Your Older Dog by Jean Callahan

Author:Jean Callahan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2001-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

BACH FLOWER REMEDIES

We send flowers to friends in the hospital and buy ourselves bouquets when we’re feeling down. Our canine companions love to frolic in fields of flowers, rolling around and luxuriating in the sensations and the scents. Dr. Edward Bach, an English physician, took this “flower power” further in the 1920s and 1930s when he began observing the healing effects of certain flower essences on his human patients. Dr. Bach noticed that many of his patients exhibited emotional difficulties such as apprehension, worry, loneliness, or anxiety before becoming physically ill. So, he became convinced that if these emotions were alleviated, the patient’s body would have more strength for healing itself.

Bach determined that the best remedies for these emotional and mental problems were found in the flowers that grew in the fields and on the trees of his native English countryside. He succeeded in identifying thirty-eight plant remedies that he divided into seven groups, according to the problems they treat. These flower essences, preserved in brandy, can be found at natural food stores and at herbalists. Holistic veterinarians say that animals respond more readily to the flower essences because they are closer to nature and more open to the subtle healing process.

Flower essences are different from other kinds of medicine because they aren’t intended to treat physical illnesses directly. Instead, they are used for healing emotional problems. According to holistic vets, yarrow is one of the more effective flower essences for use with animals. Rescue Remedy, also called Five-Flower Remedy and Emergency Formula, is made from cherry plum, clematis, rock rose, impatiens, and star-of-Bethlehem. It can be used in stressful situations, such as a trip to the veterinarian, or to help an overexcited dog calm down. Chamomile is good for digestive problems, and borage helps lift depression.

Holistic veterinarians can prescribe the right flower essence for your dog in a particular situation. You can also study the use of the flower remedies (there are many books on the subject) and learn to trust your own instincts about their use. To avoid having your dog lick the essences, which could upset her stomach, veterinarians recommend that you apply a few drops to the top of her head where she can’t reach it. The subtle effects of the flower essences build over time, so it’s often a good idea to repeat treatments every few hours for two or three days.

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