Ideal for: Allergies. Behaviour. Cats. Coat. Dogs. Fear. Grooming. Paws. Picky eaters. Recovery. Seniors. Skin infections. Special diets. Training. 

A dog, terrified of people & other animals cowers on the ground. Another dog panics outside the vet's office & won't go inside. A third dog, so fearful of riding in the car starts drooling uncontrollably. But after drinking several drops from a brown glass bottle, the first dog lies in the crowded grassy park, content, the second walks into the vet's office noticeably calmer & the third stops drooling altogether. What are these animals taking? The answer is flower remedies.

About Flower Remedies. Flower remedies, also called flower essences, are a rapidly growing segment of the natural health movement. Although originally developed for humans, in pets they treat conditions such as anxiety, skin & coat problems & misbehavior. Flower remedies are part of vibrational medicine, the study of high-frequency subtle energies. While no one can explain exactly how these preparations work, there is recognition of the body-mind-spirit connection & science has now shown us how a person's or animal's mental & emotional state can trigger the release of hormones & neurotransmitters that affect the body's ability to heal. Many people have found flower essences to elicit positive changes in their pet's behaviour.

Flower remedies were discovered in the early 20th century by Dr. Edward Bach, an English physician & homeopath whose recognized the profound effect the mind & spirit have on healing. He believed that negative emotional states suppress the body's natural healing & that this emotional imbalance was actually the primary cause of physical disease. He reasoned that when these emotional problems were treated the physical symptoms would go away. His work involved developing a special process through which water absorbed the energy of certain special plants. He proposed that it might be possible to transfer the life force from the plants to the water that when consumed could help balance a patient's vital force. Dr. Bach discovered 38 various flower remedies, which correspond to every imaginable emotional state. Thirty-seven are extracts of flowers, while one remedy is made from natural spring water.

Flower remedies may be given singly or in combination & are without side effects. Unlike conventional therapies that often rely upon drugs treating the symptoms, the flower remedies attempt a more holistic healing by helping individuals to heal themselves. The most famous flower preparation is a formulation for emergency & stress, a blend of five of the 38 remedies, which is known as Rescue Remedy®. As its name suggests, this formula is appropriate for all emergencies. While not a replacement for medical attention, it combats shock, panic & mental anguish & helps the body begin its own healing process. Rescue Remedy forms the base of a number of our special remedies for pets.

Administering Flower Remedies.The easiest way to administer a flower essence is by dropping several drops in the water dish or food bowls. They can be applied topically, behind the animal's ears, on the bare skin of the abdomen, on the upper thigh or underarm area or on the paw pads. The usual dose for most long-standing or chronic problems is four drops four times a day for four weeks. For acute emergencies or sudden shocks, you can dose with three or four drops every 15 minutes until the condition stabilizes, then repeat as necessary. It is the frequency of doses rather than the amount of the dose that is important.

Any flower remedy can bring an immediate, dramatic change, though this reaction is unusual. The most typical pattern is to realize gradual effects over a period of time. Flower essences are not cure-all. Rather, they stimulate transformation in subtle ways & are most effective when used as part of a holistic program of health maintenance & improvement. If a remedy is not appropriate for the condition being treated, it will have no adverse effect. Remedies with different actions never contradict or interfere with each other. There are few healing practices so free from risk.

Although helpful as an adjunct treatment, the special remedies are not intended to be a replacement for veterinary care. Changes in a pet's health status should always be discussed with a qualified veterinarian.

Behavioural & Emotional Problems: Nervousness, Anxiety & Fear. Animals can become stressed by many things, resulting in all sorts of bizarre behaviors & fear is often the underlying emotion that produces stress responses. Flower essences can alleviate animal fears, resolve the negative emotional state & help in the treatment of complex behavioral problems.

Choosing a Special Remedy.T he special remedy combinations were developed in conjunction with holistic veterinarians to treat conditions specific to animals. Each remedy contains specific flower essences whose unique characteristics function to stabilize different emotional states.

