Zoopharmacognosy with Pigs & Also an update on China

I hope everyone had a good break over Christmas, I must admit I certainly did. Skiing is another love of mine and the snow in Austria over Christmas was fantastic. With few crowds at this time, we managed to find some secluded beautiful places on the mountain, as well as a hut with an open fire and great hot wine, where I was inspired with ideas for a new book! The south of France too is yet another home to me, we were lucky with the weather. On one occasion walking 14 miles along the coast of Theole Sur Mer, it was stunning.

I came home to an excited phone call from Lynn Geast, who is a dedicated and passionate student, wanting to share her experience with a couple of pigs she worked with (see below). I also came home to an email from China, outlining the seminars and workshop clinics to be held in Beijing and Hangzhou, which total 3 seminars with 50/60 delegates per seminar, and 20 delegates for each of the 3 clinic workshops (dogs & cats). I leave on March 22nd and return on April 2nd. With Zoophaarmacognosy now to be in China, it looks like it is making headway across the continents.

10th January 2012 by Essex Horse and Pony Protection Society

Registered charity number: 297893

Sanctuary rescue pigs, Dolores and Levi, have both been extremely subdued since the death of their little companion, Babe. Their whole demeanour has changed considerably – almost to the point of depression. Also, Dolores got quite badly kicked the other day by our Lily when she ventured into Lil’s paddock. Luckily, there were no broken bones, but poor old ‘Lores is certainly bruised and battered to some extent. However, I was so amazed at what I witnessed today when Lynn came in to the Sanctuary to work with our pigs, that I simply had to tell someone! 

Shortly after Lynn arrived at the Sanctuary around mid-day today, I introduced her to Levi and Dolores, who were both dozing in their stable. There was a slight air of despondency from the two of them.Lynn introduced some aromas and oils to them both, but it was Dolores who took a greater interest in the whole procedure (Levi was much more interested in having a cuddle with me and a belly tickle!) After around a 20 minute session with Lynn offering different oils, the total change in them both was clearly visible. Dolores was particularly receptive to the treatment and was soon up and about and ready to run round the yard (causing havoc and mayhem) just as she used to! Levi was more than happy to join in. 

Later, as Lynn was leaving, Levi and Dolores came rushing over to her to say goodbye – they really seemed like their old selves. Lynn will be pleased to know that within minutes of her departure, they did their usual trick of getting into the Information Centre and going down everyone’s’ bags looking for treats!

Lynn will prepare a full report in much more detail within the next few days. Lynn will be working with our horses and ponies in the future and, if the “pig trial run” is anything to go by, I am sure it will be successful.In the meantime, Lynn, it was an absolute privilege to watch you at work and thank you for coming to the aid of our naughty piggies. The most wonderful thing about today is seeing how the animals interacted with you; they know a person they can trust a mile off! If anyone would like me to put them in touch with Lynn for further details on her brilliant work, please email me at administrator@ehpps.org.uk. The process really does make a difference – and I’m one of the oldest sceptics around! 

Lynn Geast: Ingraham Academy trained Zoopharmacognist. Main oil selected was rose otto. Please contact Lynn if you would like further information LHedges05@aol.com

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The new year brings about many exciting projects and ventures. I'll be teaching French goat/sheep farmers on the subject of zoopharmacognosy later on in the year, this will be part of a formal academic paper. Also confirmed is a trip to China and Taiwan where I will be teaching and holding classes & TV interviews.  I will fill you in with details on my return as I am just about to leave for a holiday in beautiful Austria with Tom and then onto France with my partner Martin.

I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and thank you for your continued support.
Caroline

Zoopharmacognosy on Swiss Radio

My name is Isabelle and if you find yourself travelling from Zürich to Milano, it is my voice that you hear at the train station. Many wanted to know who the voice belonged to, so I was asked to give a interview for one of the most popular Swiss radio channels  'the person behind the voice.'
I agreeded providing they let me talk about my passion in animal protection and Applied Zoopharmacognosy, the latter I learned from Caroline in the UK.  The interviewer was excited about both zoopharmacognosy and animal protection, and so on 16th December zoopharmacognosy travelled through lots of Swiss households as sound waves ;-)  


On the 24th there is a repetition, so I hope that lots of people will hear about Caroline’s wonderful work on Christmas day.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and send lots greetings over the Alps … Isabelle Augustin

Zoopharmacognosy: Another way forward for dog & animal training? Katie Scott -Dyer

I first had the pleasure of meeting Katie Scott Dyer at an event hosted by her in Bristol, where Sarah Fisher and I independently gave a talk. Katie is an incredible woman with such a dedicated passion to Animal Behaviour, it is thanks to Katie that the door has opened for me and my students and graduates to work at Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary Bristol, where she introduced me to Pauline, who runs the shelter. Pauline  is also so incredibly dedicated to the welfare of animals, tirelessly working all hours, while open to anything that may be of benefit to an animals' well being. 

