Treatment fields

The essential oils and dried herbs used in Applied Zoopharmacognosy can be extremely effective in the treatment of chronic medical conditions. Conventional veterinary medicine often reaches is limitations in dogs struggling with long-term health issues like allergies, gastrointestinal discomfort, or skin issues. The natural remedies we use have diverse effects on the body and thus target imbalances on multiple levels. By strictly following the principles of self-medication, we ensure that the dog can select whatever remedies are needed for their current condition. Fascinatingly, we often observe that a dog's selection deviates quite strongly from what we expected them to select based on their symptoms. This highlights the importance of letting the dog choose freely in order to get the best treatment effect. At the same time, the self-medication approach ensures that no unneeded remedies are applied, thus avoiding side effects that are often associated with long-term pharmacological treatment

Behavioural issues in dogs can be extremely complex and challenging to resolve. It is widely accepted today that chronic physical discomfort, e.g. due to pain, itchiness, or digestive problems, commonly leads to the development of behavioural symptoms. Unfortunately, underlying medical problems are often not recognised in dogs displaying anxious, fearful, nervous, or reactive behaviours. Chronic health problems can be difficult to spot, since dogs adapt to them over time and may not display any obvious symptoms. In addition, with the high number of rescue dogs in this country, it is often relatively easy to find an explanation for a dog's behavioural issues, as many have endured horrific physical and/or emotional abuse in their past. 

Luckily, our understanding for the emotional needs of our loyal friends and companions has come a long way, and there are some brilliant professionals out there in the world of canine behavioural science. However, while we can greatly support our struggling dogs by carefully rebuilding their trust and confidence, this journey can be very challenging and draining for both dog and owner. Applied Zoopharmacognosy gives us an additional tool to help these dogs on their way back to a happy and healthy life. Our remedies target any hidden physical imbalances, but also offer powerful emotional support to overcome trauma and cope with negative experiences. By applying self-medication principles, we ensure that no physical or emotional issue is neglected, independent of whether it is shown to us through symptoms or not.

In addition, Applied Zoopharmacognosy allows the owner to deeply connect with their dog and offer them comfort, which can be difficult in everyday life when struggles are constantly present. If performed correctly under guidance of a professional practitioner who can read the dog's response to the remedies, the dogs quickly realise that they are listened to and fully in charge of what happens. This level of self-advocacy is something most dogs are not used to in our highly controlled world, and that on its own can be a massive confidence boost.

Although associated with sadness and pain, palliative care and end of life care can also be extremely rewarding. In their older years, many of our canine companions face medical issues that are unlikely to resolve and are often progressive. Applied Zoopharmacognosy can support your dog physically and emotionally during these difficult times. In individual cases, it may even slow down disease progression and give you a little bit more time with your beloved dog than expected; however, this is not what we want to focus on. We are often faced with an incredibly hard decision when the time to say goodbye is approaching, and many of us worry in this situation that we may wait for too long and cause unnecessary suffering. We believe that spending the last days or weeks with our dogs in such an intimate and connected way is incredibly comforting for both the dog and their owner. Being able to actively improve our dog's quality of life until the very end can really affect how we remember this time and offer great comfort during the grieving process.

We would be honoured to support you and your dog before, during, and after their transitioning and we also offer professional pet bereavement counselling. Of course, we are also more than happy to discuss how we can support your dog palliatively if they are still happy and lively, but unlikely to recover from their condition.

In principle, Applied Zoopharmacognosy is a great way to support your dog's wellbeing independent of their medical condition. It can also be used preventatively if your dog does not have any obvious health  problems, tackling any subtle imbalances that might have built up and supporting a healthy and effective immune system. It offers a fantastic opportunity to sit with your dog, decompress, and just spend some peaceful quality time together surrounded by beautiful aromas.

The only exception we make is if a dog needs acute veterinary care. Although many oils have powerful physical effects that can be life-saving, we would never advocate for the use of Applied Zoopharmacognosy instead of emergency veterinary care. However, once your dog has been taken care of by a vet, we are happy to assist in acute cases and can also have a chat with your vet if desired.