by Betsy G. Walker, DVM

Still, I felt pretty good about Arnica, as it definitely dated from "childbirth"- surely it was from trauma.

Within three days of repeating the remedy, the cat totally recovered not only from the dysuria, but also the fear of approach.

Within three days after a single dose of Sepia 30C, she came out of the cabinet and became very talkative and out-going.

A Post-queening Arnica State In a Cat

Last year in December I was on a housecall for some routine conventional veterinary work. During the time that I was there, I noticed that one of the cats was screaming each time she attempted to urinate (3), which was frequently (2). Unable to restrain myself, I asked the pet's person whether this was the usual for this cat; she responded, sadly, that the condition had persisted since this cat had queened, about a year about a year and a half prior. The cat had since been spayed, had undergone multiple laboratory analyses (including , complete blood work-up, and x-rays) and had been treated with antibiotics (and, no doubt, steroids). All to no avail.

She had at times considered having the cat euthanized, but she couldn't bring herself to do so because the cat had at one time been her daughter's favorite. This made the circumstances even sadder, though; because now the cat would not allow approach - either by the daughter, or by other animals within the household. If anybody, two-footed or four, came near her, she would frantically dash away.

Being still quite new to practicing homeopathy, I thought first, of course, of Arnica. I didn't have a repertory with me, or I might have been led astray by repertorizing bladder symptoms. Still, I felt pretty good about Arnica, as it definitely dated from "childbirth"- surely it was from trauma. Some remedies to strongly consider "after childbirth" are (per Robin Murphy): Arnica (2), Bellis perennis (3), Calendula (2), Caulophyllum (2) China (1), Kali carbonicum (1), Pulsatilla (1), Sepia (2).

Although the cat was withdrawn in a very physical sense, she didn't have the depression or hiding in dark places of Sepia. Not the sweetness of Puls, nor the weakness of fluid loss of China. Bell-p would have been an excellent thought, but Arnica was what I had. There was most assuredly the strong keynote "Mind, Fear, approaching him ,of others" (Kent, p43), which lists Arnica in bold type. I left a dose of Arnica 200C.

First re-evaluation, a couple of weeks later, was inconclusive. The cat's owners felt that perhaps there had been a short-lived mild improvement. Upon inquiring, I learned that the dose had been given in a bit of cheese. I suggested repeating the dose, but with the remedy dissolved in a tiny bit of milk (a method which works very well for most cats. I am learning about, and using more often, the aqueous solutions as described by David Little, one of our esteemed contributors here in Cyberspace; and I'm happy to report that they, too, are easily administered to our four-legged friends. But I digress...

Within three days of repeating the remedy, the cat totally recovered not only from the dysuria, but also the fear of approach. She became, and has remained, her "old affectionate self." I recall having heard a speaker remark that "if homeopathy had given us nothing but Arnica, that in itself would be a blessing." Ain't it the truth?!

A Sepia State in a Spayed Cat

At the end of a telephone consultation, the client wondered if she could ask "one quick question" about another of her pets. This cat had been a stray, one of a family of four, about a year old, when she made her appearance at her new home. Her adopter took her to the animal hospital to be spayed.

As it turned out, the cat was into the last trimester of pregnancy. The ovario-hysterectomy proceeded without major complications. Upon returning home from the hospital, however, she became extremely depressed, "staying in a dark cabinet, not moving or eating." She would have nothing whatsoever do to with her family members and fellow adoptees.

Robin Murphy lists the following remedies under "Miscarriage, abortion, ailments from:" calen, caul, chin, helon, ign (2), kali-s (2), nat-m (2), sec, sep (3), staph (3). As there had been a surgical procedure done, Staph was strongly considered-it feels so invaded! But there wasn't the irritability here of Staph, or of Nat-m. None of the back-and-forth contradictory kind of emotions that Ign so often shows. No, this was the sad, withdrawn "indifference to everything" of Sepia.

Within three days after a single dose of Sepia 30C, she came out of the cabinet and became very talkative and out-going. This case is not finished yet. At last evaluation, it was reported that she was having problems still with her two brothers, who still try to mate with her although all three are neutered; and with her mother, who "treats her mean." I feel that Staph will be called for before these problems are done. Very often in veterinary medicine, females are spayed while they are in estrus or pregnant-exigencies make it so. Still, we need to be aware that the major hormonal upheaval which results sometimes has its own repercussions. It's good to know that homeopathy can help us out in these, as in so many other, situations.

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