Animals

It is recommended that a veterinary practitioner be consulted for any issues with animal health, and informed of any complementary work being conducted.

Environment

An animal’s health can be strongly impacted by the environment it lives in – not just the physical factors, but emotional and energetic as well.

Just as with people, it is important for an animal to have suitable space to live in, shelter, food and drink. Cases of ‘mad cows’ disease’ (BSE) were believed to have been caused by the use of infected spinal cord tissue in the animals’ feed. Horses should not be grazed in fields where there is ragwort, as it can kill them if they eat it. Chickens and other fowl, intensively farmed, in some conditions hardly have enough room to move, and many are injured and die (there are people who, as part of their job, have to go through the shed and collect the dead birds). When animals are kept in close proximity there is also a greater risk of the spread of infection and disease.

‘Suitable’ food is also an issue for many pets. There is an increasing rise in obesity in pet cats and dogs, as many owners feed their animals too much, or foods that are not appropriate for them. ‘Human food’ is often not suitable for animals – especially processed foods, which often have high levels of salt and sugar. Chocolate can kill dogs, cats should not have milk (apart from kittens having their mother’s milk), and cats are not designed to be vegetarians. Animals also need a sufficient supply of good quality water to drink.

As mentioned in the ‘Places’ page, there can be environmental energies which may be beneficial or non-beneficial to health. This can be different for different kinds of animal and plant life. What are commonly regarded as ‘non beneficial energies’ for humans, or ‘negative’ energies, are sought out by animals such as cats, ants, bees and wasps. Horses and dogs, however will seek out ‘positive’ energy places. If animals are having issues – behavioural or health – in a particular stall or stable, or house, it may be worth having the area checked for non beneficial energies, and cleared if necessary. Negative energies (often linked with underground water or fault lines, but not exclusively) have been linked with illness, disease, poor growth, and infertility in animals.

Mental & Emotional

Many animals may suffer mental and emotional issues. This may be due to past (or current) mistreatment, trauma, or other factors. I have witnessed a dog cowering when someone picked up a stick. The dog seemed to have a negative association with the stick, and may well have been beaten in the past. To another dog, the sight of a stick might signal an invitation to play.

Dogs and horses can also often become unwell after the loss of a companion(animal or human). Some animals are more sensitive than others, and often pick up on their owner’s emotions, behaviour and issues. There are pets nowadays that are being diagnosed with anxiety and even depression.

It is important to take care of an animal’s emotional and mental state, as well as its physical wellbeing if it is in your care.

While animals may have emotional and conditioned responses to what is going on around them, they don’t seem to have ‘belief systems’ in the way that humans do. It is therefore easier, in some ways, to treat them as they have no limiting beliefs about whether a treatment will work or not. There is no seeming placebo (it working because they believe it will) or nocebo (it causing harm because they believe it will) effect.

Many animals seem to respond well to the use of homeopathic remedies, essences and other ‘energy’ work, once any environmental issues are addressed. Many animals are also excellent at selecting what they need (zoopharmacognacy) in the way of remedial foodstuffs. Cats and dogs will often eat grass and be sick, and some parrots will eat a special clay which neutralises poisons in the food they eat – nature really is remarkable.

It is also important to realise that it may be necessary for the animal’s human carers to address their issues and make changes to their behaviour.