Introduction

Self-medication is all about honouring the species innate intelligence as they were designed. This is about listening to the being, and engaging with them directly in their own healing. This is quite hard for humans to do as we like to control things. This is about free flowing information from the animal, watching and learning as the animal directs. Once they know you are listening, their interaction heightens along with their direction and engagement.

What is important to know, is that animals can be shut down, and may also have their own belief systems and programs which may prevent the fully desired outcomes. It is about clearing them on an energetic level I find as well as having them direct their own healing. How I work, the animals are fully engaged at all times. The pet owner and I listen. It is always “how can we help you heal?”

Prepping for a Session with My Animals

Minerals, herbs, and oils are supplied first to see if there are any nutrient imbalances which need to be cleared. Depending on what has been “done” to the animal with regards to toxicity, and the damage to the digestive tract will determine how “manic” some animas are in the selection process. Sometimes, I can barely get in the door with the animals heads diving deep into my bags to see what I have brought them to help them.

Once the nutrients have been supplied, and the animal settles then smell is offered through essential oils. These are not any oils off the shelf, these are very high quality and do not have junk in them. When one smells the real thing, the junk oils are easy to detect actually.

The animal then self-doses and directs if need be to parts of their body. Sometimes oils are ingested, it depends on the needs. One does need to know what to offer based on the circumstances presented. The process is about drilling down on the requirements of the animal and then allowing them to process sometimes for hours as the oils will allow them to curl up into a deep, deep sleep. This is all about processing and healing at the molecular level. We are no different, as I use all these tools on myself and other humans too.

What an animal selects speaks volumes to where they need healing support, and where we go next in the healing journey. This method replaces all highly toxic protocols currently marketed via the veterinary industry.

My Animal’s Selecting Below

In the photos presented below, my cats are working on their herb gardens, with catnip, rosebuds, calendula / marigold petals, yarrow, lavender, peppermint and valerian herbs being offered. Sam, the black and white feline is choosing to eat valerian. He came to us with urinary / kidney issues as he was on dry food, and this is still healing. Cats may also choose this for stress. Cats may choose to eat, sit, roll or lie on the healing herbs. I watch and take notes, so I know how to proceed to help the healing process further. He is a huge processor of the essential oils and will often come and sit in on the dog’s sessions to grab what he needs then off he goes again.

As explained above, the dogs are initially offered minerals and oils to highlight any deficiencies they may be experiencing, to let me know if they have any parasites they wish to clear, or if they are in pain. Based on their direction, I then know how to proceed further to help them heal with the essential oils, either through smell, and / or application.

Symptoms and Injury

Self-medication, also referred to as self-selection or zoopharmacognosey supports the healing process of the following imbalances:

Behaviour
Anxiety, depression, fear [loud noises, vet, aggression,], trauma, shock, lack of confidence, bullying, over dominance, separation anxiety, loss

Digestive
Protection, stimulants (not eating), upset, constipation, diarrhoea, purging toxins, liver and gall bladder problems, colitis, inflammatory bowel diseases, ulcers

Infection
Ear, eyes, gums, digestive, unidentified, and result of injury.

Injury
Burns, scares and external collagen damage, general wounds, internal collagen damage, puncture wounds, internal bleeding, weeping wounds

Mobility and Neuro
Aches, sprains, joint and muscle pain; nerve damage, nerve pain, nerves trapped, nerve paralysis, inflammatory tissue pain, amputations, neuro / brain damage; seizures / epilepsy, cell regeneration, lameness

Pain
Digestive, mobility, trauma to the body, headaches, etc.

Skin Conditions
Allergies & Itching; midges, insect bites, inflammation, growths, fatty lumps, dermatitis, ringworm, dry skin and psoriasis

Trauma
Deep trauma to the body, emotional, spiritual, and physical | Although this is under behaviour above, I have highlighted this as so many animals have had traumatic experiences. It is important to know – deep trauma – such as being attacked, can be at the very core of the physical imbalance which needs healing, such as the ears – coming from the kidneys which is fear.

Urinary / Neutering
Antibacterial, Hormone support, spaying/neutering, urinary / bladder [incontinence]

About the Process

Sometimes the imbalance may be balanced in one session but more often than not, the session I do with the animal highlights the focus and the needs.  This then becomes the program.  It is then crucial the caretaker follow through DAILY with this program until the animal indicates the remedies are no longer needed. “Needed” being the CRUCIAL word.   This is not as easy as it seems. There is definitely patience required, and an ability to watch and understand what your animal is communicating.  Too often I believe, animals are requesting time, or perhaps less potency by shifting away – even going away and coming back to process the smell, yet this is being taken for a “no longer needed” signal.  So, it is a bit of an art-form watching and following the animals’ direction.

I have been using this process for at least 6 years and every time I am amazed at what can be accomplished by listening to the animal and following their direction. They tell you what you would never normally know (unless you are muscle testing perhaps). The healing process – phenomenal.

Essential Oil Quality Critical

The quality of the essential oils utilized in this process is critical. What is very important is they must be food-grade. There are only two sources I use from around the world, located in France and the UK (Ingraham). The essential oils page on this website, provides more information.

Further Study

To further explore this topic of self-medication, I invite you to read Wild Health by Cindy Engel and Caroline Ingraham’s book, Animal Self-Medication.  Both are fabulous books about how animals self-medicate.  Caroline Ingraham is also interviewed by Dr. Karen Becker here which may provide more insight.  Dr. Jane Goodall’s work also supports many examples of the animals she studied self-medicating in the wild

Natural Self-Selection, by Wild and Domestic Animals

We are all connected to nature. We all actually map the earth in many ways. Nature has provided everything we need to be balanced and healthy. Animals constantly access nature’s medicine to heal. This is how wild animals survive. Our domestic animals are born with this intelligence too, they know what they need. Below are just a few examples, of wild and domestic animals, self-medicating.

• Wild roe deer eating acorns; most likely for de-worming, using the tannins
• Horse sourcing rosehips for collagen repair and vitamin C

• Grizzly bear eating dandelions for detoxification and nutrients
• Our young Sienna, sourcing raspberries for food, and nutrients

• Little puppy sourcing dandelions; for his liver – most likely due to vaccinations
• Wild stallion horse eating leaves from a tree

• Rabbit eating leaves from an apple for detoxification
• Dog sourcing oranges for Vitamin C, perhaps detoxification

• Wild male chital deer sourcing fresh leaves, would be definitely healing something as the effort is being made, main diet is grasses
• Moose eating fresh nettles for anaemia, kidney / urinary support and liver, toxins

• Little kitten eating fresh catnip for most likely stress, used as a sedative
• Beaver eating an apple for food, nutrients

• Mouse eating blackberry for food and nutrients
• Goat eating grass for chlorophyll and nutrients