Bach Flower Essence for Animals

Dr. Shana Buchanan, MBA, Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Certified in Veterinary Chiropractic, Veterinary Food Therapist, Certified in Chinese Veterinary Herbs

This week we are going to explore Bach Flower Essence.  Some of you are familiar with Rescue Remedy for your pets and yourselves.  That is just one of many remedies that are safe and effective.   Dr. Edward Bach lived by the quote: “Health depends on being in harmony with our souls.”  He believed that attitude of mind plays an important role in maintaining health and recovering from sickness.  By 1936, he developed a complete system of 38 flower essences which are prepared from the flowers of wild plants, trees or brushes.  The way the essences work is by treating the individual instead of the disease or its symptoms.  The main purpose of the essences is to support the patient’s fight against illness by addressing the emotional factors that impede physical healing.  Additionally, they can be used preventatively.  An important aspect about the essences is that they do not conflict with any medication.  Therefore, they are completely safe, have unwanted side effects and are non-addictive.  Therefore, the essences are usually used in conjunction with other conventional medication prescribed.   Just like any other medication, compliance is an issue since the essence must be taken daily for at least five days if not longer.  This is a result of their mild action of stimulating positive attitudes and self-healing. 

At this point some of you are wondering how a flower can help an individual, especially when the treatment involves emotional well-being of a pet.  Add on another factor of an animal that has a limited emotional state.  Dr. Bach divided the 38 essences into seven groups, representing fundamental conflicts that are present in people and our furry and feathered friends.  These divisions include:  fear, uncertainty, insufficient interest in present circumstances, loneliness, over-sensitivity to influences and ideas, despondency or despair, and over-care for the welfare of others.   While I acknowledge that our pets do not hold the entire realm of emotions that we experience, they do experience most of the seven divisions in some way or another.

Flower essences are important in the treatment of animals because they restore the balance and harmony of an animal’s true nature, thereby remedying the disorders and diseases resulting from its distortion by humans.   Since animals, like humans, are complex creatures with multiple problems, several flower essences can be given at one time.  Additionally, the need for one essence for another can change over the course of the disease depending upon the environment.  Therefore, it is important for caregivers and veterinarians to communicate the nuances of the pet’s change in behavior.