Published on June 11, 2007

Bach flower remedies are frequently used in complimentary veterinary practice to help treat behavioral problems, to aid in training and to address different emotional imbalances such as fear, anxiety and grief. These imbalances may affect an animal's ability to heal and respond favorably to its environment.

Bach Flower Remedies

Our companions experience a rich variety of emotions and can experience traumatic event which may leave them extremely fearful or depressed. These events may result from the loss of a person or a move from a favorite home. Just as with humans, sometimes an animal companion can get caught in a psychological loop which can actually worsen, rather than improve, the condition. An example of such a loop could be the competition brought about by the introduction of a new puppy into the household, causing the older pet to feel rejected and become depressed and withdrawn, or even become very dominant. Either of these conditions may further upset the household equilibrium, resulting in further reduction of the attention paid to the older pet, resulting in a worsening of the undesirable behavior.

Everything our companions do and vocalize is their form of communication. While it is not fair to completely anthropomorphosize their behavior, they can suffer from grief, abandonment, separation anxiety, over-possessiveness, etc. The more attuned an animal is to its owner, the more likely it is to pick up on and be subject to the owner's emotions and the stresses of their emotional environment. This close relationship can be either beneficial or harmful, depending upon the influences.

It is important to realize that some behavior problems are not behavior problems, but a sign of physical illness, and the animal is entitled to a thorough veterinary examination before they are characterized as having a stress or behavior related disorder.

The 38 Bach Flower remedies were developed by Dr. Edward Bach in England in the early part of this century. The remedies are prepared from bushes, wild plants and trees, and are neither harmful nor habit forming.

There are two methods of preparing a Bach Flower remedy; the sun method and the boil method. The sun method is similar to making a sun tea with the flowers on top, and the boil method is similar to preparing an herbal decoction. Brandy is added as a preservative for stock preparations. The remedies are not exactly like homeopathic preparations, although they are used in very dilute amounts and they can be affected by strong camphor-like smells; eucalyptus, moth balls, pine tar, etc. Strong sunlight and magnetic radiation also exercise a deleterious affect on the remedies. Unlike homeopathic preparations, they can be administered satisfactorily in food or water. If the community water dish is used as a delivery agent, animals not requiring certain remedies will not be affected adversely by their presence in the water. Personally, I have found that giving the remedy directly two to three times per day, preferably three times per day, seems to work better. In times of severe reactions, they may be given every few minutes.

In some instances, you may notice a response in just a few days, but it could take as much as two weeks before a change in behavior is apparent. Treatment usually lasts for three weeks, but may last for as long as three months to help the change become permanent.

Because our canine and feline friends do not react well to the brandy preservative, when the remedies are compounded from the stock solution for the individual animal, the brandy is left out for cats, and only minuscule amounts are added for dogs. Therefore, the individualized remedy, if not used within the allotted time, may become contaminated, and should be discarded. Refrigeration may sometimes help slow this. Remember, if the dropper touches the animal's mouth, or is otherwise contaminated, it should be washed and cleaned thoroughly prior to being reinserted into the bottle.

There is some dispute over how many remedies may be used in prescribing for an animal; ranging from four to six per prescription. A better guideline is to use the most indicated remedies, and if there are eight very strongly indicated, use all of them. We tend to rarely need more than five at any one time.

As far as which remedies to choose, muscle testing is one way to select the appropriate remedy. Another means is to put oneself into the animal's place, feel what he feels, sense what he senses, and then determine the remedies which most closely fit the animal's behavior, personality and/or emotions. Obviously, this requires knowledge of the indications of use of each remedy.

One of the remedies, which is actually a combination of five different remedies, is called Rescue Remedy. This is also available as a topical cream, as well as the usual internally administered liquid. Rescue Remedy is one of the most important remedies that any complimentary first aid kit should have. It can be used whenever there is shock, trauma or stress. In severe emergencies, it may be administered every few minutes to help the animal survive or cope. It is ideal to give on the way to the veterinary hospital if the animal has been severely injured or is severely ill. It will not interfere with other medicines. About the only time not to give it would be if the animal is to be euthanized, as it appears to anchor the psyche more firmly. Yet, in cases of severe illness or injury where it has been used, it can ease the naturally occurring transitions to death and make that death very peaceful. Because of its attributes, some might be tempted to just constantly keep it in the water dish, but that is not fair to the remedy, which should be saved for times of stress or injury.

We routinely use Bach Flower remedies to modify the behavior of spraying cats, very timid or aggressive animals, stressed animals in the hospital, animals that are depressed from illness or a change of their environment, and on animals that are too bombastic or scattered or withdrawn. Our Tellington Touch expert, Sabrina Sweeney, has found it to be a wonderful adjunct to training programs as the remedies can help the animal to learn faster and easier.

As far as which remedies to use for which conditions, there is no absolute formula for each condition, as the personality and environmental influences vary for each individual case. The indications for the remedies in the Handbook of Bach Flower Remedies,by P.M. Chancellor, is very in-depth and is a very good reference for further use. There are many simplified listings of remedies' properties which are wonderful for a quick reminder, but these lists should not be substituted for an in-depth study.

Bibliography:

The Dr. E. Bach Centre, Mount - Vernon, Sothwell, Wallington, Oxon, OX 10 OP2, England

Newsletters, brochures

Source of Bach Flower Essences

Handbook of the Bach FlowerRemedies, P.M. Chancellor, The C. W. Daniel Co. Ltd., 60 Muswell Rd., London, N 10, England (1971).

Heal Thyself, Edward Bach, M.D., Keats Publishing, Inc., 27 Pine St., Box 876, East New Cannan, CT, 06840.

The Twelve Healers,, ibid.

The Bach Remedies Repertory, F.J. Wheeler, M.D., ibid.

Dr. Pat Zook went to undergraduate school at Texas A&M, and graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M in 1974, when female students were still considered a novelty. She moved to the Atlanta area in 1975, and went to work for Red Palmer, inventor of the "CapChur" gun, as his resident veterinarian. It was while working for Red Palmer that Dr. Zook developed her love for exotic cats.

Dr. Zook has studied homeopathy and alternative treatment therapies since she graduated, and receive her certification in Veterinary Acupuncture from the international Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) in 1977. She has pursued a program of self-study in homeopathy and herbal treatments for more than 15- years. She is also a Second Degree Reiki Master.

Dr. Zook is a member of the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (1VAS), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Holistic Veterinary Association (AHVMA). Dr. Zook lives with her husband, Fiel, and her 12 cats in Villa Rica, Georgia.

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Loving Touch Animal Center - 1975 Glenn Club Drive - Stone Mountain, GA 30087