Homeopathic Medications for
Travelling with your Pet

Sara Fox Chapman MS, DVM, MRCVS, VetMFHom

Who doesn’t enjoy travelling with their pet?

Homeopathy can make the trip smoother for everyone. Homeopathy can be used as a symptomatic treatment on a short-term basis. Homeopathic medicines are virtually free of side effects, but the wrong medicine will have very little effect at all.

The medicine should have as many of the patient’s symptoms as possible for the best result.

Ideally, give homeopathic medicines before conventional treatments. If you can wait a bit, you may not need the conventional medicine! Remember, use common sense. If an animal is severely ill or depressed, prompt veterinary care is essential. If the patient fails to improve, veterinary care is required.

Choose a low (6X, 12X, or 6C) to medium potency (30C). Keep the homeopathic medicines clean and in the dark, and don’t let them become contaminated. Tip 4 to 10 granules or 2 pilules out into a clean spoon and re-cap the bottle immediately. Give the medicine to the animal right away by pouring it into the cheek pouch or mouth. They taste good, so most animals don’t mind this a bit. Put the bottle back in its dark box.

Assess the case and re-dose as needed. If there is no response after several doses, it is probably not an appropriate choice.

Before the trip

Argentum nitricum: feel rushed, out of control, forgetful; diarrhoea; anxiety about trip/flight

Coffea: sleepless from over excitement

Motion sickness

Borax: fear downward motion, worse downhill or plane landing

Cocculus: nausea and dizziness with desire to lie down, worse watching movement or from

sight/smell of food

Kali bich: seasickness, severe nausea and dizziness, worse standing, weak and achy in face/head, bilious vomit

Nux vomica: nausea with difficulty vomiting, intense headache, chilly, worse smell of food/tobacco/coffee

Petroleum: persistent nausea with profuse salivation, stomach pain, stiff neck, worse light, noise and sitting up

Rhus tox: airsickness with nausea / vomiting, thirsty, dry mouth and throat

Tabacum: nauseated, look ‘green’, better from cold fresh air

During the trip

Chamomilla: tired, cross, childlike; too over stimulated to sleep

Bellis perennis: tailbone compression or sciatica from sitting in one position

Bryonia: homesick, grumpy, talks of home / work / business [humans]

Jet lag

Arnica: exhaustion

Cocculus: difficulty sleeping, bitter taste in mouth

Food problems

Arsenicum: most food poisonings with vomiting, diarrhoea; spoiled meat

Pulsatilla: ‘bad’ fish; also Apis when itching is part of the reaction

Lycopodium: ‘bad’ shellfish

Veratrum alb: diarrhoea and vomiting not responsive to Arsenicum

Belladonna: allergic reaction to MSG

Nux vom: overindulgence in food or alcohol [humans]

Insect bites and stings

Apis: hot, swollen, itchy bites and stings

Belladonna: hot throbbing bites/stings with dizziness/headache

Cantharis: red hot, extremely itchy bites/stings

Hypericum: bite/sting leads to shooting nerve pain

Hepar sulph: painful infected bite/sting

Ledum: bite/sting deep in palm, sole, breast; feels cold to touch and better from cold

Silicea: force out stingers/splinters, resolve infections

Urtica urens: itchy bite/stings, also hives and nettle rash

Environmental stresses

Cantharis: sunburn

Belladonna: sunburn with throbbing skin

Glonoine or Belladonna: sunstroke en route to the emergency room

Natrum mur: cold sores following sun exposure

China: speed recovery from dehydration

Rhus tox, or Anacardium, or Ledum: poison ivy

Coca: altitude sickness

Injuries and accidents

Arnica: bruising, physical shock

Rhus tox: muscle strains and sprains which feel better from motion

Ruta: ligament and tendon injuries

Bellis: deep bruising of breast, scrotum

Hypericum: nerve injuries

Aconite: extreme fear, emotional shock

Staphysagria: unexpressed rage from assault, especially sexual assault

Ignatia: emotional shock, loss, or bereavement

Creams and Ointments

Arnica: bruising and swelling of unbroken skin

Calendula or Hypericum/Calendula: natural antiseptic for cuts, sores, or broken skin

Urtica urens: hot itchy burns, sunburns or allergic reactions

Homeopathic Medications for Travelling with your Pet