Comments on: Homeopathy for chinchillas http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:33:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Ross http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-332923 Ross Mon, 05 May 2008 02:54:46 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-332923 Hugo, I'm in your corner here. I use different flower remedies and essential oils for my pets (dog, cat and ferrets when we had them) and found them to work very well indeed. As bossanovachin stated, it is very wise to make sure that whatever animal you are thinking of using any of these remedies on is not allergic to them. One constant that I've found is that all animals that I've given Rescue Rememdy to have responded positively to it. Hugo, I’m in your corner here. I use different flower remedies and essential oils for my pets (dog, cat and ferrets when we had them) and found them to work very well indeed. As bossanovachin stated, it is very wise to make sure that whatever animal you are thinking of using any of these remedies on is not allergic to them. One constant that I’ve found is that all animals that I’ve given Rescue Rememdy to have responded positively to it.

]]> By: Robert http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-262069 Robert Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:54:10 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-262069 Homeopathy for people is one thing; the placebo effect is powerful. Kind of a waste of energy for animals, but if it makes you feel better, who am I to tell you to waste your money in a different fashion? I wouldn't worry about the negative health effects of the homeopathic medicine. Water is pretty benign stuff, even water you've been conned into paying $10/oz for. Homeopathy for people is one thing; the placebo effect is powerful. Kind of a waste of energy for animals, but if it makes you feel better, who am I to tell you to waste your money in a different fashion?

I wouldn’t worry about the negative health effects of the homeopathic medicine. Water is pretty benign stuff, even water you’ve been conned into paying $10/oz for.

]]> By: Hugo Schwyzer http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-259701 Hugo Schwyzer Tue, 11 Mar 2008 05:31:08 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-259701 Hey, you have to remember I was raised in an intensely academic family. A fondness for the irrational, the mystical, and the downright improbable (especially when slickly packaged) is one of my unfortunate character traits. And jeepers, I took Airborne for years and still swear by it. I believe six impossible things before breakfast too. Hey, you have to remember I was raised in an intensely academic family. A fondness for the irrational, the mystical, and the downright improbable (especially when slickly packaged) is one of my unfortunate character traits.

And jeepers, I took Airborne for years and still swear by it. I believe six impossible things before breakfast too.

]]> By: Aerik http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-259699 Aerik Tue, 11 Mar 2008 05:28:14 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-259699 Homeopathy? Oh, Hugo, I was going to let for for a little while your complete dismissal of your religion's anti-feminist scripture, but now homeopathy too? You really consult a person who wants you to believe that a bottle of solution with one or less molecules of the original ingredient is as good as a bottle of the real stuff because she shook it up and all this other jazz? Wow. Homeopathy? Oh, Hugo, I was going to let for for a little while your complete dismissal of your religion’s anti-feminist scripture, but now homeopathy too? You really consult a person who wants you to believe that a bottle of solution with one or less molecules of the original ingredient is as good as a bottle of the real stuff because she shook it up and all this other jazz? Wow.

