If you live in a Lyme disease endemic area such as the Northeast and upper Midwest and your dog is the outdoorsy type who picks up ticks on his adventures, you can use homeopathy to good effect in protecting him against Lyme disease.
Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH, RSHom(NA) is a distinguished American homeopath, public speaker and author. Find her at joettecalabrese.com. Joette’s family lives in the country, with plenty of deer and other critters nearby. The surrounding woods are considered a Lyme tick Mecca. She’s successfully used the protocol described below for many years on Buster (described as “the bad office dog”) as well as her human family members.
This protocol is not for long-term, chronic Lyme disease; for that you’ll need to seek the expertise of a seasoned veterinary homeopath.
First, the tick
When you find a tick on your dog, the first thing to do is remove the tick as soon as possible. There are several techniques you can use; read about them here.
Save the tick by placing it in a covered jar with either 180 proof vodka, grain alcohol or brandy and label it with the date, on whom it was found and where on the body. In the unlikely event that all else fails, the tick can be made into a homeopathic remedy. This is known as isopathy, which works under principles similar to homeopathy.
But for now, just keep the tick in a jar.
Then follow whichever steps below are appropriate for your dog’s situation, depending on how long ago the bite occurred and whether he is displaying any symptoms of Lyme disease.
Step 1 – for prevention after a recent bite
This has been found to be highly effective for bites that are rather recent – say within a few weeks.
Remedy: Ledum palustre 200C
Ledum is the foremost remedy for any kind of animal bite.
- Give the first dose of this remedy at the time you remove the tick.
- Continue dosing with Ledum every 3 hours for the first day
- Then, dose twice daily for a week
- After the first week, dose twice weekly for a month
- Then once per week for another month
This is probably overkill, but worth the extra effort to be certain.
If the tick was discovered in the last few days, Step 1 is likely all you’ll need.
But if your dog has been diagnosed with Lyme disease that is older and more entrenched, follow Step 1 as above, then add Step 2 at any time after using Ledum.
Step 2 – in the event of a Lyme diagnosis
Remedy: Aurum arsenicum 200C (see Note below)
Aurum arsenicum is a capital choice for when a poisonous infection arises, and this is one of those times.
- Dose twice daily for one week
- After the first week, dose twice weekly for a month
- Then once per week for another month
For older cases in which it is critical to take all precautions because illness has set in, follow Step 3 along with the previous remedies.
Note: Aurum arsenicum can be very hard to find in the US. Joette Calabrese recommends this alternative.
Remedy: Alternative To Aurum Arsenicum
Mix these two remedies together:
- Hypericum perforatum 200C
- Arsenicum album 200C
Give the two remedies together, twice daily for a week. Then taper the dosage frequency as with the Aurum arsenicum method.
Step 3 – when there are clinical symptoms of Lyme
Remedy: Borrelia burgdorferi 30C (also called Lyme Nosode 30C)
Borrelia is the remedy made from the Lyme tick.
- Dose with Borrelia once per day for three days and then stop, for a total of three doses
- This may need to be repeated every few months if the symptoms remain.
Symptoms
In older cases of Lyme, the most common symptoms in dogs are arthritis or painful joints and lameness; other symptoms may include fever, lack of appetite, depression or lethargy. Dogs do not exhibit the classic “bulls eye” rash that occurs in humans. Symptoms can occur two to five months after exposure. If your dog shows these symptoms, it’s best to consult an experienced homeopathic vet who can prescribe the correct remedy for his symptoms, along with the above procedures.
How effective is this protocol?
When Step 1 is used at the right time, it’s rare that Lyme disease will develop.
In older cases, where there is a Lyme diagnosis or symptoms, success can frequently be achieved, but may be affected by how entrenched the disease is, whether (and how often) antibiotics and other allopathic drugs have been employed, as well as the general vital force of the dog.
Joette Calabrese has generously shared this protocol and asks that if you know someone who should have this information, please pass it along. Spread the good news of how homeopathy can help!
