Shoshy, I did the same thing...stopped all homeopathy for a long time after a different episode than I mentioned with the squirrel. It was the most horrible experience I've ever had...one (1) cc dose of a remedy in 30C given to a 1200+ pound horse, dropped her to the ground instantly, thrashing......she didn't survive.

But I found myself using homeopathy again, almost without realizing it.

Just this morning, I gave an injured squirrel 2 drops Nat S, he immediately convulsed and died. (When Albert says primary remedy action is within a nanosecond, s/he is absolutely right. There isn't enough time to even reach for another remedy to antidote or stop the instantaneous action.) He obviously had suffered a fall on the head since he had damage to his forehead and was unable to move. He was a released hand raised orphan and always came when his name was called, so will be sorely missed. Aside from that, I don't know why the remedy caused this..and I know it was the remedy...and it wasn't Arn. But I will probably do the same thing with the next one that comes along.....as I have before....and not have this response. As frightening as homeopathy is, the potential to do such harm, there are so many of the reverse occurrences.....the wonders of the magic of those little white pellets......I think we just have to keep going. I hope your sabbatical will be a short one.

I remember hearing the head large animal veterinary professor at one of the most prestigious vet schools in the US, warning his students to never give any medicine, no matter how seemingly benign nor how common it's use, without the expectation it very well may kill the animal.

Shoshy, I can see no reason to feel you used homeopathy incorrectly...nor do I think my giving the squirrel Nat S was incorrect use of homeopathy. I don't feel there is any "new" way that will help us avoid these things. Arnica, exactly as you used it, has saved countless lives here with the injured wildlife. I know how devastating the loss but try to keep in mind how frequently lives are saved using the same proceedure you did with your friend's dog.

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Sometimes on Earth, you can find something that resembles a little piece of Heaven. And sometimes on Earth, a little piece of Heaven can find you.

So sorry, for what happened to your orphan squirrel, after nat-s that was supposed to save him. Gpm, you are courageous and believe in what you do. You have a lot of experience with homeopathy, and you know the materia. Yes, Arnica saved a lot of patients and got them to recover almost instantly. That is the reason why it scares to use it, autumaticly in trauma cases in the future. I intend to search for an answer when, is Arnica contra indicated, in trauma cases. For example, the dog was breathing very quickly, and it was hectic abdominal breathing, could this be a contraindication? Did I suppress his ventilation center? When the dog died he actually stopped breathing. People told me that he lost a lot of blood, and that he got an infusion, from the veterinary. The veterinary wanted to do an autopsy but the owner of the dog refused. I'm sorry that I can't comfort you , the way you do, but I am aware of how you must feel now and wish we could see what has actually gone wrong in these cases.

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SHOSHY

gein, the same is in Hering's Guiding Symptoms. I never knew that. Thank you.

I can't interpret very well Pulford's MM but it reads to me, under general symptoms, as if it recommends Arn for bites...."bites of dogs or rabid animals, like Led". Maybe someone better versed could interpret.

Shoshy, your posting of this incident has brought out information I surely never was aware of and possibly others may not have known. Thank you for that. It's very valuable to know this and may prevent unknown numbers of similar situations....it's a shame to have to learn something this way. You didn't prescribe Arn for the bite as such but later, for the obvious pain and breathing difficulties, which would have seemed absolutely correct, taking the case as presented and not factoring in the original cause. Not very many would have had the insight to know that about Arn and dog bites. Thanks to you, now we do.

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Sometimes on Earth, you can find something that resembles a little piece of Heaven. And sometimes on Earth, a little piece of Heaven can find you.

I have this book called: Caution on the use of Remedies by M.Fayazuddin.

On Arnica it states:

1.We must never apply Arnica in purely inflammatory diseases with general heat chiefly external, nor in diarrhoea. In such cases it is to be hurtful, the reason of which is from its perculiar mode of action (Hahnemann).

2. Arnica acts injuriously after the bite of a dog or other rabid or angry animal (H.C.Marrow).

Shoshy,I wasn't aware of this therefore your action of giving Arnica has been a learning curve for those ignorant of this fact. All was not in vain however traumatic it was for you.

In the front of this book there is a quote: "Mistakes are unavoidable. He who makes no mistakes never does anything useful. Even the best and the most careful prescibers make avoidable mistakes in treatment and every conscientious homeopath should occasionally review not only his successs but also and particularly his failures." (J.Ellis Barker)

I'd like to know why Arnica acts detrimentally in these cases? Maybe someone will enlighten us.

Regards
Scruffrat

Clarke - ARNICA
Injurious in bites of dogs or rabid or angry animals.
(injurious - harmful / damaging)

Also in my personal notes on Animal Bites -
"Never give Arnica in case of a dog bite"
Don't recall where I got that information from.

Perhaps someone knows a bit more about adverse
reactions to the remedies and WHY Arnica can be
so harmful in such cases.

[ 21. July 2003, 01:01: Message edited by: gien ]

It might have something to do with the action of arnica in the body--if blood is re-absorbed and blood loss is curtailed as a result of arnica use (I mean, this is why we give it), then wouldn't it make sense that part of the work of the body to mobilize itself against any potential viruses, or microorganisms, or any kind of foreign protein matter carried in by that angry bite -- using the blood to do so -- would be stopped or hindered by the arnica?

Just guessing...

I still don't think the arnica is responsible for what happened in this case, however. So many previous interventions took place before the arnica was given, and I can't rule them out as factors leading to the death. Can anyone? If so, why?

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Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.<br />C.G.Jung

Hello All
i have had a similar experience with Rescue Remedy (Bach) which I gave to a chick which had fallen out of its nest. someone told me to leave it on the ground but I knew a cat would get it so I took it home. I pur a drop of rescue remedy on its beak. It snuffled a bit and let go. My husband thought it was a release as it would not have survived. I was distressed at the time but I have had the opposite experience of giving Arnica to a chick that I thought would not survive and it just flew out of the room.

I take strength from my spiritual beliefs, it is written in the bible that your days are numbered and there is nothing that we can do to alter this. So. basically all we can do is to mitigate suffering, but this is enough for me! If that chick would have died anyway I'm glad it died painlessly rather than suffering on.

I hope this helps
Therese

Thank you Therese, You said the truth I can live with. Further more, I thank you all for your very valueable input.

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SHOSHY