post #10 flower essences

  In my last blog post I talked about using massage therapy to help your dog to relax and recover from a seizure. I would like to continue the theme of holistic care for managing seizures by discussing a treatment mode that is frequently over looked and many people have never even heard of, flower essences. Let me say that first and foremost it is very important to consult your vet and a reputable herbalist before using flower extracts to know what is safe to use for your dog.

  Because most people aren’t familiar with flower essences I will explain what they are first. Flower essences are made by taking the flowering part of a plant and soaking it in carrier water in the bright sun, much the same way you would make sun tea. After a few hours of soaking, a very small amount of alcohol is added to preserve the essence. The tincture is then applied by dropper under the tongue or it can be mixed with a glass of water and drank. It is believed that the flower essence will help stabilize mood, emotional well-being, as well as relieve stress from physical or emotional trauma. The most reliable source to obtain flower essence from currently, I believe is a company called “Bach flower essence”. Dr. Edward Bach was the first known scientist to start formulating flower essence and he founded his company in the 1930s.   I use flower essence for a variety of reasons but for Baron following a seizure I have a couple favorites.  The first is called “Bach’s rescue remedy”, a combination of essence from rock rose, impatiens, cherry plum, star of Bethlehem, and clematis. This mix was created by Dr. Bach to deal with emergencies and crises - the moments when there is no time to make a proper individual selection of remedies. It helps Baron to get through the seizure when it is happening, making the length of the seizure shorter. Following a seizure Baron is usually very anxious and stressed so this is when I give him a few drops of Bach’s crab apple, this particular essence helps in providing relief from nervous tension. I have found that when I provide him with the crab apple essence the post-ictal anxiety is less severe and doesn’t last as long as if I don’t give it. After Baron has come out of his post-ictal anxiety and is starting to relax he usually has a hard time remembering basic commands or responding to his name. This is when I will give him 3-4 drops of Lemon flower essence. Lemon flower essence will help clear brain fog and confusion and this too helps make Baron’s overall recovery time much shorter.
   Overall flower essences can be used for so many things and are essentially harmless. I highly recommend them to anyone that is dealing with stress, anxiety, or any variety of emotional problems. Flower essences will help stabilize the emotional state of those who take them, whether it is a person or a dog (or any living creature for that matter) everyone can benefit from using flower essences.





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