Flower Essences

By Dr. Karen Shaw Becker, DVM, NMD

Flower Essences can be used safely and effectively for all ages of pets. Animals experience fear, loneliness, grief, nervousness and stress. Flower essences can ease emotional imbalances, calm animals in stressful situations and help with some behavior problems. Here are Dr. Becker’s favorite essences:

Agrimony:
Animals that appear too stoic, unable to express their emotions appropriately. These animals may constantly search for a comfortable place to lay, chew or lick themselves in a certain spot or be abnormally restless.
Aspen:
Good for pets that experience fears and anxieties of unknown origin. Great for pets that urinate or hide when approached by strangers, stray pets or rescued animals with abusive backgrounds.
Beech:
Great for animals that are intolerant of change, or extreme “creatures of habit”. Use with pets that constantly whine, cry or “complain.” Good for finicky eaters and cats that spray when there are changes in their environment. Also used with pets that are jealous and are not tolerant of other animals or people.
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Centaury:
Good for animals that are too submissive, unwilling to defend themselves. Used for runts of the litter and those animals that are dominated by others.
Cerato:
For animals that have difficulty making decisions and have short attention spans. Good to use when pet constantly seeks reassurance. Use for training, competitions and with pets that lack focus.
Cherry Plum:
Use with pets that lose control easily. Good for animals that are destructive at home or are unpredictable around other animals. Also good for animals that panic when traveling or chew themselves nervously.
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Chestnut bud:
Great for pets that are slow learners or those that fail to learn from past mistakes. Use this remedy when animals have acquired bad habits (inappropriate urination, not using litter pans, or raiding the trashcan).
Chicory:
Great for separation anxiety. Also for pets that follow you around, demand to sit in your lap, fear being alone or are possessive of their owners.
Clematis:
A must for whelping. Use on newborns to stimulate respiration. Helps animals regain consciousness after accidents or seizures. We use it on animals coming out of anesthesia.
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Crab apple:
A good detoxifying essence. Also used on abused animals with past emotional issues.
Elm:
Good for animals that carry a lot of responsibility (working dogs, competition animals).
Heather:
For animals that insist on being the center of attention. Great for dogs that bark for no reason and birds that scream uncontrollably.
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Holly:
For animals that become aggressive easily, or threaten to attack without provocation. Good for animals with a history of abuse or neglect.
Honeysuckle:
Use for grieving or homesick pets. Select this essence if the pet has lost a close family member (animal or person).
Impatiens:
For impatient, irritable pets that are nervous or anxious.
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Larch:
Great for animals that lack self-esteem or confidence. Good for multi-pet households where animals are bullied and hide from other pets.
Mimulus:
Use on pets that have excessive fears (thunderstorms, vacuums, vets).
Mustard:
For personality changes in pets, or those that have mood swings and depression. Consider this essence for old pets.
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Oak:
For those animals that will work to exhaustion.
Olive:
For pets that lack energy. Can also be used on pets that are over-exhausted or traumatized.
Pine:
Use on animals that have been deserted or were given away. Good for rejected/recycled pets.
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Red chestnut:
Animals that are overly concerned about their owners or other pets. Good for those animals that sit by the window until their owners come home.
Rock rose:
One of the best essences for terror, extreme fear and nightmares.
Rock water:
For inflexible pets. Good for pets that adhere to strict routines or become picky eaters over time.
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Scleranthus:
For indecisive pets with changing moods. Also useful for motion sickness and vertigo.
Star of Bethlehem:
For shock and trauma. Great to have on hand for animals recovering from surgery, whelping, car trips and unexpected injuries. Also beneficial for stray animals.
Sweet chestnut:
Animals experiencing extreme mental anguish or high-strung animals under a lot of stress.
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Vervain:
For over-enthusiastic or hyperactive animals. Good to use on dogs that constantly jump and bark.
Walnut:
Protects from change. Use for any change in routine, including a new pet or person addition, holiday events, a move to a new house or a change in diet.
Water violet:
Use this remedy on animals that are aloof and self-reliant. Good choice for dogs that were socialized late or cats and birds that don’t interact with their owners.
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White chestnut:
Helps dismiss unwanted or recurring thoughts.
Willow:
For animals that feel resentment towards people or other pets. This essence helps animals that feel self-pity or short-changed in life.

Rescue Remedy is a combination of five flower essences that is used for any stressful situation, including medical and emotional emergencies. Cherry Plum, Clematis, Impatiens, Rock Rose and Star of Bethlehem essences comprise Rescue Remedy.

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Copyright © Dr. Karen Becker, DVM, NMD All Rights Reserved.
Animal Communication or any other alternative modalities are not to be construed as a replacement for proper veterinary care, nutrition, or exercise.