How do I administer flower essences to my pet?

2/3/1999

This is a question that is very frequently asked each week by caretakers who are not very experienced using flower essence therapy with their animals. Actually, the methods of administering essences to a pet are very similar to the methods recommended with humans.

The most common is to put the drops in the water dish, and let your pet drink it throughout the day. How many drops? Most animal practitioners I have interviewed recommend 2-4 drops of each essence prescribed. If the drops come from a combination remedy in a dosage bottle, 2-4 drops is still a good rule of thumb.

This holds true whether the dosage bottle is based in brandy, cider, vegetable glycerin, vinegar, or spring water.

Dosage bottles made in vegetable glycerin have a sweet taste that many pets love. Therefore, it is often possible to rub the essence combination on the animal's gums or even place it directly under the tongue. This is especially true with dogs and horses.

Cats, however, are not the easiest creatures to try and rub any substance on their gums. Putting the drops in a misting bottle and spraying the air that the cat breathes is a popular alternative. This is also the method of choice for owners of snakes, iguanas, turtles, and other sundry reptilians. It is also a nice alternative with birds.

Other methods reported with positive results are: putting the drops on the pads of the paws; putting the drops behind the ears of the animal; putting the drops on the forehead of the pet. Essences can be dropped into a pet's bath water, or gently rubbed into the palms of one's hands, then administered through petting the animal.

Animal caretakers have reported mixing flower essences into our Self-Heal Creme or herbal oils and daubing it onto certain sensitive, sore spots. There are equine therapists who use this method as a massage technique.

Many caretakers will put the drops on various pet treats. The remedies are then ingested directly into the body. The Flower Essence Society has reports of essences placed on dog biscuits, slices of cheese, slices of apples, carrots, bananas, mangoes, rhubarb, even Cheet-O's, with very positive results.