Use of complementary and alternative veterinary medicine (CAVM) is increasing globally - a 2022 survey finding 85% of German vets implement CAVM in their practice, homeopathy the most common.1
Homeopathy has small but significant use by veterinary surgeons,2 and is an accepted practice by veterinary regulatory bodies worldwide including the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in the UK.3
In farm animal medicine, homeopathy is favoured by organic farmers who rightly perceive the downsides of conventional drugs4 due to their disadvantages which include ineffectiveness, toxicity, transference into meat and milk, and contribution to antimicrobial and anthelmintic resistance.5
Twenty five years’ ago Homeopathy was reported to be the main alternative to antibiotics on UK organic farms, accounting for 50% of mastitis treatments.6
Marked improvements in fertility, sperm counts, and improved viable semen production with homeopathy has been documented in both rams7, and bulls.8
A 2021 study9 showed transporting pigs by road leads to increased harmful intestinal bacteria counts, and serum cortisol concentrations, while decreasing serum superoxide dismutase concentrations. The researchers supplemented the diets of ninety growing pigs in one of two randomized groups with a proprietary feed blend, (Convermax), which was found (after 35 days) to alleviate the stress response, improve apparent nitrogen digestibility, and increase gain to feed ratio. Convermax by Cargill Inc. (Rotterdam, Nederland)- is a mixture containing eleven homeopathic medicines in potencies ranging from 12C-200C.
Randomized porcine studies show homeopathic mixtures - reduce diarrhea of suckling piglets10 and reduce weight loss in weaned piglets.11 Homeopathic medicine may alleviate intestinal disorders in piglets,12 porcine diarrhea and intestinal burdens of Escherichia coli,13 likewise, a proprietary homeopathic mixture showed reduced faecal counts of Escherichia coli in calves and lambs,14 and a moderate efficacy in controlling diarrhea in new born lambs,15and could be a solution to lower the current use of veterinary antibiotics.16
A 2016 Randomized, blinded placebo-controlled pilot trial showed PCR viral assay became negative in 80% of cats with feline herpesvirus 1 one-year post treatment with a homeopathically prepared signalling molecule preparation.17
An online database enabling overview of homeopathy veterinary clinical research is available,18 but despite increased global uptake and extensive acceptance and practice in France, Italy, Germany and India19 veterinary homeopathy studies decreased by 33% during the last decade.20
Homeopathy shows potential for significant reduction in the use of antibiotics and further methodologically high-quality human and veterinary homeopathy studies are urgently needed due to the global threat of antibiotic resistance. Effectiveness of homeopathy in general, in particular treatment of infections, is adequately proven for further research in this field.21
Individualized homeopathy especially demonstrates effects at all quality levels22 according to Cochrane criteria, even in the methodologically high-quality studies.23
An obvious conclusion is that non-scientific interests consequently lead to misinformation about homeopathy, Weiermayer et al., cite and rebut A Systematic Review of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine: “Miscellaneous Therapies”24 as a case in point.
The placebo effect is unlikely and counter intuitive in veterinary medicine as an animal is without cognitive capacity to expect recovery, but apparently it can be specifically organized by prior conditioning of the animal…25
Caregiver placebo effects apply to subjective outcome judgements by the animal’s owner or veterinarian and can be detrimental when perceived improvement may not be present.26
Sarah has a published a case study Canine Astraphobia in an Eleven-Year-Old Border Collie.27
Stanossek & Wehrend, 2022. Application of veterinary naturopathy and complementary medicine in small animal medicine-A survey among German veterinary practitioners. PLoS One. Feb 28;17(2):e0264022. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8884514/
Lees et al., 2017(a). Comparison of veterinary drugs and veterinary homeopathy: part 1. Vet Rec. Aug 12;181(7):170-176. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28801498/
Viner, 2016. Homeopathy and cancer. Vet Rec. Jul 16;179(3):79. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27422920/
Lees et al., 2017(b). Comparison of veterinary drugs and veterinary homeopathy: part 2. Vet Rec. Aug 19;181(8):198-207. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5738588/
Toutain et al., 2016. Veterinary Medicine Needs New Green Antimicrobial Drugs. Front Microbiol. Aug 3;7:1196. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4971058/
Hovi & Roderick, 1999. An investigation of the incidence, treatment strategies and financial implications of mastitis in organic and conventionally managed UK dairy herds Report to Defra, OF0124T. Reading, UK, Reading: p 19 pp https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/20000406390
