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Symptoms helped by these remedies ranged from heart fibrillation and weakened pulse to severe oedema, physical and emotional exhaustion and depression. Sindri became a happy healthy cat. |
BACH REMEDIES were invented by Dr Bach in the nineteeth century if I remember correctly (I'm awful with dates!). Dr Bach was inspired by Samuel Hahnemann, the discoverer of homeopathy, and he was convinced that there was a simpler more intuitive way to use nature for healing. To make a long story short, Bach gave up his lucrative medical practice and developed the 38 Bach Flower Essences, and how to use them in healing - this becoming his life's work.
BACH FLOWER ESSENCES:
The essences are made by distilling the essence of the relevant flower or substance,
and by diluting it in spring water similarly to the way homeopathic remedies are made.
Each essence has the effect of *balancing* certain aspects which may be out of
balance in an individual (be it person, dog, cat or plant!)
MY USE OF BACH:
In my work at a veterinary clinic where I consulted on Bach remedies, I saw clients with dog or cat behaviour
or emotional problems, and recommended Bach remedies as needed. The Bach remedies were found to be
extremely successful,
when chosen according to the principles summarized here.
Examples:
A pug had a stroke Friday night, but no vet was available till Monday. Rescue Remedy, the Bach remedy for
stress and trauma, was sent to the client for her pug. On Monday she phoned to say the dog was fully well again and cancelled her appointment.
Today we gave a mix of Rescue Remedy and Aspen to a dog howling as he came out of anesthetic. He calmed within 5 minutes.
We devised a mix of remedies for a dog barking non-stop while the owner was at work.
The neighbours had left anonymous notes about the bothersomeness of this - so
we were very pleased to be able to help the situation.
A cat with an amputated tail needed reconstructive surgery but
could only be scheduled a week later for the repair.
Meanwhile, she had been chewing the base of her tail till it was raw. The Bach
remedy mix we provided
worked so well that the cat did not need the Elizabethan collar to prevent her
biting the area. Today she had her surgery - to remove scar tissue, a metal stitch left behind, and to
close the stump of tail left with a nice "cushion" of tissue at the tip, to protect the nerve ending there from
causing excessive sensation any time the new tail tip touched anything.
When she came round from the surgery, the kitty was given her remedy
again, and she's happily eating and drinking this evening. The remedy will
help her through the healing phase till she has a proper pompon of fur to decorate
her tail stump.
Bach remedies help patients come round from surgery calmly, keep dogs or cats able to cope with traumas, help animals in new situations to integrate, help to balance emotions so that aggression is reduced, and shyness overcome.
Here is a summary of indications for use of each remedy. This is MY version of this, based on combining information and experience from several sources:
To choose Bach Remedy ingredients to combine for a custom remedy needed, it is recommended to do the following:
Include at least one of the 12 personality remedies (marked *).
Choose up to 7 remedies, using 2 or 3 drops of each in 2 oz
spring water, shaken very vigorously 100 times.
If a reactive remedy is included - marked (R) - then this is a remedy which
can have an initial over-reaction, and you should
add Rescue Remedy as one of the chosen remedies.
The "reaction" is usually a release, such as release of anger
for Holly, or release of bottled up emotions for Agrimony,
and it lasts a short time after initial taking of the remedy mix..
(Not everyone has the reaction associated with reactive remedies.)
A carefully chosen remedy to balance the most relevant emotions will work well, and will take time to work in proportion with the duration of the problem, I find. So a short-lived problem - such as a fright about something - will be quickly remedied, whereas a long-term problem will take longer to be remedied, perhaps 2 months of taking a remedy 6 times a day or so. The clients say it is very worthwhile!
Some outlets and healthfood stores and some vet clinics will supply you with a custom mix of your choice, but it isn't always easy to find one who will do this for you, and it is rather pricey to buy 5 or 6 bottles of Bach remedies, when you only need a few drops of each for your choice of custom remedy bottle for a pet. Unfortunately, there seems no good solution to this at present short of buying a kit of Bach remedies, so that you have a lifetime supply. Kits usually cost far less per remedy than individual bottles. I certainly have found it excellent value to get a kit. The remedies do not age as long as they are well sealed as they are flower essences preserved in alcohol and the latter can evaporate easily. (You use a few drops of each, in a cup of water, so there is no alcohol left to speak of for the animal to dislike.)
* AGRIMONY (R):
Non-confrontational.
