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Homeopathy, along with other alternative treatments, is specifically mentioned in organic legislation (Defra, 2006) as a preferred form of treatment. The standards state:
Phytotherapeutic (e.g. plant extracts (excluding antibiotics), essences, etc.), homoeopathic products (e.g. plant, animal or mineral substances) and trace elements and products listed in Part C, section 3 of Annex II, shall be used in preference to chemically-synthesised allopathic veterinary medicinal products or antibiotics, provided that their therapeutic effect is effective for the species of animal, and the condition for which the treatment is intended.
What is veterinary homoeopathy?
This form of therapy is based on the theory of treating “like with like”. Homeopathic remedies are highly diluted natural substances that if given in stronger doses would allegedly produce the symptoms the medicine is prescribed for (Definition from The Society of Homeopaths website at www.homeopathy-soh.org).
Homeopathic therapy was developed by the German physician and pharmacist Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) with its first use in veterinary medicine published in 1815 (Striezel, 2001). The method used for determining which remedies are suitable for specific diseases is called "proving" (derived from the German word Prüfung meaning test) . A homeopathic proving is the method by which the profile of a homeopathic remedy is determined. Homeopathic materia medica is a compilation of reports of many homeopathic provings, such as those provided at http://www.hpathy.com/materiamedica/index.asp.
Baars et al (2003) describe three different approaches to homeopathy: classic homeopathy, clinical homeopathy and isopathy.
1. Classic homeopaths apply homeopathy in its most original form whereby, with the aid of ‘constitutional remedies’ the practitioner aims to improve the overall condition and resistance of the patient. In this form of homoeopathy the whole person as an entity is central.
2. Clinical homoeopathy takes a more symptom-oriented approach. The practitioner looks for a remedy which corresponds more with the symptoms of the illness than with the general symptoms of the patient. It is not the whole patient but the illness which is central.
3. Isopathy involves giving back to the patient, possibly in potentised form, the products of the illness itself or of the patient rather than a like substance.
Use of homeopathy in organic farming
Roderick and Hovi (1999) describe the widespread use by organic farmers in the UK of homoeopathy as a veterinary treatment. In a comparison of mastitis therapy in organic and non-organic farms, Hovi and Roderick (2000) show virtually all treatments involved antibiotics in ‘conventional’ herds whereas in organic herds 51% of treatments were with homoeopathy compared with 41% antibiotic treatments. The duration of treatment was significantly longer than antibiotic treatments.
Numerous trials have investigated the effect of homeopathy for human and veterinary use. However, almost all of the trials have been criticised for poor scientific quality, or for neglecting to carry out treatments in accordance with homeopathic philosophy. In order to explore reasons for these criticisms, issues such as differences in terminology between biomedicine and homeopathy, values in health and disease, and the importance of the treatment situation in relation to treatment with homeopathy need to be addressed (Fossing, 2005).
Walkenhorst et al. (2001) demonstrated that the use of combined homeopathic remedy as a therapy for subclinical mastitis was not successful, concluding that mastitis is probably not a good candidate for homeopathic therapy in part because the defence mechanisms of the udder are not very efficient, especially when milk yields are high. Cure rates with antibiotic and homeopathic therapy were comparable in cases of clinical mastitis. Werner and Sundrum (2006) and Werner et al., (2007) showed a therapeutic effect of homeopathic treatment in case of mild or moderate clinical mastitis, but the proof of effectiveness was closely related to the inclusion criteria and to the comprehensive procedure of diagnosis.
A number of studies and descriptive papers on the use of homoeopathy in organic farming are contained within the proceedings of the fifth NAHWOA (Network for Animal Health and Welfare in Organic Agriculture) workshop (Hovi and Vaarst, 2001).
It has been estimated that 70% of organic dairy farms have, or are currently using, homeopathic nosodes to control mastitis (The University of Bristol, 2005). Nosodes are considered to be a very specific form of homeopathy - isopathy (see above). Unlike specific remedies, homeopathic nosodes do not account for the individual needs of each animal, but create the potential for protective treatment for a herd or group. Nosodes are generally applied in drinking water, and may be used on individual animals, usually by vulval spray.
Defra-funded project OF0186 “The use of homeopathic nosodes in the prevention of mastitis within organic dairy herds” explored the use of a specific mode of homeopathic treatment, a nosode supplied in drinking water, in the prevention of mastitis and found no effect of nosode in reducing either the incidence of cases of mastitis or milk somatic cell count (The University of Bristol, 2005). The same study showed that 85% of surveyed farmers responded that they did “believe in non-conventional remedies”, and 62% responded that they used non-conventional remedies on their own family.
The Louis Bolk Institute has produced an extensive report of a desk study on homoeopathy in organic livestock farming, covering the principles, obstacles and recommendations for practice and research (Baars et al., 2003 available at www.louisbolk.nl/downloads/homeopathy.pdf).
Best practice when using homoeopathy
The following advice to farmers wishing to use homoeopathy is offered by Hovi (2001):
keep on listening to the advice of their own veterinarian, even when he has no expertise in homeopathy;
get training in homeopathy use, preferably from an “independent” body, such as a producer co-operative or homeopathic veterinarian; and
check that the advice given by the pharmacy that sells the homeopathic remedies is correct and takes into account welfare and health and safety regulations.
The following advice to veterinarians whose clients are contemplating using homoeopathy is offered by Hovi (2001):
preferably get some basic, formal training in homeopathy;
do not “shy away” from advising the farmer on matters such as welfare, health and safety and control of zoonotic diseases; and
encourage the client to get in contact with a homeopathic vet who could advise the farmer alongside a the local veterinarian, thus solving the problem of responsibility on decision-making.
With regard to the homeopathic treatment of mastitis, the therapy system should be transparent, simple and easy to use. However, it is necessary to reflect every single mastitis case as a special one (Klocke et al., 2004).
The British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons (BAHVS) has a website www.bahvs.com which includes information on The History of Homeopathy and Veterinary Homeopathy. The National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine also has a website which provides a Question and Answer page on homeopathy http://nccam.nih.gov/health/homeopathy/). A “What is homeopathy” page is also included within the British Homeopathic Association and Faculty of Homeopathy website http://www.trusthomeopathy.org/. See also the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy (www.theavh.org). The principles of veterinary homeopathy, with particular reference to organic farming, are also described and discussed by Striezel (2001). A book chapter by Vaarst et al., (2004) discusses homeopathy in the context of approaches to the treatment of diseased animals.
The Homeopathy at Wellie Level (HAWL) is an organisation dedicated to teaching homeopathy to farmers (at www.hawl.co.uk/).