| Rescue Remedy for stress? |
|
|
|
| Written by John Buginas, CPDT, CTC | |
|
Is Rescue Remedy Effective for stress or fear? Not according to this literature review which concludes Bach Flower Remedies are no more effective than a placebo in treating stress. PubMed listing on Rescue Remedy. Homeopathy Rescue Remedy is homeopathic medicine. This article on Quack Watch discusses problems with homeopathy. Homeopathic medicine is made of substances diluted to such a small dose that it is unlikely that even a single molecule can be detected in the product sold. They are often distributed in sugar pills or small amounts of liquor. It's literally a very expensive way to buy sugar or liquor if you were to break down what is purchased. In the 1800's when homeopahty became popular, they were MUCH safer than common medicines being used and likely did no harm. They also quite likely did nothing, aside from a strong placebo affect. Should we use it with our dogs or clients? In my opinion, no. Using ANY product or method not proven to work with proper research can lead to credibility issues that taint the REST of what you say or do. And can waste time and money. We all know that much of stress in our dogs is a mirror of our own. And the placebo effect can be powerful. If we BELIEVE that giving our dogs, or ourselves, a drop or two of a medicine will calm them down, it may well calm them down. This could be a useful tactic. Is this OK? We MUST aknowledge that it is proven NOT to be more than a placebo ... and that using it is NOT treating the problem. If we are percieved as believing that it works, we may tend to look unprofessional. If we suggest its use while NOT believing, I think that is patronizing. Is it harmless? Well, if you want to spend $14 for a 20ML of brandy to reduce stress, your $14 could be put to better use. |
