Energy medicine, once so exotic that it was dismissed out of hand by America’s physicians and veterinarians, is now going mainstream. In addition to the therapies described in Whole Dog Journal energy healing techniques such as flower essences, animal communication, and kinesiology are used by holistic veterinarians in the U.S. and around the world.
Understanding what these therapies are and how they work will help you decide which energy therapies might be appropriate for your canine companion.
Flower Essences
There’s nothing unusual about a dog responding to an herbal tea or capsule. Plants have been used for thousands of years to treat all kinds of conditions.
But flower essences, which are also called flower remedies, are very different from herbal products. Like homeopathic remedies, they contain little or none of the material used to produce them. Instead, they store a plant’s “vibration” or “imprint,” which in turn affects the animal’s energy. These vibrations or imprints are said to act directly on the animal’s emotions.
Conventional veterinary medicine finds no credible explanation for either homeopathy or flower essences, but physicists and other energy researchers say that on the atomic level, tiny amounts of matter contain subtle but powerful forces.
By far the most famous flower remedy blend is Dr. Edward Bach’s formula for emergency and stress, which is sold under the brand names (depending on the manufacturer) Rescue Remedy, Calming Essence, Five Flower Formula, and Trauma Remedy in health food stores, pharmacies, pet supply stores, and online. It contains star of Bethlehem for shock, rock rose for fear and panic, impatiens for tension and mental agitation, cherry plum for lack of emotional control, and clematis for the sensation one experiences just before fainting.
According to Helen Graham and Gregory Vlamis in their book Bach Flower Remedies for Animals, Rescue Remedy and similar emergency remedies can be used:
- As an adjunct to any treatment for illness, surgery, injury, trauma, or shock
- As a safe alternative to tranquilizers and sedatives
- To help revive weak newborn puppies
- To combat the aftereffects of anesthesia and to revive puppies delivered by caesarean section
- To help resuscitate dogs whose breathing has stopped or help dogs who are having trouble breathing
- After any seizure or convulsion
- To speed recovery from heatstroke or exhaustion
- To speed the healing of wounds
- To help dogs relax at the groomer’s salon, veterinary clinic, obedience school, dog park, or any stressful surroundings
- To support dogs living in shelters
- To improve mental focus and learning
For more herbal and holistic remedies for your dog, purchase and download the ebook series from Whole Dog Journal, Holistic Remedies.
