From:
shelterferrets@yahoo.com
Date: 2001-06-20 00:00:00 UTC
Subject: Re: herbs!
Lynn wrote:
>It could be a coincidence but I would rather treat
>these anomolies with herbs first and surgery second.
>The less invasive the better.
Lynn, I couldn't agree with you more! One vet told me I needed to
have a spleen removed because it was very hard and very, very large.
With my vet's approval, I started the ferret on a glandular spleen
extract. One month later, the vet was dumb-founded (and also a
convert to using selected natural remedies!).
Rebecca wrote:
> earlier in that day I was
> standing in her office, cradling my Rumpstien in
> my arms, bawling my head off while slobbering all
> over her exam table.
I am so sorry about Rumpstien. In situations where there is no other
hope, it is very, very true that "it couldn't hurt." I've used
the "kitchen sink" in this narrow situation too.
> There have always been
> various schools of thought on the homeopathic
> issue, as you know!
It's probably just semantics but I think that the use of herbs is
naturopathic not homeopathic. Homeopathic involves a small dose of a
substance that will help cure that which it causes in overdose (like
cures like). For instance, stinging nettle (Urtica urens) would be
used to treat 1st or 2nd degree burns.
I know of people who successfully use homeopathy but I've never felt
comfortable with the modality. I know that Rescue Remedy is a very
common homeopathic remedy and many people swear by it. I'm sure I'm
not the only person who will use herbs and other natural remedies
regularily but can't quite make the leap of faith to use homeopathy.
> Some more traditional docs
> rely on modern medicine to fix what ails and
> others rely on natural methods and some rely on
> both.
And each approach has its advocates and critics. My vet uses the
combination approach. For instance, he will prescribe antibiotics for
an upper respiratory problem (to prevent secondary infections) and
also suggest Sambucol (elderberry). I routinely use Co-Q10 (for heart
patients), slippery elm (for digestive problems), and aloe vera (for
internal/external healing) as well as a few others.
When you go to the vet and get prescriptions, the vet will
(hopefully) insure you don't have interactions with other meds. But
if someone is treating an animal at home with herbs while the vet is
prescribing Western type medicine, then there can be life-endangering
interactions. When I go to my doctor, there is a prominent sign "Tell
the doctor if you are taking any herbs, especially (and there is a
list)." The same should be true for our little companions.
> yesterday, was "if you want to offer Rumpstein
> some herbal remedies, why not buy only the ones
> that you feel he needs
Wonderful! This is the type of education that will hopefully result
in positive results!
> She told me
> that I could give him small doses (she would help
> me figure out the correct dose when I decided on
> the herbs) of Echinacea and others.
I wish all vets were this open and willing to work with their clients
on such remedies. You are very, very fortunate to have this vet!
The points I wanted to make in my post were to notify your vet when
you use "natural" remedies and to know the interaction between the
herbs you choose to use and also between herbs and drugs your kid may
already be using. Thanks for reading this posting!
-ShelterFerret Mom