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.

Vasculitis

Results by Sue Guild

Treated for over 6 months with antibiotics and steroids (top pictures)

The vet agreed to try zoopharmacognosy, as conventional veterinary treatment did not appear to be working .

Vasculitis is a skin condition known to be difficult to treat successfully; there are different theories that associate the condition with the staphylococcus bacterial infection and lowered immunity. The horse has been kept in different locations and had never had any skin conditions such as mud fever until he went on a farm where the symptoms began. His owner felt it was triggered because the fields were contaminated with cattle and horse manure that wasn't correctly cleared. He believes that this together with the exceptionally wet weather experienced during the last year has led to the infection.

He was highly strung as he had been stabled consistently for over two weeks because his legs were so sore and the fields were wet and muddy.

Result after 2 weeks and 4 days (bottom pictures)

For further information please contact Sue: susan.guild@btinternet.com

Canine workshop BCDH: working with aggression towards men

We had a great couple of days working and teaching at Bath Cats and Dogs Home, which is one of the leading RSPCA Branches in the country, re-homing over 2,500 dogs, cats and small animals each year.

We worked with three dogs over the weekend, however it was working with Scoopie that brought tears to many of the students.

Scoopie was a nervous 8year old Collie who disliked men, she would lunge at them aggressively and was unpredictable around them. Scoopie  came to the centre as a puppy, but for the past four years he had been with a lady owner, who returned him due to his aggression towards men. During the past eight months at BCDH he could only be handled by female staff.

On the first day, while in the process of taking Scoopie into his subconscious mind, we gradually  introduced Steve (Head of Behaviour, below left). He lunged three times in succession aiming for Steve's jugular (he was wearing a muzzle!). Once fully in his subconscious mind and totally relaxed, Scoopie allowed Steve to get closer to him. We ended the session there for the day. After Steve left and we were tidying up, Scoopie got up and with his handler, came over to Martin and Alan (one of our students) and proceeded to walk calmly past both of them before returning to have a roll over Alan's feet! This was unheard of and the remaining students were left in amazement.

2 days following Scoopie's zoopharmacognosy session with Steve (left) and Dog handler (right)

Day 2 of course: Morning follow up: What we witnessed in the morning was incredible. Scoopie allowed both Alan and Steve to wipe his chosen oils onto his chest and then became very affectionate to Steve, rolling at this feet. Steve and Scoopie went into the garden area where they played fetch with a stick, with much exchange of affection. They looked like they had been together forever. Alan also joined them in the garden, again he was greeted with a wag of the tail. We then called a male stranger to come in (after replacing Scoopie's muzzle). This man had little behavioural experience and without knowing Scoopie's history, gave him some generous pats on his back, bent down looked straight into his eyes, kissed him on the nose and asked, "what was the problem with the dog?" All this time Scoopie stood there calmly wagging his tail.

Within 24hours Scoopie is muzzel free around men. Looking at these
 photos it is hard to beleive that there was ever a problem!

Feedback from Steve at BCDH:

Day one after course: Scoopie wags his tail when he sees me now even when I am not oiled up!

Day two after course: Scoopie has now met 4 more men. All went really well apart from one and that was the vet liason.


Follow-up on other the dogs that were on the course: from Steve BCDH

Chelsea:

Over the weekend was very stressed with visitors to the home. When she was put back in to her kennel she went and got one of the rags and took it to her bed then led down with it. I wasnt in work Sunday but when I went to see her today she did initially bark at me. I came back to see her with the oils and she was very keen to sniff all of them. Some she would bark at me straight after but was fine with me by the time I left her.

Larry:

We have not had time to do much with Larry today as Charlie is off this week but we are all looking forward to you coming down for the talk which me and Laura will be on as well as some of the other staff. 

Hi Everyone,

The last Farm Animal course had to be postponed due to the extreme weather conditions.

As a result we now have three places available on the rescheduled date of 6th April, near Ross on Wye in Herefordshire. This is a wonderful opportunity to be part of a small class as we can only have a maximum of 6, working with cattle, ewes and lambs

If you are interested in one of the places please email the Academy on: iaz.enquiry@gmail.com. Places must be reserved before Monday afternoon.

Green Clay Safety

Following information from the FSA we have checked with our suppliers that the Green Clay we use is safe for internal and external use. It is of a very high quality. If you do not purchase your green clay from The Wild Health Shop we would strongly advise you to check with your supplier, as some companies are selling a product that is potentially harmful, please see below:

"The Food Standards Agency is reminding consumers, especially pregnant women, about the dangers of ingesting clay, clay-based ‘detox’ drinks and supplements. The advice is being reissued after high levels of lead and arsenic were discovered in products being distributed by online retailers, despite the FSA warning of the potential health dangers only last year.

