Your Dog Magazine: July issue

Many thanks to Sue Corfield for her recent article on Applied Zoopharmacognosy.

Aromatic waters

We are delighted to be able to offer the following aromatic waters:

Orange Blossom (Neroli): Citrus aurantium

Damask Rose: Rosa damascena

Elderflower: Sambucus nigra

These are very different products compared to floral waters, which are often produced by adding an essential oil to water, or are by-products of the steam distillation of essential oils (officially called hydrosols).

Our aromatic waters are purposefully made in a unique still through a gentle and extended distillation process enabling both the oil and water-soluble volatile components to combine in the resultant product.

On the last two canine practical’s, dogs have chosen the Orange blossom water over the essential oil. The aromatic water enables them to enter a more playful energy that will then go on to often select mimosa. For equine’s it seems to be a 50-50 split between those that chose the water over the essential oil.

I worked with rose water for the first time last weekend, both the essential oil and the water were very often selected together, however it was much easier to use the water when they wanted it stroked on them. I have less experience with the elderflower water at this time, but in class most of the students as well as the dogs wanted to select it!

In traditional folklore elderflower is used for eye problems, so I am looking forward to seeing if this follows through in self-selection as it would be useful to have another remedy in addition to cornflower to offer. Elderflowers have long been considered to be a very healing and rejuvenating plant and it was used mainly for colds, flus, stomach and bowl problems. Emotionally it offers a sense of clarity and innocence.

www.thewildhealthshop.co.uk

Equine denistry

by Martina Egeler

Together with an equine dentist I did a small trial study to see how essential oils might help horses to cope better with dental treatment. I've been using violet leaf, frankincense and calmers such as valerian, hemp and hops.

The results were amazing.

Some of the 14 animals we saw that day had been quite difficult to treat during previous visits by the dentist. Others were basically fine but still quite tense. All of them were able to stand quietly or even relax when the rasp was in their mouth. All of them relaxed into the oils as soon as the rasp was removed. To those who had a more lengthy treatment I also offered oils to help with concentration, which also proved to be very helpful.



I had the same positive result with a pony who finds clipping very stressful. With a more lengthy dentistry or clipping session I have started introducing Black Pepper, Tobacco and Nutmeg. They definitely seem to help animals cope better.