Varieties: Allergies & Skin. Change. ChronicIillness. Excessive Barking. Get Along. Grieving & Loss. Jealousy & Resentment. Licking. Nervous. Pain & Arthritis. Recovery. Separation. Training. Travel & Motion Sickness.

 
The 38 Flower Remedies. As a resource, here is a list of the remedies & a brief description about their uses with pets:

Agrimony: "Mental torment behind brave face." Used for stoic, sensitive animals who are anxious to please & do not complain about anything, even when in pain. For restless animals & those who do not like to be left alone. These animals may develop skin infestations or irritations, arthritis, digestive upset or urinary incontinence when distressed.

Aspen: "Fear & worries of unknown origin." Used in animals who are nervous & jittery, become anxious & nervous for no obvious reason, spooks easily & panic at new things. For impending stresses such as storms, earthquakes, thunder, firecrackers, travel & shows. It is also useful for separation anxiety & animals that urinate through fear.

Beech: "Intolerance." Used in animals who constantly complain, are picky eaters, are grumpy, easily irritated & annoyed & who don't like other animals or people. For animals who are sensitive to their environment, develop allergies, are sensitive to heat & cold & who have any type of intolerances (e.g. grasses, insects, etc). It is also useful for reducing territorial aggression.

Centaury: "Weak-willed & subservient." Used in animals who are more submissive, weak-willed, subservient, eager to please & do not stand up for themselves. For animals that catch infections easily & have no resistance & helps increase the desire to fight disease & the will to live. It is also useful for animals who are fearful of other dogs, urinate submissively or are the runt of the litter.

Cerato: "Seeks advice & confirmation from others." Used for the inattentive animal, the slow learner & the easily distracted, especially during training. For animals with disorders that are difficult to diagnose & treat. It is also useful for animals that are vocal, restless, have disciplinary problems & are chronic barkers.

Cherry Plum: "Fear of mind giving way & losing control." Used for animals who are destructive, incontinent, hysterical, vicious or hyperactive. For animals with uncontrollable behaviour, compulsiveness & unpredictability & helps with fear aggression, self-mutilation & for animals who become incontinent when excited. It is also useful for animals that seem to know they have misbehaved after biting & scratching.

Chestnut Bud: "Failure to learn from past." Used to break bad habits in animals & help them learn basic skills. For any form of behaviour modification & helps increase memory & assists in training. It is also useful for animals who are accident-prone & for recurrent illnesses that are not responding to treatment.

Chicory: "Selfishly possessive." Used in overly possessive animals: thinks it owns the house & everything in it. For animals that are constantly underfoot or in the owner's lap & are overly protective of their litter or who demand attention & food & are overly possessive or jealous. It is also useful for animals that are destructive when the owner leaves & to ease the emotions associated with letting go (going to a new home, separating mother & offspring, for example).

Clematis: "Dreaminess, lack of interest." Used to restore consciousness. Helpful in drug overdoses, exhaustion from giving birth, vestibular disease when the animal is weak & shock (especially if cold to the touch) & speeds up recovery time after surgery or trauma. For animals that are distracted, indifferent, lack interest in present circumstances or have scattered thoughts. Restores alertness, reduces boredom & increases attention span. It is useful in increasing the ability of the pet to focus, especially during training. Good for guard- & seeing-eye dogs.

Crab Apple: "Self hatred, uncleanliness." Used to cleanse wounds & rashes. For animals that groom excessively & are over-fastidious & gets rid of odors & poor self image. It helps animals who are distressed because they have soiled themselves or those who have a heavily matted coat. For animals that have been abused by people or other animals or are left abandoned to die. It is also useful for "toxic" states such as infections, wounds, unhealthy coats & poisoning.

Elm: "Overwhelmed by responsibility." Used for naturally high-strung or easily overwhelmed animals. For pets who are stressed & overwhelmed by demanding situations such as traveling, strangers, grooming, boarding, shows, home renovations & constant environmental stress or mothers overwhelmed by the demands of a big litter. It is also useful for animals that develop the same disorders as its owners.

