Rehabilitating Ranger, a Harbour Seal

by Jeff Lederman

Newly weaned harbor seal pups frequently fall victim to starvation, lung worm infestation, and verminous pneumonia. On October 27th, I received a report of just such a pup on the rocks behind someones home. When I found the animal it was in very critical condition. The seal pup was unconscious, convulsing, had shallow, labored, open mouth respiration, and was extremely emaciated. A healthy seal pup of this age should weigh around 50 to 60 pounds. This pup weighed 25 pounds.

At 7:00 pm we arrived back at the rehabilitation center. I began intravenous fluids plus 10cc of 25% dextrose for hypoglycemia. The seal pup's glucose level was 52. The convulsions are usually a result of hypoglycemia and will generally stop almost immediately upon administration of I.V. dextrose. This time the convulsions continued. One dose of Belladonna 1m stopped the convulsions in about five minutes. For the respiratory distress I tube fed the pup an herbal tincture of Grindelia, Hyssop, Licorice, Lobelia, Osha, Pleurisy root, Usnea, Yerba-santa, Echinacea, and Cayenne. It is unwise to tube feed an unconscious animal, but the volume of the tincture was small enough that I felt there would be little chance of aspiration. Antimonium Tartaricum 30c was crushed and placed under the pups tongue for "treatment of respiratory diseases, RATTLING OF MUCUS, trembling of whole body, great prostration, rapid, short, difficult breathing; seems as if he would suffocate", and Sulfur 30c for "DIFFICULT RESPIRATION, OPPRESSION, AS OF A LOAD ON CHEST." China 30c was given for starvation and dehydration.

It has been brought to my attention on more than one occasion, that I have a tendency to utilize too many homeopathic remedies per case. While this may be true, there are a number of reasons for this "shotgun" approach. I must concede that as a homeopathic prescriber I am in my infancy. I have had no formal homeopathic training, no mentor to turn to, and very little specific reference material. There are no repertories for marine mammals. A seal is amphibious. It can sleep under water, hold its breath for 15 to 20 minutes, and almost stop its heart beat for short periods. It has no arms or legs, but rather has flippers, and depends on a thick blubber layer to help maintain its body temperature. How should I go about choosing the simillimum for an unconscious harbor seal pup that quite possibly will be dead by morning. None of the animals admitted to the wildlife center come with any sort of history that I could be aware of. To get an idea of the circumstances leading to their present condition is usually pure speculation. All of my patients know that I am a predator, and that I am about to kill and eat them. The very symptoms necessary for accurate homeopathic prescribing are instinctively hidden by wild animals so as not to show weakness. The animals I am faced with don't have the time for me to administer one well chosen remedy, let that remedy runs its course, then reevaluate the symptoms. More often than not, they will be dead. So, I frequently choose what I feel are the best two or three remedies. I check to make sure they do not antidote one another and I administer them. I also use as many supportive therapies as I can, such as herbs, acupuncture and physical therapies. Unfortunately, I have not reached a level of competency where I can do without antibiotics in all cases. Some neonates are orphaned before receiving whatever antibodies are passed on through nursing. Other animals are so deeply in the throws of an infection that I am not convinced that it is possible for them to rise above it without the aid of antibiotics.

At 8:00 am the following morning, Ranger (he was named during the night as a show of optimism) was alert and active with easy respiration. Blood was drawn and sent to the lab. A fecal exam revealed lung worm larvae, Pricetrema ovum, and Ranger was passing tape worms. The parasites were dealt with alopathically. The lung tincture and homeopathics continued with the addition of Pyrogenium 9c for possible infection. With the exception of packed cell volume and total protein, an indication of dehydration, all blood values were normal.

Ten days later, blood was again drawn. This time the lab report indicated a systemic infection and anemia. A course of antibiotics and acidophilus was begun for the infection. For the anemia I chose a combination of Ferrum Phos. 6x, China 30c, Calcarea Phos. 6x, and Natrum Mur.12x. If this seems like over prescribing, how does this differ from Bioplasma, a combination of all 12 Tissue Salts, or any of the myriad combination remedies on the market?

Six more days and Ranger had a prolapsed rectum. Painful purse string sutures are sewn into Rangers rectum, and he is given a combination of Ferrum Phos. 6x, Ignatia 200x, and Ruta Grav. 30x. A few days later the prolapse was beginning to protrude again. Ranger was given acupuncture on the top of his skull to help draw up the prolapse, and we began an herbal formulae, Ginseng 18. Eight days later, Ranger's rectum was looking good. The stitches were removed and the herbs were discontinued.

Next, a large abscess had formed on Ranger's front flipper, and was resolved with Hepar Sulfuris 6x. Unfortunately, his eyes were looking sticky, indicating a possible infection. Blood was again drawn and results showed a chronic infection. A second course of antibiotics and acidophilus was started.

On December 20th, almost two months after Ranger was rescued off the rocks, all blood work was normal, his weight was a chubby 60 pounds, and Ranger was released back into the Pacific ocean.