My Pet World: Reader recommends homeopathic treatment for grieving pet
Dear Cathy,
I was sad to read about Jerri from Syosset, N.Y., whose Havanese was grieving the loss of his Lhasa Apso companion. Please suggest the Bach flower remedy of Star of Bethlehem, which will help to mitigate the trauma he suffered. Two drops in his water daily should help.
Bach Flower remedies are tinctures made from plants, trees and flowers that turn "negative" emotions into "positive" ones. They are safe, gentle, effective and have no side effects. The 38 remedies (plus Rescue Remedy, the most well-known) help people and animals overcome emotional conditions such as fear, uncertainty, loneliness and despondency. The creator/developer of the essences, Dr. Edward Bach, was an immunologist, physician and bacteriologist. He studied homeopathy and, in fact, created seven nosodes (homeopathic preparations) that are used today.
Dr. Bach was inspired to observe people and concluded that these negative emotional states precipitated illness. He then set out to create the essences that are used today, nearly 100 years after Dr. Bach's work, which spanned about a decade from the 1920s to the 1930s. A great book for the remedies and pet/animal use is: "Bach Flower Remedies for Animals," by Helen Graham and Gregory Vlamis. -- Amy Shaffer Crawley, Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner, Queens, NY
Dear Amy,
I have used Bach's Rescue Remedy myself for stress, and I have used the recommended few drops in water with my pets as well during moves to new homes. I am very open to alternative approaches to pet care, which in veterinary medicine is often referred to as integrative medicine. My dogs have received acupuncture and homeopathic treatments in addition to traditional medicine with much success.
It looks like as a practitioner you can offer guidance in this area. Pet parents also can find a holistic veterinarian near them by searching the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association's database at https://www.ahvma.org/.
Dear Cathy,
I read your column about Jerri and his dog who was mourning over the loss of his canine companion. Although they say they can't adopt another dog at this time in their life, I'm wondering if they had considered adopting an older dog that may have lost its owner/companion too. -- Phyllis, Las Vegas, NV
Dear Phyllis,
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