Homeopathic prescribing for chronic conditions in feline and canine veterinary practice.
BACKGROUND
The peer-review literature contains no controlled clinical research of homeopathy in cats and very little in dogs.


OBJECTIVE
To collect clinical outcomes data systematically from individualised homeopathic treatment of cats and dogs that would help to inform controlled research in feline and canine homeopathy.


METHODS
Twenty-one homeopathic veterinary surgeons recorded data systematically from consecutive feline and canine patients over a 12-month period. Records included: date; patient and owner identity (anonymised); medical problem treated; whether new or follow-up (FU) appointment; chronic or acute condition; owner-assessed clinical outcome (7-point scale, range -3 to +3) compared with first appointment.


RESULTS
Data from 400 cats comprised a total of 372 individual chronic problems, of which 270 had FU assessment. Data from 1504 dogs comprised a total of 1408 individual chronic problems, of which 1070 had FU assessment. In both species, 22% of FUs in chronic cases received conventional medicines concurrently. In cats, 117 different chronic medical conditions in total were treated with homeopathy. Five of those conditions included ≥20 cases, in which owner-reported outcomes (in decreasing rank order of frequency) were: dermatitis (69.6% patients with +2 or +3 outcome, 0% patients with -2 or -3 outcome); renal failure (57.1%, 14.3%); overgrooming (57.1%, 7.2%); arthritis (80.0%, 0%); hyperthyroidism (66.7%, 0%). In dogs, of 301 different chronic medical conditions treated in total, those most commonly recorded (≥20 cases) were: dermatitis (66.2% with +2 or +3 outcome, 5.4% with -2 or -3 outcome); arthritis (80.2%, 0.8%); pyoderma (75.8%, 0%); colitis (85.2%, 0%); fear (31.6%, 0%); epilepsy (63.6%, 4.5%); otitis externa (72.7%, 0%); diarrhoea (68.2%, 0%); urinary incontinence (73.7%, 0%); aggression (57.1%, 0%); spondylosis (81.0%, 0%); lymphoma (40.0%, 6.7%).


CONCLUSIONS
A programme of controlled research in veterinary homeopathy for these feline and canine conditions is clearly indicated.
Mathie
Robert T
RT
British Homeopathic Association, Luton, UK. rmathie@britishhomeopathic.org
Baitson
Elizabeth S
ES
Hansen
Lise
L
Elliott
Mark F
MF
Hoare
John
J
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006705:Homeopathy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012107:Research Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*