Homeopathic prescribing for chronic conditions in equine veterinary practice in the UK.

The study provides a detailed analysis of how homeopathic medicine is prescribed for chronic conditions in horses over a period of twelve months by a group of twelve veterinarians.

Methodology of the Study

• The study was conducted by twelve veterinarians trained in homeopathy, who tracked homeopathic appointments for horses over a 12-month period.
• The researchers made use of a spreadsheet to systematically record data about the horses, maintaining anonymity of the horse and owner’s identity.
• Information recorded included the nature of the medical problem the horse was suffering from, whether it was chronic or acute, whether the appointment was a new one or follow-up, and the outcomes as perceived by the horse’s owner on a seven-point scale.
• Additionally, they recorded the particular homeopathic medicines prescribed, as well as if any other conventional or alternative remedies were used concurrently for treating the condition.

Results of the Study

• The data used in the study comprised of information from 289 horses which had 305 individual chronic conditions. Out of these, 234 had a follow-up assessment.
• At the final appointment for chronic cases during the study, it was found that a small number, 4.3 per cent were also receiving conventional medication along with homeopathy while 17.1 per cent were being treated with an additional alternative treatment.
• The research identified the eight chronic conditions that were most commonly treated using homeopathy: arthritis, headshaking, laminitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sweet itch, dermatitis, sarcoidosis, and Cushing’s syndrome.

Conclusion

This research provides a comprehensive insight into the application of homeopathic treatments in equine veterinary practice in UK, revealing the nature of chronic conditions most frequently treated using this method. The findings also shed light on the concurrent use of other medical treatments alongside homeopathy, suggesting the complex nature of treating chronic conditions in horses.