THUJA OCCIDENTALIS- TREATING WARTS IN HORSES, SYCOSIS AND VACCINOSIS:
 TANYA NOLTE, DIHom MAHA
 Classical EquiHomoeopath


Thuja is one of the leading remedies that is commonly prescribed for warts, sarcoids, tumourous growths, and a multitude of other conditions including vaccinosis. Why...because it is considered one of the major Sycotic remedies in the homoeopathic repertoire. What do I mean by Sycotic...it doesn't neccessarily mean psychosis, which is the first thing that comes to mind,
but in homoeopathic language it relates to a miasm called Sycosis. Samual Hahnemann, the founder of homoeopathy, put forward 3 miasms...Psoric, Sycotic, and Syphylitic. A miasm is like an inherited tendency or susceptibility for an individual to be sensitive or prone to certain conditons or diseases.


The word Sycosis comes from the Greek word meaning 'figwart', which is a major feature of the miasm especially when found on the genitals. The Sycotic miasm has a background of Gonorrhoea, which if suppressed results in the chronic miasm of Sycosis. Now this Gonorrhoea (or Gonorhoea-like symptoms) need not have been contracted by the current patient but from back in the heriditary line. It may lie dormant for a patient's lifetime or at some point may be stimulated by environmental influences, stresses, low immunity, vaccination, trauma etc to emerge in symptoms such as excessive growths, warts or tumours, urogenital complaints, neurological disfunctions, excessive discharges and skin conditions.


The word excessive describes the Sycotic miasm well as it can also have symptoms relating to desire and greed, manipulation of others and deceitfulness, feelings of guilt, unstable/extremes of emotions, hurry and restlessness, high sexuality, profuse discharges and secretions..eg overproduction of mucous, diarrhoea, leucorrhoea, oily/sweaty skin, overgrowth of tissue..eg condylomata, cysts, fungal diseases, high uric-acid causing urinary deposits or stones and the list goes on.


The remedy pertaining directly to the Sycotic miasm is Medorrhinum, which is made from the disease product of Gonorrhoea itself so is called a nosode...Thuja follows a close second behind. All homoeopathic remedies can be categorised into one miasmatic group but there are some that can actually share 2 miasms or even 3.


Thuja is produced from a tincture of the fresh green twigs of an evergreen named Thuja occidentalis, also known as Arbor vitae..or tree of life. An interesting characteristic of this plant
is that it produces an abundance of resin which leads to resinous callosities of the stems and leaves. This could be likened to the excessive nature of Sycosis and it's manifestation in warty and tumourous growths.


A number of remedies have warts in their remedy picture but each one will have different symptoms along with the warts, or a different way of expressing their warts in the horse. Just briefly, Nitric-acidum is another good wart remedy...the warts can look pedunculated, may be soft and jagged, stinging/sharp, Syphylitic (relates to destructive processes) as well as Sycotic, oozing or bleeding. Dulcamara has warts that tend to be flat in nature, smooth, not painful or sensitive to touch, often on the face, and are worse for cold, wet, damp weather or cold washing. Thuja's major characteristic is a cauliflower appearance, pedunculated, can be moist and itchy, painful, smelling like old cheese, appear after suppressed ailments, can be isolated, and bleed easily.


Therefore, it is important to note that Thuja may not always be the correct remedy for treating warts and the like. As always, it depends on the whole symptom picture that is presented as to which remedy is the most appropriate match! There are also several remedies that can deal with vaccinosis.


It is not neccessary to routinely administer Thuja after every vaccination! For one...the horse may not have a susceptibility to become ill from the vaccination so you would be treating for symptoms that don't exist, and two, it wont be known how the symptoms are going to manifest as to which remedy will be indicated. It is not usual to prescibe Thuja for immediate acute vaccination reactions. There will be other remedies more appropriate to this time unless there are definite symptoms indicating Thuja as an acute. Thuja will become more evident as the chronic nature of the disease such as vaccinosis unfolds.


The homoeopathic concept of vaccinosis is considered to be a disease entity that is introduced or stimulated by vaccination. If the patient has already a dormant Sycotic miasm, it is the vaccination that can compromise the immune system of a susceptible individual to become a disturbance of the vital force. This in turn leads to the chronic disease of vaccinosis.


