Viewer Viewpoint
And now, a few words from our viewers...

Using Aromatherapy to Calm Your Frazzled Fido
By Kristen Leigh Bell
Certified Master Aromatherapist

Continued from page one...

The second way that essential oils work on animals is what I refer to as "spiritually". A more apt term would probably be vibrationally, however, I have found over the years that many shy away from that term, seeing that it implies something unknown, unseen and unproven. If you are familiar with Bach Rescue Remedy, or use any flower essences, then you are using vibrational remedies. These forms of energy healing affect the emotional states of the body, mind and aura. If you tend to disprove this sort of thing, that¹s perfectly fine. But hundreds of holistic veterinarians using flower essences on animals can¹t all be wrong. Essential oils, like flower essences, also carry their own vibrational energy and kirlian photography of certain essential oils and individuals having just used essential oils shows vibrant changes in the body¹s energy field (aura), as well as vibrant colors. Essential oils have a very powerful life force, as they truly are the embodiment of the very soul of the plant from which they were taken. In this way, essential oils of varying frequencies can aid in calming a frightful or hyperactive dog.

The third method in the aromatic calming trio is that of an emotional aspect. The application of essential oils to an animal involves human touch -- something which all animals constantly crave and need for their domestic survival. I always suggest that essential oil blends be applied in the most positive manner- most often, via a tender and loving massage which will bring pet and owner closer together. This aspect is particularly important when we consider the Pavlovian behaviors which dogs exhibit in response to certain stimuli. Pavlov trained his dog to salivate at the sound of a bell by offering food every time the bell was rung. You too, can train your dog to react calmly and serenely to the application of essential oils by rewarding your dog with a massage during application, and initially applying the essential oils at a calm and positive moment. The scent of the essential oils will thus trigger the rewarding experience, and much like Pavlov¹s dog salivating at the sound of the bell, a calm state of mind will be produced at the scent of the essential oils associated with the positive experience. While animals may be fully capable of producing pure emotional responses to essential oils as humans do, there is no scientific research to support this, so we must rely on the simple fact that dogs relate experience to experience via trained behavioral patterns. It is in this way that essential oils can work to produce to most positive behavioral modification.

Essential oils can safely and effectively be used in a variety of situations, and they have no known interactions with other holistic remedies or allopathic drugs or tranquilizers. Many dog owners find that often, a combination of holistic remedies is necessary to achieve an optimum effect. For instance, a pet owner who is at work all day but with a dog who is fearful of storms might consider using flower essences on a daily basis. On a day when storms are forecast, the owner might give an aromatherapy massage to the dog 5-10 minutes before leaving, in conjunction with an herbal pet calming tablet. The effect of the aromatherapy will last anywhere from 30-60 minutes. While the herbal tablet is being digested it¹s calming effect will then begin later as needed. This same pet owner might even consider having an aromatherapy diffuser with a timer in the same room as the dog, set to go off at hourly intervals, diffusing the calming essential oils into the air.

Creating Canine Aromatherapy Blends >>>

Page 1, 2, 3

Back to Viewer Viewpoint Table of Contents

Do you have something to say to the VetMed viewers?
Click here to read the User Agreement and
submit your work!

Have something to say? Post it on the board!

Previous Features - Check out other articles from your Guide

Veterinary Medicine Home Page - Main page for VetMed at About.com

Library of Topics - Browse the site library of topics