1) Every pharmacological substance produces in a healthy individual a set of symptoms characteristic of the substance used.

2) Every ill subject presents a set of symptoms characteristic of a disease.

3) The cure, that is to say the elimination of the symptoms of the illness, can be obtained by administration of a small quantity of the substance whose experimental effects are similar to the symptoms of the ill patient.

     For example, Ipecacuanha (Ipecac) given in a measurable dose to a healthy individual produces nausea and vomiting. An ill person suffering from nausea and vomiting improves after taking a homeopathic dose of Ipecac.

     Homeopathic therapy consists in giving the patient an infinitesimal dose of a substance capable of producing, in healthy individuals, disorders analogous to those which one wants to cure. That is to say, of provoking a similar (homeo) suffering (pathos).

     In homeopathy, the medicines are referred to as remedies. The correct remedy is chosen by a detailed collection of the patients symptoms and history. With humans it is fairly easy to solicit most of this information. In wildlife rehabilitation it is very much a challenge. We never have a history on the animals we are presented with, and to make things even more difficult, most wildlife instinctively hide symptoms and indications of weakness. Prescribing remedies for wildlife is a little bit hit or miss. Fortunately, prescribing the wrong remedy has no impact, bad or good. You are free to try again.

     If you are fortunate to choose the perfect remedy, the simillimum, improvement is dynamic. If you come close to the simillimum, improvement is partial and another remedy is called for, but stay alert to a change in symptoms. If you choose the wrong remedy, nothing happens. Although, in a life threatening situation, nothing happening could mean death to your patient. For this reason, I sometimes administer more than one remedy at a time.

     Homeopathic remedies are made from natural substances; plants, animals, (including insects), chemicals and minerals. The substances are usually macerated in alcohol and a mother tincture is prepared. The tinctures then undergo homeopathic dilutions. The dilutions are referred to as x or c. To prepare x dilutions, one part MT (mother tincture) is mixed with 9 parts dilutant. This makes the 1x potency. Then, one part of 1x is mixed with 9 parts dilutant and the 2x potency is formed, and so on. The most critical aspect of this process happens between each dilution. The medicine is shaken or concussed vigorously. This is called potentization and this step is what releases the energy of the substance. Without potentization the remedies would have no healing actions. The c potencies are prepared in the same manner except 1 part MT is added to 99 parts dilutant, and after potentization you have the 1c potency, etc. Frequently I work with 30 to 200c potencies or higher. This means that the MT has been diluted hundreds of thousands of times, and actually none of the original substance can be found. This causes a lot of the controversy. However, I think the molecular energy of the original substance, the vibrations, still exist.

     Besides choosing the correct, remedy, the simillimum, you must choose the best potency. Generally, the lower and medium potencies act better on acute symptoms of illness. Higher potencies act on more profound illnesses and long term ailments. In rehabilitation you will mostly concern yourself with the lower to middle potencies, 6x to 30c. Roughly speaking a c potency is twice that of an x potency, 30x = 15c. Now this gets a little confusing; the higher the dilution, or potency, the more dynamic the action. But, the higher the potency you choose the more accurate you must be with your selection of remedy. Sometimes you may choose a remedy that is not the perfect choice. As a 6x potency you may get some results or improvement. As a 30c potency you may get no action. However, if you have chosen the simillimum, the higher potency will give you a much more complete reaction. This really becomes easier with a little experience.

HOW TO ADMINISTER HOMEOPATHY

     Homeopathics are usually administered as tiny sugar based pellets. A human receives 4 to 5 pellets in a dose. I would give a 25 pound harbor seal 2 pellets, an eagle one pellet and a passerine would get just a fraction of a pellet. Even the largest animal you could work with such as a horse would only get 5 or 6 pellets (I'm not sure about a whale, I will look into it). GIVING A LARGER DOSE HAS NO ADVANTAGE. Dosage is the least critical aspect of the therapy. If you have the right remedy, you will achieve a good level of healing with one pellet or 20 pellets. As a general rule, low potencies are administered from every hour to 4 times a day. Medium potencies 2 to 4 times a day, and high potencies once a day to once a week.

     Homeopathic remedies must be absorbed sublingually, not in the gut. They should not be mixed with food or tubing mix. The animal should have a mouth relatively clean of food or medicines. Try not to allow eating or drinking 15 to 20 minutes before or after treatment. There are a number of ways to deliver homeopathics depending on the animal and personal preference. I keep little squares of paper, 2" or 2 1/2" square. Fold the square in half, then I fold over the edges of one end and it sort of forms a small envelope. I put the pellets inside the envelope and crush it with a mortar or anything else handy. Then you can just pour the powder down the V formed by the fold into the mouth. With birds, after the powder is in their mouth I like to put a drop or two of water on it from a syringe to help it absorb. Not so much water as to make it run down the throat. With a wild raccoon this takes two people. One to restrain and hold the mouth open and another to administer the remedy. If an animal is sedated or unconscious you can pour the powder inside the lip or beak and add a drop or two of water. The water is not really necessary, but some of the animals have such dry mouths that the remedy just seems to lie there. You will find different situations call for new techniques. With harbor seals I was bitten so consistently with this method that I began to dissolve the crushed remedy in a syringe with a little water. I don't think quite as much remedy stayed in their mouth with this technique but it saved me a lot of bleeding. This also proved to be the best method for treating alert fawns. It took the least amount of restraint and they like the taste. With marine mammals it is important to try to keep them out of the water for 10 or 15 minutes after a treatment. To treat a good sized elephant seal I diluted in a syringe with a little extra water (normally use just enough water to suspend the remedy). As I walked close to the animal she would open her mouth wide and vocalize, and I shot it in from 3 feet away. Again, not the most effective administration but it saved us both a lot of stress. A semi tame raccoon would lick his remedy off a stick. I would put the powder on the end of a popsicle stick, add a couple of drops of water and either wipe the paste across his lips or he would lick it up. Whatever works. IMPORTANT! Do not handle your remedies. Pour it from the bottle to the cap and back again until you have the right number of pellets, then from the cap to your little envelope. If you spill some, DO NOT put them back in the bottle. These medicines are extremely cheap. Throw them out if they fall. Never get one remedy into a bottle of a different remedy. Your medicine could be rendered useless and you would never know it.