Portrait: CalcPhos
This is a common homeopathic prescription in veterinary practice as it covers most of the musculoskeletal injuries and growth problems especially in young animals. Being a combination of calc and phos it also covers a range of personality types in small animals. It has the some of the openness and friendliness of phos but is more closed and fearful than a full phosphorous type. Constitutionally we are looking therefore, for an animal that exhibits both the fears and insecurities of Calc combined with the slighter build, sensitivity and energy of Phos.
I have used this medicine almost exclusively and predominately for growth problems in dog breeds predisposed to osteochondritis or dysplasia, delayed dentition and retarded bone healing.
I will also use this a lot as an intercurrent medicine in most cases that I suspect as a failure of proper skeletal or dental development. I find myself wondering if it would be strong enough even to unravel the genetic template of the brachycephalic breeds and give them some relief from dental malocclusions and nasal stenosis if used in correct potency. The calcs are good developmental medicines.
Perhaps my most ‘famous’ case of calcphos is one of a six month old black boisterous and mischievous Labrador that had been diagnosed as having a rare and bizarre cardiac pre-excitation condition necessitating the prescription of lifelong medication and carrying a guarded prognosis. Following case taking in this animal I was struck by the concurrent presenting signs that his episodes of cardiac irregularity were always preceded by a gut attack of pain and inappetance that the referring veterinarian could not explain. Being one to get at the nub of things I wanted a pathogenesis to explain the link and wondered what, in puppies, attacks both the gut and the heart and the answer is parvovirus amongst other things. Using a vaccinosis starting point with Thuja and following with calcphos as a restorative and constitutional medicine, this dog grew into perfect health and sired litters of puppies. You could rightfully point out that thuja cured this dog and I also believe it did but I think calcphos took him through to perfect health and vitality over many months with no recurrence of clinical signs. I felt initially that the gut signs in this case could be covered by phos and the cardiac nerve conduction issues have a calcium component and these further informed my choice in this case. Interestingly also is the link between this dog and his first litter of pups, half of whom have now been prescribed calcphos for suspected dysplasia and growth problems. The dam was treated for serious mastitis during the whelping and neonatal period, which may have precipitated these pups ensuing growth problems.
These epigenetic factors, once considered exclusively dietary in cases of ‘inherited’ dysplasia and OCD must have a calcphos component any way you look at it. The progeny seem to be responding well to date to calcphos. Given that it is highly likely that osteopchondritis dessicans (OCD) is a result of poor diets and lack of good quality raw diets with optimal Ca:P ratio, fed over generations, calcphos is also validated.
Cases of acute arthritis in calcphos responsive young dogs like this may also benefit from tuberculinum intercurrently. I am still waiting for results of these programs before I can speak authoritatively about this approach
I have seen calcphos heal a pathological bone fracture in an old dog with cancer and employ it routinely in conjunction with symphytum for bone fractures of any description.
Miasmatically as a tubercular medicine it reinforces the concept of a growing pains medicine under the ‘teenager’ label it often attracts in human medicine.
I have used it for assisting dentition in under developed jaws in Staffies and Rotties and if the malocclusion is not too extreme it works well to effect an alignment. Combined with Bowen this is a good program. The tubercular component comes from the phos looking for attention and affection elsewhere, wandering and not tolerating confinement or enclosures.
Calc phos is a first choice in young fast growing animals that are experiencing setbacks or joint problems. Calcium phosphate is the framework of bones and the source of the medicine.