Duenhas et al., 2015. Homeopathic Medicine Improves the Motility and Vigor of Semen in Rams. Int J Vet Sci Res 1(1): 003-007. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323214823_Homeopathic_Medicine_Improves_the_Motility_and_Vigor_of_Semen_in_Rams
de Souza et al., 2012. The effect of individualized homeopathic treatment on the semen quality of bulls with reproductive disorders: a case series. Homeopathy. Oct;101(4):243-5. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23089220/
Dang & Kim, 2021. The effects of road transportation with or without homeopathic remedy supplementation on growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota, and serum cortisol and superoxide dismutase levels in growing pigs. Journal of Animal Science. Apr 1;99(4):skab077. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8051841/
Kiefer et al., 2012. Homeopathic complex in the prevention and treatment of diarrhea in suckling piglets. Revista Brasileira de Saúde e Produção Animal. Jan13(1):74-82. Available from: https://www.scielo.br/j/rbspa/a/GGt8xN8KHGzThz5P9xYM8JS/abstract/?lang=en#
Soto et al., 2008. A randomized controlled trial of homeopathic treatment of weaned piglets in a commercial swine herd. Homeopathy. Oct;97(4):202-5. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19371569/
Felippelli & Valente, 2009. Use of homeopathic medicinal products incorporated into piglet feed and assessment of the incidence of disorders from 7 to 28 day of age. Nucleus Animalium. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341917767_UTILIZACAO_DE_MEDICAMENTOS_HOMEOPATICOS_INCORPORADOS_A_RACAO_DE_LEITOES_E_AVALIACAO_DA_INCIDENCIA_DE_AFECCOES_DO_7_AO_28_DIA_DE_IDADE
Camerlink et al., 2010. Homeopathy as replacement to antibiotics in the case of Escherichia coli diarrhoea in neonatal piglets. Homeopathy. Jan;99(1):57-62. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20129177/
Fortuoso et al., 2018. Homeopathic treatment as an alternative prophylactic to minimize bacterial infection and prevent neonatal diarrhea in calves. Microb Pathog. Jan;114:95-98. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321280531_Homeopathic_treatment_as_an_alternative_prophylactic_to_minimize_bacterial_infection_and_prevent_neonatal_diarrhea_in_calves
Fortuoso et al., 2019. Reduction of stool bacterial counts and prevention of diarrhea using an oral homeopathic product in newborn lambs. Microb Pathog. Feb;127:347-351. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30553908/
Ellinger, L. 2019. Antimicrobial resistance in production animals. Can homeopathy offer solutions? – Homeopathy as replacement to antibiotics in the case of neonatal diarrhoea in piglets. Rev. d’Homeopathie. 10:e41–e45. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1878973019301586
Fiorito et al., 2016. Clinical improvement in feline herpesvirus 1 infected cats by oral low dose of interleukin-12 plus interferon-gamma. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 2016 Oct;48:41-7. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27638118/
Clausen & Albrecht, 2010. Database on veterinary clinical research in homeopathy. Homeopathy. Jul;99(3):189-91. Available from https://www.carstens-stiftung.de/datenbanken-zur-integrativen-medizin.html#/
Lees et al., 2017(b). Comparison of veterinary drugs and veterinary homeopathy: part 2. Vet Rec. Aug 19;181(8):198-207. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5738588/
Domingues et al., 2022. Bibliometric trend analysis of non-conventional (alternative) therapies in veterinary research. Vet Q. Dec;42(1):192-198. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9662055/
Hamre et al., 2023. Efficacy of homoeopathic treatment: Systematic review of meta-analyses of randomised placebo-controlled homoeopathy trials for any indication. Syst Rev. Oct 7;12(1):191. Available from: https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-023-02313-2#Abs1
Weiermayer et al., 2020. Evidenzbasierte Veterinär-/Homöopathie und ihre mögliche Bedeutung für die Bekämpfung der Antibiotikaresistenzproblematik – ein Überblick [Evidence-based homeopathy and veterinary homeopathy, and its potential to help overcome the anti-microbial resistance problem - an overview]. Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd. Oct;162(10):597-615. German, French. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33006555/ Synopsis at https://cam-europe.eu/evidence-based-homeopathy-and-veterinary-homeopathy/
Weiermayer et al., 2022. Evidence-Based Human Homeopathy and Veterinary Homeopathy. Comment on Bergh et al. A Systematic Review of Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine: "Miscellaneous Therapies." Animals (Basel). 11, 3356. Animals (Basel). Aug 17;12(16):2097. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9404715/
Fiorito et al., 2016. Clinical improvement in feline herpesvirus 1 infected cats by oral low dose of interleukin-12 plus interferon-gamma. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 2016 Oct;48:41-7. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27638118/
Gruen et al., 2017. Caregiver placebo effect in analgesic clinical trials for cats with naturally occurring degenerative joint disease-associated pain. Vet Rec. May 13;180(19):473. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28270539/