Gentian: "Discouragement, despondency." Used for animals experiencing any type of setback. For depression due to chronic illness, separation, abuse or for animals who are run down, discouraged or depressed emotionally or physically. For animals who have "given up", especially when ill or after stillborn litters. It is also useful after the loss of a friend, chronic disease, rehabilitation, bad experience or for detoxifying animals to help the healing process.

Gorse: "Hopelessness & despair." Used for animals who show signs of hopelessness or giving up. For cases of abuse, neglect or separation from the owner (e.g. owner's death). For animals who don't respond to encouragement, who are slow to recover from illness or refuse food. It is also useful for mothers that have lost their offspring.

Heather: "Self centeredness, self concern." Used for the animal who always craves attention, needs to be the center of attention, is demanding or friendly to the point of being obnoxious. For animals who vocalize constantly, are worse when left alone & can be destructive. It is also useful for animals who are inattentive to the commands of the owners & animals that seem lonely.

Holly: "Hatred, envy, jealousy." Used in animals that exhibit negative emotions or who seem upset, angry, aggressive, jealous or suspicious. For animals who tend to bite & anger easily, but can also be loving, tolerant & happy; malicious one minute, really nice the next. For animals who need more love or have been abused or neglected (e.g. dogs kept outside or chained up). It is also useful for most cases of aggression.

Honeysuckle: "Lives in the past." Used for separation anxiety & for pets with homesickness or separation from loved ones during boarding. Helpful to stimulate vital energies. Good for pets who have difficulty adjusting to new circumstances. It is also useful for pets who may exhibit grief with illness, inability to cope with present circumstances.

Hornbeam: "'Monday morning' feeling." Used in animals who appear lethargic when training or working but then show energy during play time. Helpful for slow starters & those with mental & physical exhaustion. For show animals who have lost interest & pets that have lost interest in life & appear tired. It is also useful as a pick-me-up after illness.

Impatiens: "Impatience." Used for animals who are nervous, anxious, easily agitated, irritable, uptight & don't cooperate. For animals who are restless, excitable, cannot sit still or are in too much of a hurry to learn when training. Good for neurological conditions where there is nervousness, shaking or seizures made worse by excitement. It is also useful for pets showing emotional or physical pain. May relieve pain.

Larch: "Loss of confidence." Used for animals who are fearful or cowering in submission or for pets with a victim mentality. For animals who have lost confidence or fear failure. It is also useful for abused animals.

Mimulus: "Fear of known things." Used for animals that are fearful, nervous, lacking in courage, shy, timid or easily dominated. For specific fears that can be identified such as fear of visitors, thunder, lightening, heavy rain on the roof, other animals, certain noises, planes overhead or judges in shows. It is also useful for pets that have been abused or have become vicious, aggressive or aggressive if cornered.

Mustard: "Deep gloom with unknown origin." Used for animals experiencing sudden, profound depression. For animals that prefer solitude or chronic illness where the animal has apparently given up hope of recovery. Good for pets who like to be alone, especially an older animal, or gets cranky. It is also useful for pets with hormone imbalances (e.g. when in season or during gestation) & when owners feel something is wrong but don't know what.

Oak: "Exhausted but struggles on." Used for hard-working animals who are overworked or burdened, who persist in spite of adversity. For pets following malnutrition or loss of bodily control of function (e.g. loss of limb or eliminative function). It is also useful for animals struggling to overcome a disability & to help rebuild after a physically stressful situation. Good for endurance races where stamina is required.

Olive: "Lack of energy." Used for exhausted pets. For exhaustion of the adrenal glands due to chronic illness or being worn down from chronic illness or allergies. Useful for detoxification when weak, gives support during the cleansing process. Good for animals with anemia, any loss of function or coming out of hibernation. Enhances stamina in endurance competitions.

Pine: "Self-reproach, guilt." Used for pets who try hard to over-please owners yet still face rejection or tries to constantly please its' owner. For the pet who is "co-dependent" & acts guilty when the owner is upset. It is also useful for a pet who is devoted to its owners despite poor treatment, abuse or rejection. Good for animals that have been given away or left behind in the pound.