]]> By: bossanovachin http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-259181 bossanovachin Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:10:19 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-259181 Hi, Hugo. Homeopathy has been used with chins (e.g., Bach's Flower Essences: http://www.bachflower.com/), but it's important to be aware of some of the dangers of oils/ derivatives from some woods that are toxic. Chins have some sensitivities that are not common to other animals: http://www.chincare.com/Pages/SafetyandSuppliers.htm#toxicwood (the long list) Toxic Factors Poisonous- Some wood is simply poisonous by nature: china berry, oleander, hemlock, etc. Ingestion- Resinous wood (sap, gum, resin, pitch) is extremely harmful to the digestive system: birch, fir, maple, etc. Inhalation- Aromatic wood (oils, phenols) will damage the liver and respiratory system: cedar, eucalyptus, pitch pine, sandalwood, etc. We've used Bach's Rescue Remedy, with limited success. This product is sometimes used by chin rescuers with extremely stressed (fur-biting, urine-spraying, biting) chins when they initially arrive at rescue: http://www.bachflower.com/Rescue_Remedy.htm Most importantly, if you're having cagemate conflicts, you should examine what in the environment (husbandry approach as well as physical environment) could potentially cause that: http://www.chincare.com/HealthLifestyle/Introductions.htm#groupcompatibility. Homeopathy may induce a more relaxed or soothed state of mind in chins that are high-strung or oversensitive, but effectively it's treating the symptom instead of the problem because most of the time chin conflicts are the result of some triggering environmental stress factor rather than temperament alone: http://www.chincare.com/HealthLifestyle/RelatingEnvironment.htm#environmentalstress. I know you do a superb job with your chins, they absolutely couldn't have better, my bet is that whatever's going on will be easy to correct. ;) Hi, Hugo. Homeopathy has been used with chins (e.g., Bach’s Flower Essences: http://www.bachflower.com/), but it’s important to be aware of some of the dangers of oils/ derivatives from some woods that are toxic. Chins have some sensitivities that are not common to other animals: http://www.chincare.com/Pages/SafetyandSuppliers.htm#toxicwood (the long list)

Toxic Factors
Poisonous- Some wood is simply poisonous by nature: china berry, oleander, hemlock, etc.
Ingestion- Resinous wood (sap, gum, resin, pitch) is extremely harmful to the digestive system: birch, fir, maple, etc.
Inhalation- Aromatic wood (oils, phenols) will damage the liver and respiratory system: cedar, eucalyptus, pitch pine, sandalwood, etc.

We’ve used Bach’s Rescue Remedy, with limited success. This product is sometimes used by chin rescuers with extremely stressed (fur-biting, urine-spraying, biting) chins when they initially arrive at rescue: http://www.bachflower.com/Rescue_Remedy.htm

Most importantly, if you’re having cagemate conflicts, you should examine what in the environment (husbandry approach as well as physical environment) could potentially cause that: http://www.chincare.com/HealthLifestyle/Introductions.htm#groupcompatibility.

Homeopathy may induce a more relaxed or soothed state of mind in chins that are high-strung or oversensitive, but effectively it’s treating the symptom instead of the problem because most of the time chin conflicts are the result of some triggering environmental stress factor rather than temperament alone: http://www.chincare.com/HealthLifestyle/RelatingEnvironment.htm#environmentalstress.

I know you do a superb job with your chins, they absolutely couldn’t have better, my bet is that whatever’s going on will be easy to correct. ;)

]]> By: Hugo Schwyzer http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-259127 Hugo Schwyzer Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:34:38 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-259127 Oh, please understand, tricia, we give them first rate veterinary care and do make all sorts of changes to their physical environment. Homeopathy is an "addition to", not an "instead of." Oh, please understand, tricia, we give them first rate veterinary care and do make all sorts of changes to their physical environment. Homeopathy is an “addition to”, not an “instead of.”

]]> By: Tricia http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-259099 Tricia Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:21:06 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-259099 Hi, occasional reader/lurker checking in here for eye-rolling. Please, if you believe your chins are in need of medical treatment, treat them with some kind of medicine that is at least vaguely plausible according to the laws of physics as currently known - or, better yet, something that has empirical evidence for its effectiveness. Like making external changes to make "out time" safer. Hi, occasional reader/lurker checking in here for eye-rolling. Please, if you believe your chins are in need of medical treatment, treat them with some kind of medicine that is at least vaguely plausible according to the laws of physics as currently known - or, better yet, something that has empirical evidence for its effectiveness. Like making external changes to make “out time” safer.

]]> By: Hilary http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-258900 Hilary Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:09:36 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-258900 haha you're kooky, but I love you anyway! haha you’re kooky, but I love you anyway!

]]> By: The Gonzman http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-258837 The Gonzman Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:03:55 +0000 http://hugoschwyzer.net/2008/03/10/homeopathy-for-chinchillas/#comment-258837 Okay. Put me down for eye-roll, one, standard issue. Okay. Put me down for eye-roll, one, standard issue.

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