Carbo animalis is a homeopathic remedy for aging pets who become feeble, lack muscle tone and there is poor circulation. Diseases of the elderly with marked venous excess. Complaints in broken down, anemic animals with glandular infiltrations with much hardness and induration. Circulation feeble, stagnated and vital heat sinking to a minimum. Deficient reaction in old animals.

This remedy is indicated so frequently in cases of advanced pathology that its value in functional disorders is often over- looked. All disease begins in the functional plane and, unless checked, progresses toward structural change and incurability.

Carbo animalis can be truly life saving and health restoring in the early stages of chronic disease. In terminal conditions we can only hope to palliate. Most animals end up in treatment somewhere between these two extremes.

Still stressing pathology, "Carbo animalis is frequently the remedy in chronic ulcers and fistulous openings where the walls tend to become hard and the discharge foul. Swollen, painful, indurated glands in the neck, armpit, groin and mammary. This remedy has been one of the most suitable for old, stubborn, cancerous afflictions". Carbo animalis is indicated in cancer more frequently than Carbo veg.; Carb-a, being particularly useful in cancer of the breast or of the uterus.

The Carbo animalis picture seems to read like a case for the undertaker, but Carb- a. also has a broad field in cases where there is no induration (hardness), infiltration, ulceration or observable pathology. Like any other remedy it may become indicated at any time of life.

This homeopathic medicine has some very characteristic and reliable symptoms. The first is exhaustion, weakness, frailness and general aggravation even from the most minute cause or the slightest depletion. A mild case of diarrhea appears to rob the patients vitality completely. Even the slightest thing can be described as terribly weakening.

Carbo animalis patients become slaves to their own routine. Any change may upset them, especially if it involves any extra effort, whether mental, physical, respiratory or digestive, whether conscious or unconscious. A change of altitude, climate or seasons may aggravate. Any abrupt change in the daily routine may disturb the digestion or otherwise aggravate their condition.

Sluggishness and lethargy are two words that apply to the Carb-a patient. They lack the energy and the ambition to undertake activity of any kind. It is hard to get them going and they resent being prodded. After a meal there is a feeling of congestion to the head and neck with drowsiness and loss of interest. Only after the process of digestion is well advanced does the patient resume even the lightest activity. Commonly associated with the above symptoms is an uncomfortable sensation of abdominal distention.

Carbo-a is indicated in the' late stages of pneumonia, bronchitis, or of phthisis pulmonalis, when there is destruction of the lung tissue and decomposition of the fluid which is expectorated. It is just here that you are most liable to make a mistake in selecting Carb-v for Carb-a. Carbo animalis has this symptom to distinguish it, suffocating hoarse cough producing shaking of the brain as though the brain were loose in the head. There is a cold feeling in the chest. Expectoration is green, purulent and horribly offensive, and comes generally from the right lung. As soon as the patient closes his eyes, he feels as if he were smothering.

In affections of the ears you will find otorrhoea. The discharge is thin, ichorous, bloody, and excoriating. With Carbo animalis there is associated swelling of the periosteum behind the ears over the mastoid. However, in Carbo Veg. there is no swelling of the periosteum back of the ear. Carb-a is also indicated in deafness. Carbo animalis has this peculiar symptom to help distinguish it from other remedies: “They cannot tell where a sound is coming from”.

• Especially suited to old animals, and after debilitating disease. Those with feeble circulation and lowered vitality.
• Failure to convalesce after illness.
• Weakness of old age or after debilitating disease.
• Weak joints, swollen glands in neck, groin, mammae.
• Glandular diseases.
• Venous stasis; loss of proper function of the veins in the legs that would normally carry blood back toward the heart.
• Eating may tire the animal. Weak digestion. Flatulence.
• A very valuable remedy for a host of digestive ailments
• These animals usually desire to be alone and seem sad

It has shown good clinical results in the treatment of human hook worm disease.

Potency: 6c to 30c and higher

Keynotes

• LANCINATING, CUTTING, BURNING PAINS
• GLANDS; INDURATED, SWOLLEN, PAINFUL
• HARD PAINFUL NODES IN THE MAMME
• LOOSENESS OF THE TEETH
• BLEEDING GUMS
• GREAT WEAKNESS OF DIGESTION
• WEAKNESS AND EASY DISLOCATION OF THE JOINTS
• RHEUMATIC STIFFNESS OF THE JOINTS
• GREAT SENSITIVENESS TO OPEN, COLD, DRY AIR
• PUTRID DISCHARGES AND EXHALATIONS

Modalities:

< Worse: Worse after loss of fluids.
> Better: In the summer; and in warm, dry atmosphere.

Complimentary: Calc. phos. (especially in affections of the glands.)

Inimical: Carbo animalis and Carbo veg. do not follow each other well. They are so inimical that one may not be given with benefit after the other. They are too nearly the same.

Antidotes: Ars., Camph., Nux-V.

Compare: Badiagha; Sepia; Sulph.; Plumb. iod.

Abbreviations: Carb-an. (Animal Charcoal)