Four cases from a Belgian veterinary practice

Four cases from a Belgian veterinary practice

Case 1: Zoe

My first patient is a female pug called Zoe, brought into the practice because of an acute problem. Her owners keep many dogs and are regular clients of mine.

In March Zoe had been presented for bloody diarrhoea. The bitch was also vomiting; the vomit was mostly foamy, sometimes white. Zoe’s body temperature was 36.6°C, normal being 38.5–39°C. She was thirsty but vomited immediately after drinking.

I recorded the following symptoms: bloody stool; stomach — vomiting, foamy, vomiting white; stomach — thirst for large quantities and vomiting immediately after drinking/feeding.

I gave Zoe Arsenicum album C200, dissolved in water and administered with a syringe. I asked her owners to repeat the treatment at home immediately, then after one hour and again the next morning.

I also asked them to give me feedback by phone because I considered the situation serious and wanted to be kept up to date.

The next day Zoe was well. Her temperature had normalised and the diarrhoea and vomiting had stopped.

Case 2: Nelle

The following case dates from 2007 and concerns a female Great Dane called Nelle. I had seen her once before, in 2006.

When Nelle arrived with her owner I wrote the note “The woman is angry” in my records. I only do that when the information is very important.

The woman was angry because her dog smelled bad and she reproached me for this fact: “I’ve already told you.” In other words: “You did nothing about it!”

I checked my records but could find no note about this problem. I examined the bitch: she weighed 52 kg and was in season.

I asked the owner for more information and she reported: “This dog is very clingy and always at my side. She often whines and is very possessive. When she is alone she barks. She goes after cats and would like to kill them. She thinks very highly of herself. She must always be the centre of the family. She behaves dominantly towards other dogs.” The owner did not know why this was so. Personally I felt the dog needed training.

I asked further about behaviours because the symptoms seemed attributable to lack of training. The woman related: “My bitch is a ‘general’, issuing orders.” “Oh,” I thought. “Now it gets interesting.”

The bitch had a good appetite and ate well. The family had two dogs and Nelle respected the second dog. For example, she only ate once the other dog had finished his meal; she never took his food away. On walks Nelle comes immediately when called. The owner recalls: “Once we had to look after a sick calf. Nelle was so jealous she became ill.”

I recorded the following symptoms: sweat, foul-smelling; anger provoked by contradiction; desire for company; jealousy. To better differentiate remedies, add: fear of losing social standing. The remaining remedies were: Lyc., Sepia; Ignatia and Veratrum album.

The famous physician Masi Elisalde wrote about Veratrum album: “This person wishes to be on the right-hand side of the father figure.” That was the situation of our bitch, who always wanted to be at her owner’s side. A general issuing orders to everyone, but who becomes ill when the owner has to attend to a sick calf.

Prescription: Veratrum album C200 dispensed in a medicine bottle, then 10 ml daily for three days, followed by C35 once daily for one month. I heard nothing from the patient for three months.

Then Nelle’s owner brought another animal into my practice but did not mention Nelle at all. I asked and was told that everything was in the best order, no problems with Nelle…

Lathout wrote about the remedy: “Of anxious nature, timid, tends very much to startle. Restless, stressed, anxious, moaning, crying, melancholy with stupor. Can sit for very long, indifferent to everything.”

Emotional symptoms with great violence: agitation, cries out loudly. Delusion, with the desire to cut and tear clothes, with indecent words.

This symptom from Lathout’s work made me think of the bitch and of the way her behaviour had been described by the owner.

Case 3: Caroline

This case is much easier … especially regarding weight. It concerns Caroline, an 18-month-old guinea pig.

One evening in 2004 Caroline’s owner came to my practice in great urgency. She had come home from work and Caroline appeared paralysed. She could drink but refused to eat and could no longer walk; she was dragging both hind legs. Her owner was extremely worried and I could understand her state.

I examined Caroline and was surprised by the sudden paralysis; she seemed not to be in pain. I examined her thoroughly but could find nothing.

Her eyes, however, were striking because they were protruding. I asked the owner if she also found that strange and she said: “Yes, that is very strange. Her eyes have suddenly changed.”

I recorded the following symptoms: extremities — paralysis of the lower limbs, painless; stomach — lack of appetite with thirst; eyes — protruding, exophthalmos.

Prescription: Phosphorus C30

I asked the woman to call me the next day because Caroline could not be left in that state. We still needed to take X-rays.

The next day Caroline’s owner called to tell me that her guinea pig had recovered.

Case 4: Apollon

This case concerns Apollon, a male crossbreed between a Pit Bull and a Labrador. He was brought into my practice one evening in 2008.

The owner reported that Apollon had been eating normally the day before, but today was vomiting constantly and a lot. He drank a lot and had to urinate frequently.

He slept all the time and showed no interest, which was unusual for him. His owner said: “One thing is really striking. When he moves, it is only in slow motion. He doesn’t usually do that.”

His temperature was 41°C. Otherwise there was nothing remarkable.

I recorded two important symptoms: stomach — thirst for large quantities during fever. Fever — movement, wishes to remain still at every stage.

Prescription: Bryonia alba. I advised the owner to bring Apollon back the next day for further examinations.

The next day the owner did not come to the practice with his dog but phoned to say that Apollon was feeling better. Within two days he had fully recovered.

 *******************************************************

Photos:

Wikimedia Commons
Close-up of a Pug's face; Jina Lee; CC BY-SA 3.0
Great Dane isabelle; YourNetBuddy; CC BY-SA 3.0
Orange and white juvenile guinea pig; Gourami Watcher; CC BY-SA 3.0

Category: Cases

Keywords: bloody diarrhoea, foul-smelling sweat, jealousy, painless paralysis, exophthalmos, vomiting with extreme thirst.

Remedies: Arsenicum album, Bryonia alba, Phosphorus, Veratrum album.

Original article: Interhomeopathy.org