Helps with biting from fleas, exzema, the pacing animal, slow-healing injuries,
addictions (drugs, cigarettes, whatever), and restlessness. The Agrimony type
of personality tends to stuff food, and to bottle up emotions, is often ini denial
about something.
ASPEN:
Unknown fears.
Helps with fears from unknown cause - the dog afraid to go through the door,
the cat who is uneasy, jumpy, or startles easily. The person who wakens apprehensive without knowing why.
BEECH:
Fault-finding.
Calms the emotions of the "family reunion" type! Helps new animal integration,
or new human introduction such as a new significant other or new owner,
helps the intolerant type, and the picky eater.
* CENTAURY (R):
Never refuse a favour.
Helps the animal who cowers, the runt of the litter, the subservient one,
to remedy these behaviours. So one can use it
to ensure the runt gets food and is not left for last when there is none for example.
* CERATO:
Advice-seeker.
Helps the distracted, inattentive type, or one who *seems*
slow or stupid. Use for example as a training aid for these personality types.
CHERRY PLUM (R):
Lack Self-control.
This remedy is wonderful for any situation where there is loss of control, mental or physical.
For example the animal who does submissive urination, chewing, scratching inapproproaitely, and for the agressive
uncontrolled or irrational behaviour one may see.
CHESTNUT BUD:
Habit-Breaker.
A most useful remedy in any situation where you want to break an old habit -
such as destructive chewing, digging, housebreaking "errors". Use in combination
with other remedies when training, to achieve better results.
* CHICORY:
Posessive-manipulator.
This is the crafty, clingy, manipulative personality, one
who demands food, seeks attention, expects everyone to conform
to their ways.
* CLEMATIS:
Disassociated.
Great for disoriented animals - eg after surgery, injury or poisoning.
Helps the over-sleepy type, the disinterested or
absent-minded type.
CRAB APPLE (R):
Detoxifying/clean.
Use to balance feeling of clean-freak person, to detoxify eg after surgery or medication,
to feel better after bad smell or skin condition or after feeling ashamed. Use to balance
person obsessed with trivialitites.
ELM:
Overwhelmed by environment/job.
Use to assist animals on long car trips, animals surrounded by too many people
or too many other aniumals, use for the "caretaker" dog looking after an ill human
and depressed from the responsibility, use when overwhelmed by job responsibilities,
use when depressed and exhausted with loss of self-esteem.
* GENTIAN:
Discouraged.
This is helpful post-surgery to prevent depression, and helps injury.
It balances the individual who is disheartened by small setbacks, or who is despondent.
GORSE:
Hopeless, sunless.
This remedy helps the individual who seems to have no sun in their life, perhaps abused
abandoned. It helps the companion animal of a human with long illness, or the animal or
human who has a chronic illness. Taking it helps the individual to see light at the end of the tunnel.
HEATHER:
Self-preoccupation.
This is for the individual who wants attention. eg Barking, meowing, howling dogs,
squawking birds, - the one who does not respond well to being alone. This is for the
individual who wants an audience, or who does destructive attention-getting behavior.
HOLLY (R):
Jealous-revenge.
This helps an animal who bites, or who lashes out in jealousy or envy. It helps animals with a nasty temperament - brings out the joy,
helps situations involving behavior stemming from mistrust and suspicion.
HONEYSUCKLE:
Nostalgia-Separation.
This remedy is useful for those missing the old situation or house or prior littermates - something of the past
or mising one who has died, also those who cling to the past because they fear the future.
HORNBEAM:
Weak-willed.
This helps those who need a nudge to spur them on, the procrastinator,
the distracted. Consider these aspects in training animals.
* IMPATIENS (R):
Assertive-impatient.
This helps one who is quick to snap, hasty, irritable. It is also a pain remedy.
It's good for the high-strung, nervous personality, one who acts fast and often alone.
LARCH:
Lack of Confidence.
Helps the owering animal who is short of confidence, or who is better
with others and not confident alone. Also for those who have had the
confidence "beaten out" of them.
* MIMULUS:
Known fears.
For the animal who is afraid of specific things such as thunder, strange lights, gunfire,
or the vet's rooms - or who fears being starbed, yelled at, being dominated.
May become vicious if cornered, but generally don't fight for themselves.
MUSTARD (R):
Depression that comes and goes.
Deep depression indicated by dark, distant eyes, abnormal behavior eg durung pregnancy, or
in season, animal may isolate themselves, then suddenly seem normal again.
