Flower Essences

How to Use Flower Essences

Flower essences may be administered both orally and topically. The best means of application is the one most agreeable to the animal at the time and circumstance of treatment. Flower essences are not meant to be taken indefinitely; use them only until regular, healthy behavior is restored or physical symptoms improve or disappear.

Orally: One excellent method is to moisten your pet's mouth or gums with a few drops placed on your fingertips, once in the morning and again in the evening. Additional doses several times throughout the day are also required. Some animals enjoy the brandy-preservative taste; others turn their noses up at it. The important factor, whichever method you choose, is for your pet to be dosed at least four times daily to ensure best results.

Flower essences work best when not given too close to feedings-10 minutes before or one hour after a meal or snack is fine.

Topically: You may add four drops to a small misting bottle or plant sprayer filled with water to spray on your pet, but only if the procedure is agreeable to him. (Most cats are not at all thrilled with this approach.) You'll need to prepare a fresh solution each morning. This is the easiest and most expedient method when transporting a cat or dog on the car seat next to you. Bedding and cages, including travel carriers and trailers, may also be sprayed with the essence solution. The misting method is so effective and non-invasive that some vets rely on it exclusively.

Or you may add four drops to a small amount of liniment or oil or put it directly on your palm and rub or brush it into fur or flesh. Gently rubbing an essence behind the ears, on the paw pads, or on the abdomen or coat makes for a pleasant experience for your pet.

Flower essences can also be added to an animal's drinking water-four drops to a bowl of water or 16 drops to a watering trough-which should be refilled with fresh water each morning. This approach works best as a backup for other methods since a pet will rarely finish an entire water supply and thus not receive the full dosage.

How long should you keep your pet on an essence? Continue until you see stabilized results, indicated by his return to regular behavioral patterns. Although results are often immediate, within 10 minutes, you will usually see at least the beginning of a response within three days. Five days to two weeks is the standard framework when only one essence at a time is being administered. In cases of deep-rooted fear or trauma, a month-long program may be necessary.

If you do not see results within three days, one of three causes is likely: improper selection, not following dosage directions, or the problem resides in the pet owner, and not the pet.

If do you not hit on the right essence, you will need to try a second essence within three days, or half an hour in an emergency.

For more information, you may read:

Flower Essences for Animals: Remedies for Helping the Pets You Love by Lila Devi.