By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: Jan. 14, 2012.
When people bring their pets to veterinarian Loridawn Gordon, she gives them two options for treatment.
She could try and cure the problem with homeopathic remedies, a holistic, if a bit long drawn, treatment, which looks into the behavioural, emotional, and physical state of the pet, even before a remedy is prescribed.
Or there is the “bandage” approach, the traditional cycle of antibiotics that treat the symptoms rather than the disease.
Gordon, new to Squamish, works part-time at Dr. Hoff’s veterinary clinic in downtown Squamish.
She is a big believer in homeopathic medicine for pets. She took a three year UBC course offered by the College of Animal Homeopathic Medicine and taught by veterinarians from England from the British Homeopathic Teaching Group.
“Homeopathy tries to get to the root of the problem, while traditional medicine is intent on suppressing the disease,” she says.
More often the problem resurfaces, as it did recently in a young dog that was being treated by Gordon for mange.
Traditional medicine not only failed in this case, Gordon says, it also gave the dog ulcerations as a side effect.
Now, Gordon has prescribed a homeopathic remedy, which began with a look at the dog’s diet.
“Homeopathy requires patience, but it is effective,” Gordon said.
After working as a veterinarian for almost a decade in Lower Mainland, Gordon moved to Whistler and has only recently started working in Squamish.
Gordon said although homeopathy is gaining ground as an alternative form of healing, there are people who still remain doubtful of its efficacy.
But Gordon claims she has used homeopathy successfully even in emergency situations, and it’s quite effective in case of injuries and muscles sprains in pets.
She has used homepathy to treat her dog, Patch.
“He had some delayed growth of his jaw which I treated, as well as injury to his shoulder and various bouts of diarrhea,” she said.
Homeopathy is a more affordable option when compared to traditional medicine, Gordon says.
Michael Goldberg of the Hudson Place Veterinary Clinic in Vancouver has been using homeopathy in his practice for the last four years.
“I have been astounded at some of the results,” he said.
Goldberg said he has effectively used the homeopathic medicine with pets suffering from vomiting and arthritis.
A homeopathic medicine, Nux Vomica, for example, is being used successfully to treat urinary tract infections in pets.
He said chronic problems can sometimes take years to treat with homeopathy, but the medicine prevails in the end.