OAK:
Overworking type.
Animal who is overwhelmed, eg over-bred, over-worked, mal-nourished, or experiencing
extreme weather, needing endurance, had food rationed, tired leader. Helps loss
of physical control (limbs, muscles, elimination function).
OLIVE:
Exhaustion.
Long ordeal exhaustion, longterm pain or abuse, elderly animal easily tired,
stress from allergies, captive pacer animals.
PINE:
Overpleaser to be loved.
Animal does anything to please, never feels it wins. Assumes guilt or cowers when master upset.
Loyal despite abuse, reacts negatively to reprimands of others.
RED CHESTNUT:
Vigil holder.
Animal who stares out of the window, who senses something is wrong.
Worrier type. Mother upset that young are away eg at vet. Type to
sense impending danger, eg tornado, earthquake, etc.
* ROCK ROSE:
Panic.
For any form of terror or panic or fear. After something frightening.
Gives courage, suits type often jubilant and wanting to have a good time.
Helps animal overly fearful who was once terrorised.
ROCK WATER:
Increases flexibility.
Helps animals with stiff muscles, joints. Also helps flexibility of thinking,
acceptance of new ideas, new eating habits, new environment, new routines.
Helps with adapting to new family member. Flexibility for those stuck in their ways.
* SCLERANTHUS:
Equilibrium.
Helps one-sided complaints or off-balance items, such as motion sickness,
clumsiness, stroke victims, personality yo-yo occasions/emotions, like
gentle one who suddenly lashes out.
STAR OF BETHLEHEM:
Comfort remedy.
Helps emotional trauma from any cause, also physical trauma such as from accident/injury.
Comforts the lonely, helps transport trauma, and trauma of loss/grief.
SWEET CHESTNUT:
Feeling at wit's end.
Feeling of burn-out or being at wit's end, eg from being too high-strung, being confined too much,
from effort, feeling cornered, fatigued at shows. Gives mental strength.
* VERVAIN:
Intensity of purpose type.
High strung, intense type with sense of purpose.
Anxious to learn but want to do it their way.
Have seemingly inexhaustible energy. May run, chase, bark incessantly.
VINE:
Dominator.
Vine personality thinks they are the master, run the house, and all in it.
Hard to tech, they want to be doing the training.
Leader type. May have behaviors to enforce idea of dominance.
WALNUT:
Insulator from external.
Remedy helps adjustment to change, insulation from outside influence.
Helps insulate from allergies, noise, hormonal adjustment, movinig house, travel.,
weather changes. Adjustment to environment.
* WATER VIOLET (R):
Loner type.
Animal who prefers to be alone especially when ill. Not a good mixer,
but lonely, feels grief, sadness. Remedy brings out joy, helps animal
integrate with others. Helps situations involving grief/separation.
WHITE CHESTNUT:
Mind going in circles.
This will quiet the mind of the animal thinking about too much to concentrate
on the present. Helps in training for example.
WILD OAT:
To give sense of purpose.
Helps boredom behavior such as shredding things, chewing, destructive
behavior. Helps animal find purposes, especially bored or idle
animal used to more active life.
WILD ROSE:
Ends apathy.
Gets the animal jubilant, happy, helps caged animal, helps older one keep up with younger,
helps confined animal who does not get out enough,
helps where it seems animal has lost its spirit, eg male with female gone.
* WILLOW:
Resentment remedy.
Feelings of resentment are helped by this remedy, eg feelings of abuse,
so animal may resent and do behaviors such as urination inappropriately,
destroy things in the house, give master the cold shoulder/sulks,
resentment of new addition to household, etc.
GENERAL THOUGHTS:
Remember when choosing a remedy mix for your cat/dog/friend/yourself,
that it is the EMOTIONS that count, not what you think the cat or
dog *should* feel. Look for the out of balance emotions that you think they should not feel.
For example the cat who thinks it gets too little attention but gets a lot.
It's what the individual feels that counts. Find that, and you'll choose the remedy well.
Emotions already in balance will not be affected by the Bach remedy you use.
I wish to stress again, that these are my ideas and opinions based on my experience, they are not some sort of medical advice or prescription.
Feel free to use the ideas, but please see a qualified Bach practitioner
for your professional needs. This page has far too brief
outlines of the ability of each remedy to be suitable
as a comprehensive source for devising one that will work well.
If you'd like more information or have questions, please write to me.
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Next you might want to check out other suggestions...
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