Let us have a quick look at a case with symptoms that have manifested post vaccination. It has been noted that 'Jericho', a bay gelding, hasn't been in the same good health since receiving a vaccination 3-4 months ago. In the first 2 weeks after his vaccination he was off his food and his heart rate appeared to be elevated. A month later, his heart rate was back to normal but Jericho's coat seemed dull and starry. 2-3 months later there was a small, firm swelling forming under Jericho's throat. It was initially thought by the vet, who had administed the vaccination, that the horse may be developing hyperthyroidism. However, thyroid testing and blood analysis revealed no abnormalities and the vet was not able to ascertain a diagnoses.

After the owner consulted with me for a homoeopathic treatment, it was also discovered that since Jericho's coat was looking poorly he had started to get an odd wart or two, one on his left ear, and just recently one on the left side of his sheath that bled occasionally. His behaviour had changed slightly in that he had taken to hiding from his owner and had become more cautious and less trusting. The owner found this confusing as he would swing from this behaviour to his normal self that was quite affectionate. In fact it was thought that Jericho was perhaps becoming a little too affectionate as he would become excited at the owner brushing or touching his belly region. Although his apetite was down he was seen to be drinking excessive amounts of water through the night as his pail would always be empty in the morning. He seemed to be happier on warm days, and more moody on chilly days. Owner finds him lying/resting mostly on his left side. He was also experiencing a mild case of thrush.


As you can see, this picture fits that of Thuja very well. One dose of Thuja 200c was given and 3 weeks later Jericho's apetite had returned, his thirst was normal, the wart on his left ear had shrunk but the one on his sheath remained the same, he was less moody and more like his former self. A month after the first dose of Thuja was given, a second dose was given. Jericho continued to improve with his coat returning back to a glossy sheen, had put weight back on, was not getting so amourous when being brushed and touched, the ear wart had disappeared, the wart on his sheath had shrunk a little and stopped bleeding. It took a third dose of Thuja to see the swelling under the throat subside and Jericho appeared in even better health than prior to his vaccination. The thrush was better but we used some Kreosotum 30c twice a day for 3 days to resolve this layer.


There is much more to Thuja than what I can present here. Each Thuja case can look different or similar to the last, again it depends on the individual's susceptibility on how symptoms manifest in their various forms. I will finish with a short summary...much more information can be found from the homoeopathic Materia Medicas. Fran Vermeulens 'Concordant Materia Medica' is an excellent desktop resource. The 3 volume set of J.H. Clarke's 'Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica' is also very good and has the added advantage of being inexpensive as it is produced in India. Many of you will already be familiar with George Macleod's 'The Treatment of Horses by Homoeopathy'.


THUJA...a leading Rx (remedy) for warty growths and post vaccination reactions where the patient develops urogenital problems, spinal chord/neuralgic complaints, or skin conditions. Useful for bleeding fungal growths, figworts, anal warts, sarcoids, spongy tumours, glandular enlargement. Genito-urinary ailments with thick, yellow-green discharges. Increased sexual urges. Hair grows slowly and splits, after re-vaccination hair is very dry and may fall out. This Rx is used more for chronic conditions than acute. There are times when another well selected Rx fails to act so a dose of Thuja is often used to help clear the effects of prior vaccination. Patient can be mistrustful and fearful of new situations. May be avers company and avoid it. May have increased thirst, espec at night but complete loss of apetite. Symptoms can be predominantly on the left side.
Worse - cold, damp; periodically; yearly; increasing moon, moonlight; 3.oo am and 3.oo pm; urinating; chewing; bright light; stretching; after breakfast; vaccination.
Better - warmth, warm air/wind; free secretions; sneezing; motion; touch; drawing up limbs; rubbing, scratching; left side.


Please bear in mind that this script in no way replaces veterinary advice or treatment! Always call your veterinarian when serious events arise. Should a veterinarian have made a diagnoses and you, the client, desire to follow a wholistic path then I would suggest you seek the professional services of a wholistic veterinarian well versed in homoeopathy, a qualified classical homoeopath or some other wholistic health practitioner if you wish another type of wholistic modality.

WHISPERING HORSE THERAPIES
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P.O. Box 22, Nimbin. NSW. 2480
Australia.
PH.. (02) 66 897296 - Tanya Nolte
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