In addition to many Animal Behaviourists beginning to regard zoopharmacognosy as a great compliment to their work, I also wanted to mention the benefits that I am experiencing with green clay for various itchy skin conditions.

On one particular day last month I went to help a dog with demodectic mange (non contagious) at the shelter. The puppy’s skin was hot and itchy, a gel was not appropriate so I dusted her coat with a preparation of powdered green clay, neem and a drop of garlic. Instantly she settled and stopped itching, and her skin became less angry.  In most cases of itchy skin I work with an anti itch gel, in these cases it is usually related to allergies. The week before green clay was once again the hero. In this case the dog had a fungal infection, the skin was hot and damp, typical of conditions where fungal infections thrive. Since the skin needs to dry out to create a hostile environment for the fungus, I dusted powdered green clay into her coat, with a few drops of sandalwood and again the effects were immediate. She stopped itching and her skin began to heal in the days to follow.

Quote from Katie's Blog   www.verypets.co.uk 

Ingraham gratuates woking in rescue centres. Hungary

Update from Hungary; Eleanor Goold

I am pleased to report that I have had some great results on a dog I worked on at a shelter who was terrified of humans. Mackó (translates to teddy bear) had come from a home where he was abused for all of his life and was incredibly timid and fearful. He was a tough one to crack as I could not leave oils for him (the few staff at the shelter have barely got enough resurce to shelter and feed the dogs let alone try to rehabiliate them) and I could only visit weekly. I did four sessions with him, and he is now a totally different dog - the dog who would cower in the corner of his cage and not come near to humans or even socialise with other dogs, now greeted me with a wag of the tail and wanted to play. He now has a much better chance of being homed. I think some of the shelter staff were at first a bit cynical - but I persevered and now they have seen the results they are very welcoming and open to zoopharmacognosy. It is interesting to note that Mackó never really took to the usual range of emotional oils, and rose was always a definate no. His favourite at first were seaweed, spikenard and sea buckthorn. He was not once interested in any macerates, dried remedies or powders but at our last session he was only interested in immortelle. He was so afraid of the oils in  bottles or bowls, but he loved to inhale the oils from the palm of my hand.

Kennel Cough

Recently kennel cough has been in conversations. A disease that is hugely distressing to dogs, costly and a problem to many shelters.  However Wood Green Animal Shelter is having great results in keeping kennel cough under control. Tracy Challis has done a lot of work in this area and has written up some very encouraging results.

"Here at the shelter we often see Kennel cough due to the high stress levels and poor health of some of the animals that come in. To alleviate this problem and the congestion associated with the illness I began to work with oils that I felt could help. Eucalyptus being my first port of call and bergamot being another due to its airborne anti bacterial properties. I found that dogs with symptoms of kc have really wanted these oils both together and separately and that their symptoms reduce within 48 hours and the majority have then not required pharmaceutical drugs to treat it. This has meant that they are then back to full health within a very short time frame and training can begin or they can be re homed."

Since this first report the dogs coming in from Ireland are now exposed to the oils during their time in issolation. Before this practice approx 38 dogs from a batch of 40 would come down with kennel cough at a cost of approximately £60 per dog to the kennels. However since working with the oils, only approx 1 out of 40 come down with it and the ones that do, display very reduced symptoms.  The oils are put outside the enclosure, although  close enough for the aroma to disperse into the air. The cost of the oils £30.00 to cover  all 40 dogs .