Red Chestnut: "Fear or over-concern of others." Used for pets who worry about the owner or other animals or has excessive fear & anxiety for others. For pets who are overprotective of offspring or owner & who don't tolerate separation well. Good for when pet senses impending danger such as storms.

Rock Rose: "Terror." Used for terror, panic, phobias & extreme fear. For overly fearful pets, after any terrifying events & for animals who display extreme escape behaviour. It is also useful for sunstroke, heatstroke & animals that destroy the house out of fear when left alone during thunder, storms, fireworks & unusual noises.

Rock Water: "Self repression, self denial." Used for pets who refuse to accept new training methods, who are stubborn & resist breaking old habits or have a rigid, inflexible, intractable nature. Helpful with pets that have difficulty adapting to changes in routine or when an animal moves into a new household. It is also useful for picky eaters, degenerative arthritis & stiff joints or dominant behaviour.

Scleranthus: "Indecision." Used for neurologic problems such as seizures. Useful for strokes, paralysis, travel sickness with vomiting or vestibular disease (impaired balance). Good for pets with mood swings or fluctuations in energy levels.

Star of Bethlehem: "Shock." Used for comforting the pet. Helpful following emotional or physical trauma or animals who become withdrawn. Useful where trauma (physical, mental or emotional) appears to cause paralysis or loss of function in a body system. For change (e.g. moving house, staying in kennels) & possibly useful for separation anxiety if an animal appears shocked by the change.

Sweet Chestnut: "Extreme mental anguish." Used to increase energy to deal with competitive events or chronic problems. Helpful for an overall boost to the pet's mental & physical constitution. It is also useful for hopelessness & despair when an animal has reached the limits of its endurance, for animals that refuse to eat after separation from owners, to the point of death, for self-mutilation due to distress & not necessarily boredom. For a wild animal that paces in captivity & animals that are very high-strung.

Vervain: "Over-enthusiasm." Used for hyperactive animals who never tire & are restless. For animals that pace, jump & bark all the time & may help calm animals that can't get enough exercise. May help tendency to roam & escape.

Vine: "Domineering, inflexible." Used in pets who are dominant, strong-willed & difficult to train. For animals that are bullying & very territorial. Good for animals in competition to make them more noticeable.

Walnut: "Protection from change & outside influence." Used to protect against allergens, infectious agents & other pets. Helpful to aid in transitions (e.g. moving or changing households, travel, surgery, loss of a body part) or for any life change (e.g. teething, coming into heat for the first time, a new mother). It is also useful after surgery such as neutering & spaying & to aid the healing process. Also useful in training & prior to euthanasia.

Water Violet: "Proud, aloof." Used for pets who are loners or prefer to be alone, often antisocial with other animals & people. For any form of grief & especially for animals who tend to withdraw & want to be alone when grieving. Good for cats who are aloof & indifferent to others around them.

White Chestnut: "Unwanted thoughts." Used to quiet an animal's mind. For obsessive behaviour & for sleeplessness, restlessness due to anxiety. Good for pets in training & competition. Increases focus during training & improves ability to abandon old behaviours.

Wild Oat: "Uncertainty as to path in life." Used in pets who seem depressed or bored. Helpful for animals not performing to its capacity. For pets who do not do what they are trained to do or for animals that retire from an occupation they have been bred to do. Good for animals who show signs of separation anxiety, such as chewing or house destruction.

Wild Rose: "Resignation, apathy." Used in pets that are apathetic, overly serious & tense. Helpful to add some excitement to a pet's life & for pets that show no enjoyment of life. It is also useful during long, debilitating illnesses, for animals chained up in a small area, grouchy older animals.

Willow: "Resentment." Used for resentment in pets. For pets who may have been abused or those who do not receive appropriate attention. It is also useful for animals who exhibit destructive behaviour where resentment is the underlying cause, may destroy the house out of resentment. Good for pets who urinate or defecate in the house because the owner "did" something.