Vets: Ban The Use Of Homeopathy In Animals

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-36734179

This passed without comment here on AB last week, which is odd as we are mostly animal lovers on here !

As a ridiculer of homeopathy, it seems odd that any real Vet would use it, and have the cheek for charging to use a medicine, where there isn't a single molecule of anything, other than water !

[sandyRoe]

You'd not think the placebo effect would work for animals. And if homeopathy has any effect that's probably what causes it.

[mikey4444]

Sandy....you are right.

I have always had my doubts about the much-vaunted placebo effect, but if there is such a thing, it can't possibly work on animals.

And as homeopathic remedies are nothing but distilled water, there can't be anything in the "medicines" that work either !

[woofgang]

Well nothing has actually happened. A petition has been presented and BSAVA has said no. Bit of a non story.

[bodeker]

I have attended a Homeopathy hospital myself and I received help from them which I was unable to get from own doctor after 20 odd years of trying, so I am a believer. I don't know that it would help animals because you have to be able to describe your symptoms in minute detail.

[EDDIE51]

I was looking at this yesterday, for some reason Homeopathy is often successful for horses. I have no idea why though.

[Old_Geezer]

It should be applauded. The fewer animal patients that are treated the more efficacious the treatment becomes.

[mikey4444]

I am not sure how or why the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons allow this quackery to be performed in the first place ?

[EDDIE51]

Treating animals is not like treating humans Mikey. Anyone and his brother can treat animals, there is no legal requirement for any training. So you do not need the approval of the RCVM.

[EDDIE51]

Note your own link mikey '500 farmers'' are trained to use Homeopathy to treat animals!! The 'tradition' of farmers providing their own treatment for their animals is long standing. As Homeopathic remedies are just plain water there is nothing to stop anyone prescribing them, you don't need to have a pharmacy degree to sell a bottle of water with a fancy label on it!

[EDDIE51]

The rules on who can treat animals are more complex than I thought
But it looks like you can do it as long as you don't claim to be a 'Vet'.
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/code-of-professional-conduct-for-veterinary-surgeons/supporting-guidance/treatment-of-animals-by-unqualified-persons/

[mikey4444]

It all comes down to people believing that distilled water can cure anything, despite there being no evidence it can.

A fool and his money, and all that.

[vetuste_ennemi]

We gave a lot of money of money to The National Fox Welfare Society for their treatment for sarcoptic mange. Then we found out the treatment was homeopathic and stopped doing it. This from their FAQ:

"Why do you send out an homeopathic Free Treatment for mange in foxes when there is conventional treatment available? We send out the homeopathic treatment because it’s safe and effective. We have been sending out this treatment for over 20 years with brilliant results. We are not homeopaths and we do use conventional medicine when we have hands on with a fox. The conventional mange treatment Ivomectin, can be very dangerous for many reasons. The first being that if a dog with any collie line in it, was to take food meant for the fox that was laced with Ivomectin it could kill the dog. Since the life cycle of the mite is three weeks, Ivomectin is best given once a week for three weeks. If you were to miss a dose, it wouldn’t be effective. Also to try to target just one fox, when you are likely to have more than one visiting is very hit and miss. We have also found that for a fox with advanced mange, this could prove to be the kill rather than the cure. When one thinks how many mites are living and breeding on the host and one injection kills them all, the toxins from all these dead mites can overload an already overstretched immune system. We feel that a fox with advanced mange should be brought in a stabilised with re-hydration fluids and antibiotics before conventional mange treatment starts. Many think of homeopathic treatments as the placebo effect, but since foxes are not aware they are being treated with alternative medicine, the placebo effect can’t work. We send it our free of charge, why would we, if we didn’t think it was effective?".

Anybody else dealt with NFWS?

[Old_Geezer]

Never heard of them.

It'd be more humorous had the called themselves the National Society for Fox Welfare.

[vetuste_ennemi]

À propos of something quite different, Mikey - the Alagna performance I was referring to was (what turned out to be a very tacky soft-porn) production of Carmen in Barcelona (Sky Arts?) with the great man as José and Béatrice Uria-Monzon (new to me!) as Carmen. We didn't like her much. But We're pretty much dilettantes. Do you know her? The final act of the production is on YouTube.

[mikey4444]

vetuste_ennemi...thanks for that !...Béatrice Uria-Monzon has yet to appear on my radar, but she appears to be the one to watch !

[mikey4444]

By the way...new thread over in music, just for you !

[Cloverjo]

I agree with the Times journalist, Melanie Reid. She has a dog who's been with her throughout her traumatic paralysis. Her dog is now very ill. She doesn't want her dog to suffer any more. She thinks it's best to let the dog go under anaesthetic if that is necessary.
Of course, we don't want to see our beloved pets go, but they can't understand homeopathy, chemo etc.

[mikey4444]

Jo...having been in that awful situation many times, making a one-way visit to the Vets, I have every sympathy with anyone else. Perhaps that is the selling point of homeopathy...?