Dog and Back Problems
Answered by: Kerry Hackett
Question from: Priscilla Sturn
Posted on: November 24, 2005

My dog is fourteen years old and has back problems but otherwise she’s fine. Is there anything I can give her to help reduce pain?

Without knowing further specifics of your dog’s condition, it is hard to know how best to advise. Therefore, what follows are general recommendations only. You may want to talk to a qualified herbal practitioner who works with animals to set up a treatment plan especially formulated for your dog. As always, a good homemade diet improves general health and may help to reduce your dog’s pain. Please see this website (www.richters.com) for the posting "Aging Dog with Arthritis" for recipe resources. Homeopathic Rhus toxicodendron may also be useful. It is generally recommended for those dogs that are stiff on rising, but are better for movement. These dogs will often seek warmth as cold aggravates the pain. Homeopathic Ruta graveolens is similar to Rhus where it is useful for those animals who are better on movement but it is also often recommended for dogs who have arthritic pain due to overexertion and it has been used for spinal arthritis (spondylitis) as well. Buy the Rhus toxicodendron or Ruta graveolens in a 6C potency from a health food shop and give it to the dog twice a day for three days. Homeopathics should be given away from food. The best way to get your dog to take it is to put three of the pellets in a teaspoon from your regular cutlery (do not touch the pellets but drop them directly from the container into the spoon) and place another teaspoon on top. Crush the pellets between the two spoons. Remove the top spoon and allow the crushed pellets to slide from the bottom spoon into your dog’s mouth. They are made from a lactose base so they will taste good and dissolve immediately on your dog’s tongue. After the initial three day dosing as mentioned above, observe if your dog’s back pain has lessened. If so, do not give further Rhus toxicodendron or Ruta graveolens unless the pain returns. Then repeat the dosing as stated above. If the remedy made no difference to your dog’s back pain, then she may need to see a qualified homeopathic practitioner who works with animals in order to take a full case history and prescribe the remedy that will suit your dog’s specific needs.

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