The FSA is advising people not to purchase or consume the following products:
Bentonite Clay, sold by buywholefoodsonline.co.uk
Bentonite Clay, sold by nealsyardremedies.com
Calcium Bentonite Clay, sold by natures-harvest.co.uk
French Green Montmorillonite Clay sold by naturalrussia.com
Premium Calcium Montmorillonite Clay, sold by synergy-health.co.uk
Edible Earth digestive detoxicant and ionic mineral supplement, sold by detoxpeople.eu and wholesalehealthltd.co.uk

This is not a definitive list of products or retailers. The Agency is working with online retailers to ensure that these products are either removed or marked as not safe for human consumption."

Equine update at Gonsal Farm Equine Rehabilitation Centre

We have just received an update from Kate at RSPCA Gonsal farm; her comments are as follows

Kimmy is a changed pony! She is allowing the girls to touch her back end now and is no longer kicking out. She was long reined yesterday and didn't mind the lines around her hind legs at all...amazing!

Aibeleen is coming on really well. She is much more confident and let Hanna pick up her front feet yesterday without a worry.

Buttercup seems much more content and not so worried. She is healing very well which is fantastic news.

Annabelle is quieter...we need to work with her again and plan to do so asap.

Once again, I cannot thank you enough for the help you have given us and the horses/ponies.

A remarkable two days at Gonsal Farm Equine Rehabilitation Centre in Dorrington near Shrewsbury



After theory in the classroom we moved out onto the yard to address a varied selection of conditions. In many rescue centres the first stage is to work with anxiolytic oils before moving onto remedies that help horses cope with their traumatic past. Caroline was surprised that these anxiolytic remedies were barely needed, instead the session went quickly to stage two, which focuses on past trauma combined with nurturing and comforting remedies.

Amy

Amy was a very fearful pony who had, had extensive procedures to treat a tooth abscess. When we arrived we were faced with a pony that had previously stood on her hind legs to box anyone attempting to touch were the abscess had been. The burst abscess left an open sore that she was very protective of.

We worked extensively with calming and nurturing oils to get her to a place of trust. Next, we offed Green Clay for its healing and protective properties, however the problem would be how to apply the clay since she allowed no one to get close, and our policy is to never apply anything without the consent of the animal. She showed great interest in the Green Clay but would not let us near her face, so we put some on the ground, which she nuzzled into, applying it to her own leg so she could then rub it onto the sore under her jaw.



We then took it to the next stage, Hannah offered calming oils while Ali stood close by with the clay in the palm of her hand. Over a period of twenty minutes Amy slowly inched her way towards Ali, until finally she placed her jaw in Ali’s palm, pressing down hard into the clay, covering the sore. We all watched in anticipation and amazement as she grew to trust us, enabling her to heal herself.



Kimmy

Kimmy is an 11 year old mare who had previously aborted a foal and who would kick out sharply if her hind legs were lifted and extended. It was not known if the problem was a behavioural issue or due to some sort of pain. Kimmy was considered too dangerous for the chiropractor who came to work with her two days before our visit. We began the session by offering various painkillers over the stable door; of these she selected a small amount of Devil’s Claw, St Johns Wort and Arnica, in addition she selected calming and nurturing oils.



Next we made an ointment from St John’s Wort, Arnica and Aloe Vera gel, which we offered to be stroked onto her hindquarters, which she accepted while she was also inhaling her selected oils. As it was stroked on, her eyes softened and she lowered her head, however she only allowed us to go as far as her hock before gently lifting her leg to indicate that this was as far as she wanted it applied. This was a huge achievement and staff were very moved. Since she was in for the night we left her selected oils on the bars of her stable, so that she could continue to work with the aromatic extracts as required.

 The many faces of Kimmy

When we arrived the following day, Kimmy was standing with her nose on the bars gently inhaling the oils; she was calm and relaxed. She did not want any additional oils, but quickly positioned herself for the gel to be applied, presenting her hindquarters purposefully. On the first day she didn’t allow any gel to be applied to her off-side, however, today she presented this side first, once applied she turned to have her near-side worked on. This time she allowed the gel to be spread down the whole leg, then when she had, had enough she simply moved away knowing that she did not need to kick out as a means of communication. Next she lowered her head indicating that she wanted some gel put on her forehead/ pole, after its application she became very still, with heavy eyes and seemed completely at ease. The session concluded.

For safety reasons, only the RSPCA staff were allowed into the stables with horses that were under the high-risk-danger code. In these cases Caroline guided the staff with the plant extracts. All students remarked on the caring and compassionate nature of the staff, which was clearly reflected in the horses.

We would like to thank all who made it such a memorable and successful course.