As for people the remedies can be given between 2-4 times per day to the animal, eg dog, or horse etc, often in drinking water. Cats, tend to be more sensitive of anything added to food or drink, and it has been suggested it  might be better to put the remedies on their paws as they will lick them when grooming and therefore take the remedies in this way.

Our animals feel grief, anger, loneliness and stress and tension, etc.  So emotions like these may well alter their behaviour. Early experiences can also have a great impact on how the animal will be as it gets older. For instance a puppy that has been worried by an older dog when out, may well develop fear of other dogs in general. Over the years  I have used the remedies with some of my own animals so I have seen first hand how beneficial they can be.

On one occasion I worked with a cat whose owner normally used homeopathy for her animals. On this occasion it had not been so successful and in this instance the Bach remedies seemed to be the perfect answer.

It is good to remember that many dogs do not like being on their own for any length of time and may show symptoms of separation anxiety or obsessive compulsive behaviour. Some breeds of dog, have been bred to work and if this outlet is denied them they may well end up with emotional problems. Often through no fault of their own animals end up in rescue, and for many this is an extremely traumatic time. This is another situation where the remedies can be extremely useful.

Sometimes, often unwittingly, we cause our animals to be stressed. A client I saw had owned dogs for many years, On one occasion he had bought two from the same litter. As they matured one became more dominant than the other, and the client found this extremely stressful in many respects.

When eventually he bought a new puppy he hoped this one would not be so problematic. The new pup was completely different in temperament, sensitive and anxious to please, and a few issues did develop. The owner consulted his vet who referred him to me, and  began to understand that the little dog was far more sensitive than previous ones  he had owned. At the end of the day we ended up with a much happier owner and puppy, which was wonderful.

I have also worked with horses, one in particular who had been treated extremely badly and was bought by a couple, knowing him to be unsound.  There were a lot of emotional issues with this horse but again with the co-operation and understanding and patience of his owners the horse, who was re-named was able, eventually, to make friends, and undergo with confidence various treatments for his teeth and feet etc. All of which made a tremendous difference to his overall wellbeing.

The Bach Flower Remedies are not confined to use with only dogs, cats and horses, though these are the animals I usually see. Sometimes the constraints we impose upon animals can cause them stress. The pair on the right, however, are perfectly in tune.

Caged birds can also suffer a variety of emotional issues, for example, loneliness, frustration etc, being unable to act out their  natural behaviours. Sometimes feather plucking may be an outward show of an emotional problem.

Certain animals prefer to be the only one, whereas others need the support of a companion.  We need to be aware also of an animal’s natural environment and to be aware of what is their natural behaviour when using Bach Flower Remedies.  We also need to bear in mind Brambell’s Five Freedoms. Freedom from Thirst, Hunger and Malnutrition; Freedom from Discomfort due to the Environment; Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease; Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour for the Species, and Freedom from Fear and Distress.

As with people each animal is an individual and therefore remedies are always made up for each specific animal.

Many puppies coming from puppy farms are not socialised, or fed or housed properly which may well have an affect on their emotional growth and ability to relate to people and other animals. Some animals that have been deprived of food and not just those coming into rescue may develop food guarding issues. Some animals are weaned far too soon, which again may give rise to emotional problems.

Finally, I would like to mention that I am not an animal behaviourist, but work purely on what emotions the animal is showing. The remedies treat the animal as a whole, and often because of changes they make a happy outcome is achieved.