When a dog, for example, only urinates around their own home, it is an indication that something is out of balance. Other animals can detect the state of their health in their urine, and weaker animals can attract predators. When a dog spins, if not innate behavior, it can be a result of toxins in the blood (seen most of the time from vaccines) that have caused neurological imbalance. Separation anxiety in any animal can be a sign connected with toxins, spay complications, past trauma or other imbalance. When an animal is frightened of noise, given the opportunity, they may likely select kidney/bladder or pain remedies. Spay/neuter complications are common, especially with long incision (vs keyhole) surgery. The procedure can cause bladder adhesions, hormonal imbalance, urinary tract infections, incontinence and fearful behavior.

Animals are microsomatic (possessing a heightened sense of smell). So much of the information about their environment, their well-being and other animals, is obtained via olfaction. Aromatic stimulation therefore, would be a natural part of everyday life enabling them to understand their surroundings, respond to their health needs and other animals. However, in manmade environments, olfactory enrichment is impoverished or absent which can cause their health to deterioriate. Not having access to a rich aromatic environment is not in the interest of animal welfare.

The practice of Animal Self-Medication encourages and allows an animal to guide their own healing, since unlike their wild counterparts, domestic animals rarely have the opportunity to forage on medicinal plants. The extracts offered include a variety of concentrated plant compounds, tubers, clays, algae, seaweed and minerals. Nothing is done without an animal’s consent, as they are innately able to select and dose themselves, having internal receptors for natural remedies.

A selection of appropriate remedies is offered so that an animal can select the ones most suited to their physiology and condition. When we understand the therapeutic properties of their selected remedies, we can begin to awaken to their sensory aromatic language. The frequency of offering will depend on the severity of the condition; often the first three days require more. The key to achieving results is to allow animals to be control of selecting their remedy, dose and application (topical, oral, inhalation).

Each species has a different number of coding genes dedicated to scents. These genes code olfactory receptors, which detect different smells so that animals can regognize thousands of different scents. A dog, for example, has an olfactory cortex accounting for 12.5% of brain mass, while in humans, it’s 1%. A beagle has 225 million olfactory scent receptors; humans have 6 million.

Animals can even detect scents from certain hormones & pheromones enabling them to smell emotions like joy, sadness, love & fear.

Herbivores (like horses and many equines), while they do select by inhalation, alternatively tend to select more oils orally, having the internal mechanisms that break down plant compounds more efficiently.

Animal Self-Medication (contd).

Eating Grass & Dirt

Dogs and cats eat grass frequently to purge. Purging (vomiting, bowels) is a necessary & crucial mechanism for animals. The strategy can rid unhealthy bacteria, fungi and parasites from the upper (vomiting) and/or lower GI tract (stools or diarrhea), can support in other organ systems and has been seen to relieve pain from body pain/inflammation originating in the gut.

If the grass is not purged, it is usually for the nutritional value. Some guardians want to stop their animals from eating grass, but they need this innate opportunity, know what they are doing and doing it for self-medication and self-healing reasons. Whenver possible, grass not affected by pesticides is ideal.

When dogs eat dirt, they are usually looking for soil-dwelling bacteria or clay that can helps balance the microbiome. A GI session would likely be of benefit. If dogs eat sticks or rocks, it could be an endorphin-producing distraction from pain or GI imbalance. A self-medication session would provide more information.

Horses and other equines mainly eat grasses for nutritional value. They cannot vomit.

Compromised Nutrition

Many times in synergy, these have supported animals who have compromised nutrition, joint stiffness, musculoskeletal pain, GI, neurological and other imbalances. A horse who was having tremors did not want any oils but ate a large quantity of barley grass and rosehips and the tremors stopped. A dog who had arthritis selected rice bran oil, barley grass and rosehip shells in order to purge and the next day was running around freely. With the guidance of an Animal Self-Medication practitioner, a boxer ate a large amount of coconut oil and purged a hard hairball that had been in his system for years.

Dogs who have swallowed an object in the past (without our knowing) may show signs of intermittent choking and may need the opportunity to purge. This can be done with certain remedies. Please inquire. Given the opportunity, animals may also need barley grass, rosehips, spirulina, coconut/rice bran oil to aid in purging. They are also nutritional in value if not purged and support collagen production and many other bodily functions and systems.