Ancken, Peres, & Coelho (2022) examined whether homeopathic medicines offered therapeutic benefits beyond placebo in dogs diagnosed with separation anxiety (SA), a condition marked by destructive behavior, stress, and physiological changes. SA often requires intervention, but conventional drugs may cause undesirable side effects, motivating interest in complementary approaches.
In this randomized pilot study, 21 dogs were assigned to receive either individualized homeopathic remedies or a placebo. Over a 60-day period, owners completed behavioral questionnaires while researchers measured cortisol levels and blood cell counts. By day 60, dogs in the homeopathy group showed a significant reduction in destructive behavior, while cortisol levels in the placebo group were significantly higher than in treated dogs, whose levels remained stable.
Although the study indicates promising behavioral and physiological improvements linked to homeopathic preparations, the authors noted limitations, including the small sample size and challenges in directly linking interventions to plasma changes. Still, the findings suggest homeopathy may serve as a low-risk complementary option in managing canine separation anxiety, especially when combined with behavioral support.
Source: Ancken, A., Peres, G., & Coelho, C. (2022). Homeopathic preparations and separation anxiety in dogs: a pilot study. Veterinary Integrative Sciences. Authors: Adalberto von Ancken, G. Peres, C. Coelho. Journal: Veterinary Integrative Sciences.