Essential Oils vs. Airbourne Bacteria

It was not until the nineteenth century that microorganisms were identified as the cause of much disease.  This led to the first laboratory test on the anit-bacterial properties of essential oils.  In 1887 studies were published in France showing that microorganisms of glandular fever and yellow fever were easily killed when exposed to a selection of essential oils.  A prominent French chemist, Rene Maurice Gattefosse, coined the name "aromatherapy" in 1937, on discovering that the volatile nature of certain oils enabled them to disinfect the air.  He used the name aromatherapy as the title for his book, published that same year, which was chiefly concerned with the anti-microbial effect of the oils.  From 1887-1937 over one hundred journal articles had been published on this subject but neither these nor clinical trials did anything to persuade the medical profession that essential oils had any real use other than as flavouring agents.  At one time essential oils were  difused in French hospitals wards to disinfect the the air.    It maybe therefore be desirable to use essential oils such as Bergamot in areas such as veterinary waiting areas or kennels where airborne disease may be prevalent.

 

It Shouldn't Happen to Cats

Essential Oils and Cats: A Misunderstood Conception. 4th November 2011

Recently there has been a ban on using essential oils with cats amoungst some influential rescue centers. This ban is the result of  many websites making statements along the lines of essential oil toxicity in cats, stating that essential oils should never be used with them. Unfortunately, these websites do not cite their sources (which is a reliable indicator of an unsubstantiated claim).

An extensive publication search brings up just three reports on essential toxicity to cats; two involved the use of tea tree,  the third with potpourri .  The papers imply that the oils were taken orally or applied topically although the papers note that they cannot be certain whether the cause was accidental or not.  There are no reports on the toxicity of other essential oils with cats and not even a mention in two popular veterinary toxicology handbooks;  . There are plenty of mentions of toxic household plants but none feature in the applied zoopharmacognocist’s kit.

The concern with cats over other species is more theoretical than actual.  The issue is that cats have very low gluconryl transferase activity, an enzyme involved with breaking down some foreign chemicals including alcohols and, more importantly, phenols . There are only a small number of essential oils that contain high levels of phenols, the most commonly used being clove, cinnamon, wintergreen, yellow birch and the phenol rich chemotypes of thyme. In our experience and the experience of our students, cats have never selected these oils (or tea tree for that matter) except for thyme on one occasion. In the case of thyme, there were no negative effects recorded. Phenols are also in many detergents, disinfectants, which are all used without consideration in everyday life.


Almost invariably cats will select essential oils through inhalation and will almost never select them orally. Some websites claim that allowing cats to inhale is also risky; again there is no evidence to suggest there is a risk, especially if the oil is offered in well ventilated areas and the cat is free to remove itself from the odour.

 Ingraham Academy student Ann Brown (above) working with Applied Zoopharmacognosy

If anyone has worked with cats and essential oils they will know the relief from suffering that can be achieved. Since this work has stopped in a cattery, the sedatives have increased and the cats are coming down with disease. The staff who were trained in using the essential oils were "gutted " with the ban. I am told the cattery is now back to chemical sedatives and stressed cats.

Ingraham Academy student Kirsty Grant  (above) working with Applied Zoopharmacognosy.

A cat rolling in rose buds and catnip

Cats do not usually ingest essential oils they inhale them, as they would in the wild when they roll on the plant to release its fragrance. The importance lies in reading the cats’ response to the aromas and not forcing any on them.

Working in a Vet Practice with cats and essential oils
In a small animal veterinary practice in Surrey,  I worked with  hyperthyroid cats. The first cat was  seventeen years old, she selected lavender & seaweed absolute. On arrival her heart rate was high - 150, which is typical of a hyperthyroid cat, but within five minutes of inhaling the oils the heart rate normalised to 100.

Almost all cats with hyperthyroidism chose chickweed macerate, seaweed extract, and rose or lavender essential oil. In recent work with hyperthyroidism in cats, however it has been noted that they will usually select  spirulina.

Comments

  

I have seen loads of cats with amazing results, including my own and would be lost without using the essential oils with my cats! I will try and see if I can get some sessions on film for your blog! Catherine Edwards

Having a read through this makes me chuckle as my 3yr old cat gets into a few scraps and came home the other week covered in big scratches and a bite wound, really hot and very unhappy.  He usually doesn't like the oils close to him at all but came right up close, nearly touching the clove oil and deeply inhaled for 3 consecutive days by then he was well on the way to recovery!!  He obviously knows what he needs and when he needs it.

Really nice to know that there's now some true info on cats and essential oils on the internet: Liz R