A slightly different post from me today, but something that I am extremely passionate about and feel many of you may feel the same on. I am not sure how I have missed this in the news to be honest so thought perhaps there may be others out there too that this news has not yet reached, as such I would like to spread the word! The topic Homeopathic Vets
The topic came up in the office the other week while I was making coffee and chatting to a couple of colleagues about our dogs and their individual quirks and how we manage them. One of my colleagues with a very poorly dog mentioned that she wanted to take her dog to see a homeopathic vet, however had been informed by her sister (who trained as a vet), to do so sooner rather than later as the choice could soon be taken away from her, from us all as animal owners.
As an avid believer in the benefits of homeopathy and homeopathic vets as well as alternative medicines, I came home that night after hearing this news and did a little research on the topic which appears to have reared its ugly head little over a year ago.
I started by looking at my Homeopathic vets website and here I found a plethora of information and relevant links which I have included towards the end of this post. It turns out according to Vets4InformedChoice that the governing body of Veterinary Surgeons, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) only want our vets to prescribe medicines provided by the Pharmaceutical Industry (basically lining the pockets of wealthy corporations that can shape political agenda’s) this is regardless of owners wishes and the vets clinical opinion.
As such Homeopathic Vets and Complementary Alternative Medicines (CAM) are being threatened by the RCVS, as they attempt to take away the choice of Natural Medicines here in the UK, and if a vet were not to conform, then action may well be taken against them along with the owner who could potentially be faced with prosecution on grounds of welfare. Effectively this is taking away both vets and owners’ rights in making well informed choices, which in my mind is darn right ludicrous, and quite frankly disgraceful.
While both Shiva and Bunter are registered locally with a conventional vet, they are also registered at a Homeopathic vets practice a little further afield whom, I have the upmost trust and faith in. The practice utilises CAM, and combines this with the best in conventional medicine and surgery. The practice has the vision that healthcare is about knowing, understanding and enabling choice, while recognising the welfare of the patient, the client and the vet are fundamental to achieving effective healthcare. A vision I am fully supportive of.
Without sounding totally against conventional vets, I would just like to say that I am not at all, I simply like having the choice as to which route is best for my animals depending on the issue. At times when I have decided to go to my homeopathic vet for a second opinion, I have discuss this with my conventional vet. However, it is my personal view that my own dogs have been failed (not just Shiva and Bunter), by conventional medicine time and time again and it has taken a vet who utilises CAM to fix the failings of conventional practice.
For example Shiva over the course of a two/three years period suffered with a severe and persistent ear infection which was driving her (and myself), to despair. I eventually turned to the homeopathic vet we now use, who corrected the issue within a week! Touch wood years down the line it has never come back whereas with the conventional medication the symptoms would clear up short term only to reappear a few months down the line, causing Shiva much distress and a bigger hole in my pocket!
Then more recently Bunter and his bumpy nose, I strongly believe after speaking with my homeopathic vet in a consultation that this could have been corrected without surgery, if only the conventional route had highlighted sooner the root cause. I blame myself for this in part as I should pushed for X-Rays sooner, rather than allowing myself to be sent away again and again for over a year with yet more antibiotics. These are just a couple of my personal experiences; to not be able to have the choice in the future as to how I care for my dogs and horses would be absolutely devastating for me, and I know for many of my friends who rely on the benefits of acupuncture,homeopathy among other alternative medicines daily to allow their animals to live life in highest level of health and well-being as possible.
I am listing a few ways in which you can support the cause and help to prevent the ban of vets prescribing Homeopathy, and the restricted use of CAM.
- Sign up to the email list at Vets4InformedChoice and keep up to date with news on the subject.
- Express your concern and ask questions by emailing president@rcvs.org.uk
- Sign the petition
- Lastly help to spread the word on social media channels and among like minded people!
This is an area that thankfully we do have the support of Parliament on. Prime Minister’s Question (2018), Theresa May, said in support of Homeopathic Vets, that it is right that those professionally able to make these judgement are left to make them.
As responsible owners when our animals get poorly, we rely heavily on our vets to give us their unbiased, ethical and evidence-based opinion with the animal’s best interests at the core of what they do, what does this mean for the health of our animals as well as the veterinary profession if this choice is taken away? What are your thoughts on this?
This views in this post are my own unless stated otherwise.
Love for now, Emma x
Photography by Callum Aitken Photography