Bach Flower Remedies for dogs, cats and other pets“0 Comments”
admin | 10:00 am | March 29, 2008 | Bach Flower, Flower Essences
The Bach Flower Remedies are based on the research and findings of an English doctor, Dr Edward Bach. Dr Bach was a medical pioneer in the early 1900s, who became aware of the link between stress, emotions and illness. He was also a specialist in the study of bacteria, and in particular the role of bacteria and chronic disease. Dr Bach sought to find a simple, safe way to restore harmony in the diseased body through emotional wellness. In his search, he discovered properties of flowers, trees and bushes that provided him with the remedies he was looking for.
Since his discovery many more flower essences have been discovered around the world, including
So how do they work? Essences are thought to work through the body’s energy system and may work in a similar way to homeopathy and acupuncture. Dr Bach proposed that the remedies work by the transfer of ‘life force energy’ from the plant to the patient’s ‘vital force’. They are usually considered a form of ‘energy’ medicine acting on the emotional and spiritual levels of the body. Use of the essences alters the emotional or mental state in a subtle way. They can also help healing due to the connection between emotional and physical well-being.
This connection is based on Dr Bach’s idea that negative emotional states can suppress the healing process. This is interesting because in the last decade there has been a great deal of interest in ‘psychoneuroimmunology’ or the study of the connection of the mind and its influence on disease. Connections between the immune, nervous system and endocrine (hormonal) system seem to support this concept.
So do pets have emotional states that can influence their health? Well you can probably answer that yourself. We know many pets have behavioural problems and we can even describe the personalities of our pets. Many pets suffer from stress either because of their temperament, because they haven’t been socialised appropriately as puppies, or because their environment is stressful, especially when their owners are stressed too. We know that stress can reduce our immunity, so it is not unreasonable to accept that stress and emotional stress can influence the health of our pets.
Even though Dr Bach developed his flower essences for people, they have been used in pets for over fifty years. There are currently no scientific studies to support their use, but many owners observe positive changes in their pets with use of these non-toxic, gentle remedies. Each Bach Flower Remedy helps deal with specific states of mind. These states include fear, terror, mental torture or worry, indecision, indifference or boredom, doubt or discouragement, over-concern, weakness, self-distrust, impatience, over-enthusiasm and pride or aloofness.
The difficulty with using Bach Flower Essences or other flower essences in pets is that we can’t ask how the pet is feeling. We have to rely on our judgment and observations and sometimes intuition to find the appropriate remedies.
Bach Flower Essences from the Natural Vet Company