Animal Aromatics

The real breakthrough for me in using complementary therapies with animals came when I became a student of Caroline Ingraham, an aromatherapist for humans who trained with Robert Tisserand 20 years ago. She had applied her knowledge of essential oils to the care of animals with physical and emotional problems. This brought great success, and she expanded her work to also use herbs and other botanical substances to benefit animals.

Caroline's story can be found on her website, www.ingraham.co.uk The Ingraham Method of Animal Aromatics is founded on the belief that animals instinctively know what they need, so will select their own remedy for their illness. This concept is known as Self Selection, and forms the basis of my work in supporting owners to help their animals.

Animal Aromatics is the working title zoopharmocognosy, the area I trained in with the pioneer, Caroline Ingraham.She explains it so well on her own web site, here is her definition;

'Zoopharmocognosy is the study of animals selecting aromatic plants and plant oils, algae, clay and other natural remedies for health maintenance. This practice allows animals the opportunity to look after themselves as they would in the wild.

Plants, their volatile oils and other natural non plant related remedies, were at one time the only medicine on this planet, utilised for the survival of the species and employed by mammals since the dawn of time. It is not an alternative or complementary therapy of recent years; it is the oldest therapy known to man that allows an animal to use its innate ability to select the remedies it needs and guide the dosage. It is this innate knowing that is the key to their healing.

Through evolution many mammals have developed an enzymatic physiology that has adapted to break down and neutralise most plant compounds, acquiring a taste for them when they are needed. However, a plant's bitterness will deter the healthy animal from eating it, protecting it from the plants active compounds. Plant oils are normally taken in small quantities by an animal when it needs its specific medicinal properties. Whether such substances end up being toxic or medicinal in their effects has a great deal to do with dosage. Once the animal has selected its remedy, it will then guide the treatment by inhaling it, taking it orally or by rubbing a part of its body into it.

An animal knows how to heal itself even before symptoms become apparent.'
Caroline Ingraham, from www.ingraham.co.uk

The role of professionals such as myself who have trained with Caroline Ingraham is to help identify remedies for each individual animal and teach the owners how to use the remedies safely with each animal. There are many areas of wellbeing for animals that this Method can address, including management of allergies, skin problems, emotional trauma and pain management. Please see the ailments chart for more details, and/ or email me to see if I think I may be able to help in your circumstances.

Since learning about animal aromatics from Caroline, I have worked with numerous animals and their owners using the principles of self selection. I am confident that the use of essential oils and herbs can greatly benefit the lives of many animals, in a physical and emotional sense.

My practice has been further enhanced by training with Bob and Rhi Harris, Essential Oil Resource Consultants, who helped us to understand the science of essential oils; how and why they work on certain conditions. I have also participated in a workshop with Sarah Fisher, the UK's lead practitioner of Tellington Touch; this enhanced my understanding of the effects of our touch on animals. Animal aromatics can help with numerous conditions, as listed below:

Aches/sprains/arthritis Allergies Behaviour problems Circulation / blood problems Emotional problems Immune system problems Kidney problems

Liver problems Lung/ respiratory system problems Nerve damage Reproductive problems Skin/nail/hoof problems Thyroid/pituitary gland problems Wounds

The herbs and essential oils that I use in my practice are of the highest quality, sourced from around the world. The vast majority of them are organic.

I am also associated with a wonderful company, Forever Living Products, an international company which produces very high quality aloe vera and other herbal/ bee products for human and animal use. A brochure and further details of these products can be posted out, please ask for one. Leaflets and information written by a veterinary surgeon and a GP are also available.