@yahoo.co.in  

The views expressed in this article are of the author(s), and any clarifications can be obtained from the author(s).