Homeopathic care of cats dogs: small doses for small animals - Book Review - Review

Alternative Medicine Review, Sept, 2001 by Kathleen Head

Homeopathic Care of Cats Dogs: Small Doses for Small Animals

Don Hamilton, DVM

North Atlantic Books PO Box 12327, Berkeley, CA 94712 ISBN 1-55643-295-X 482 pgs; soft-cover; $25.00 USA/$38.95 Canada

In Homeopathic Care of Cats and Dogs, Don Hamilton, DVM, provides as comprehensive a book on homeopathy for companion animals as I've seen. Having practiced homeopathy on my human patients for twenty years and dabbled with it for my six cats as well, I was delighted to find two of my loves, cats and homeopathy, so expertly addressed in this book.

Particularly for those not well versed in homeopathic philosophy and history, the author provides an interesting and in-depth discussion of homeopathic principles in part one of the book. He also expertly describes the difference between a cure, partial cure, palliation, and suppression of symptoms.

Hamilton begins the practical portion of the book by explaining how to take a case and what to look for in choosing a remedy for a particular situation. Much of the remainder of the book is divided by system (digestive, nervous, etc.) and within each system, alphabetically by condition. Conditions that don't fall neatly within one body system are covered in a separate therapeutic section. And finally, he has included sections on vaccinations and a material medica.

In addition to a homeopathic differential for many conditions, the author also includes a wealth of other information including dietary, nutritional supplement, botanical, and conventional interventions. A discussion of the condition, how it manifests, whether it is more common in cats or dogs, etc., precedes the therapeutic considerations. In addition, the author carefully outlines when to seek guidance from a veterinarian. Even in those instances, however, he provides much helpful information for the reader. For example, because I have a cat with hyperthyroidism who has had some benefit from homeopathic treatment, I turned to that section. While it is a condition that requires the care of a veterinarian so no homeopathic remedies are suggested, I really appreciated the author's description of various conventional approaches and which ones he deemed the least invasive.

Covering over 100 conditions and homeopathic remedies each, it is the most complete book on homeopathic treatment of cats and dogs that I've seen. As both a homeopath and a pet owner, I find it invaluable and a must for every serious integrative veterinary practitioner as well as a valuable tool for all pet owners wishing to improve the health of their four-legged companions.