Emerging Role of Homeopathy in Animal Husbandry: An Overview by veterinary doctors

B.A.College Of Agriculture
Anand Agricultural University, Anand
Post Graduate Seminar

TOPIC: Emerging Role of Homeopathy in Animal Husbandry: An Overview

Speaker : Poshak R. Patel
Major Adviser : Dr. B.B. Patel
Minor Adviser : Dr. P.R. Patel

Venue : PG Seminar Hall, BACA, Course No. : AHE-691

Homeopathy is distinctly singular phenomenon in the history of medicine. The term homeopathy comes from the Greek words homeo, meaning similar, and pathos, meaning suffering or disease (Vithoulkas, 1998). Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine that treats a disease with heavily diluted preparations created from substances that would ordinarily cause effects similar to the disease’s symptoms (Hahnemann, 1849). Hahnemann is known as a father of Homeopathy. Dr John Honigberger was the first person who brought homeopathy in India in 1829-30. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 1938 has approved the homeopathic remedies as a Drug in 1950. Christopher Day (1984) wrote a book on ‘Homoeopathic Treatment of Small Animals’ and he treated many animals with homeopathy.

The International Association for Veterinary Homeopathy (IAVH) was formed in 1986 in Luxembourg.  Department of AYUSH, Government of India and Veterinary Council of India has taken keen interest for development Homeopathy. Thus, Homeopathy is one of the important systems of medicine very useful in animal husbandry as certain advantages over allopathic like it has no side effects, no residue in milk or meat, relatively cheap and ecofriendly. It has certain disadvantages like there is lack of professional expertise to assist the farmer.

Today homeopathy occupies a unique place in the world of therapeutics in human as well as veterinary field. Brilliant cures affected by harmless remedies have drawn many veterinarians as well as farmers in fold. More and more Vetenarian’s are taking keen interest in Homeopathy therapy but due to lack of knowledge, guideline and availability of homeopathy medicines at grass root level act as a speed breaker for development of its in India.

Role of Homeopathy:
In global scenario we have to compete with other countries, so cost and quality animal production is a need of time. So homeopathy will help in better way as it gives “Saving to the producer and safety to consumers”. Homeopathic medicine is so small in dose that it produces its effect similar to Nanopharmacology. The major differences in the Homeopathy and Allopathic are: Homeopathy treats the individual as a whole; in which drug has relationship with disease; individual therapy for individual patient; application of single medicine at a time with minimum dose etc., while allopathic treats the disease, not the patient as a whole, no fixed relationship between drug and disease; specific medicine for specific disease; application of massive doses of different medicines and mixtures, etc. (Das., 2002). Looking to better prospects of homeopathy in veterinary and dairy husbandry one must come up with a good extension strategy for better adoption and diffusion of the advantages of this system for betterment of animals and farmers too. More and more awareness training, diploma courses to extend this knowledge to grass root level is the urgent need of time. There should be a continuous communication and interactions between homeopath and veterinary council of India to have to have a organized strategy to develop this science by means of extension education and knowledge up gradation of applied homeopathy in veterinary science.

Homeopathy has been successfully used in many states of India such as Gujarat,Maharastra,W.B,Delhi,Punjab,Haryana,Rajasthan,Karnataka,A.P.and Tamilnadu. In many countries like England, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, U.S.A., Netherlands have been successfully using homeopathy in veterinary practice for prevention as well of treatment of diseases. At Indian veterinary research institute Izzatnagar Varshney et al. (2004) has done research on Clinical management of babesiosis in dogs with homeopathic Crotalus horridus 200C and Evaluation of Homeopathic medicine in the clinical management of Udder disease of Riverine Buffaloes and got good results.

Why Homeopathy in Veterinary practice:

1. Dose of drug is very small, few globules or drops are easy for administration.
2. No addiction in animals as compare to human, thus it gives to (alcohol, tea, coffee etc,) so its gives extraordinary results.
3. This therapy never clash with other drugs hence can easily used with other system of medicines successfully.
4. It has no negative side effect on body but has a positive effect on body.
5. It is very much cost effective medicine.
6. No have any drug residue in animal product which fetch higher price of animal products in world market.
7. It can be very well used as preventive medicine and feed supplements (infectious diseases and metabolic disorders).
8. Many surgical conditions (warts, hematoma, fistula, sinuses, and chronic abscess) can be very well cured.

How it acts..?
 The exact mechanism of action of homeopathy remedies is still not understood As per Dr.Hahnemaan homeopathy may act dynamically to stimulate the body’s vital force through releasing some kind of energy, which stimulates body’s own defense mechanism to counteract the disease process. The basic principle of homeopathy is “Similia similibus curanter ”, means Let like be cure like.

 It does not suppress the symptom but it can permanently extinguish the disease process from the root, thus the permanent cure is possible. It is found that the homeopathy is complimentary to modern medicine in veterinary practice and their action is synergistic in nature. We should not think as war between modern medicines and homeopathy. Speaker has successfully treated many diseases in field practice.

Review of literature:

• Hahnemann, (1849) Stated that, It is a form of alternative medicine that treats a disease with heavily diluted preparations created from substances that would ordinarily cause effects similar to the disease’s symptoms.
• Vithoulkas, (1998) reported that,The term homeopathy comes from the Greek words homeo, meaning similar, and pathos, meaning suffering or disease.
• Sukul,(1990) reported that, Homeopathic drugs act through autonomous nervous system.

Limitations:

•  It requires skill, study, time and commitment.
•  Limited data and research on applied veterinary homeopathy.
•  High profile of awareness towards history, signs and symptoms.
• Animals and birds have short life span, hence limited observations and history.

Conclusion:
Homeopathy is an alternative therapeutic system based on the “Principle of Similars” and the use of “minimum” doses. In era of global warming and climate change this eco friendly and cost effective system of medicine is very beneficial to farmers. Its very effective in treatment and prevention of disease with no drug residues.

So friends, I have tried my level best to produce overview & concept of homeopathy in veterinary practice as per my applied knowledge and experience. Its demand of time for planning and systemic utilization of different extension tools and technology for better adoption and diffusion of this system to grass root level. Organization of short term training Programme and requires training to veterinarian, Para vets & farmers for proper utilization of benefit of system.

I request to all my veterinary and extension educationalist friends to come forward and develop a scientific structure or model to take the advantage of this system for betterment our profession, animals and farmers.

References:

• Christopher, D. (1894). The Homoeopathic Treatment of Small Animals:  Principles and Practice. Wigmore Publications Limited. London.
• Das, (2002). Difference between the Homeopathy and Allopathy. A Treatise on Organon of Medicine Part-I. pp: 110-117.
• Hahnemaan and Dudgeon, (1849). Aphorism-XXI.  Organon of Medicine. 5:121-122.
• http://www.alternativevet.org.
• http://www.homeopathic.com/hes/ebook.
• RamNaresh and Varshney, (2004). Evaluation of a homeopathic complex in the clinical management of udder diseases of riverine buffaloes. Homeopathy. 93: 17–20.
• Sukul (1990). Increase in serotonin and dopamine metabolites in mouse hypothalamus following oral administration of Agaricus muscarius 12. A homeopathic drug. Sci. Culture. 56: 134–137.
• Vithoulkas (1998). Homoeopathy: Past, Present and Future. British Journal Clin. Pharmacol. 45(6): 613.