AnimOILSProviding Animal Aromatherapy Consultations and Essential Oil Therapy Education for Animal Owners and Carers
When used with care and knowledge and with the full support of your veterinary surgeon, Essential Oils and Aromatherapy can provide huge support to both our animals and us in times of difficulty.
Case studies
Animal AromatherapyAnimal Aromatherapy or Essential Oil therapy is the use of essential oils to help enhance physical and emotional well-being. It is believed that we all know on an instinctive, perhaps even cellular level just what it is that we need for our physical and emotional health and our animals are probably even better at this that we are. This is demonstrated so well when you offer an essential oil to a horse. Usually it will sniff it intently, first with one nostril and then, if interested, with the other. The right side of the brain is connected to the left nostril and is responsible for "feel" and more emotional responses while the left side of the brain is connected to the right nostril and deals with "rational thought" and all things "cerebral". The sense of smell is linked directly to the Limbic system, which acts as a message relay to many of the body's vital systems, and so any information carried from the nose is passed on, processed and acted upon.
Smell is a very powerful sense and a single scent may instantly re-kindle memories of a particular event, place or person whether pleasant or otherwise and this ability too may be harnessed for our emotional well-being. For instance, when I look at the picture alongside I can immediately smell the heady scent of bluebells and am transported to a sunny afternoon in May 2002 when I took my dogs out for a walk in the woods beyond my home to take this picture of the most prolific show of Bluebells I have ever seen...smelled! Due to the volatile nature of essential oils, a small amount of vapour will be inhaled and in the ideal conditions of the warm and moist nasal cavity, some of the active components of the oils will have a direct route into the bloodstream via capillaries very close to the surface. Essential Oil Therapy for animals is normally given either by inhalation of the oils, or by allowing the animal to ingest the oil orally whilst topical application is normally reserved for the treatment of physical problems such as wounds and disorders of the musculo-skeletal system. Whatever method you use, the most important thing is that the animal, be it a cat, dog, horse or rat, has the choice to either accept or reject the oils and they should only be administered in the correct dilution and with care, respect and knowledge. Oils also have purely physical properties. Many stimulate the immune system and can also be used to treat a variety of conditions such as mud fever, sweet itch, cuts, bruises, skin irritation etc but it should be emphasised that although careful use of oils is fine for minor first aid or treatment of previously diagnosed conditions, you must always get a veterinary diagnosis and permission to use oils if you feel your horse has a physical problem or that a behavioural one has a physical cause. It must also be remembered that although many oils are totally mild and safe in use, some have to be used with care as some, such as Nutmeg can build up to toxic levels in the body with prolonged use. It is strongly advised that you consult a qualified Essential Oils Therapist for Animals and or human Aromatherapist and get yourself a good reference book to thoroughly inform yourself on oil safety, application, blending and contra-indications. I am particularly interested in the question "are we like our animals or are they like us? "It's a terrible cliché I know, but I have been consistently finding that the oils my own and my friends horses choose are often the same ones that we are using on ourselves. Working from that view, if we try to look at the horse and handler as a whole, why not extend this to treatments such as aromatherapy? Just as a physical problem in the rider can be mirrored in the horse, so can an emotional one. It is worth remembering that if we are not feeling "safe" emotionally, we can't expect our animals to feel "safe" with us, and a person who is not in balance with their own feelings and emotions is like a loose canon around animals. They do not appreciate being the butt of our emotional swings and if we can try and take a step back from our problems before we step into our horses' space, life is much better for all of us. A more relaxed owner makes a happier animal! With careful, informed and responsible use, essential oils are a wonderful tool to enhance the well-being and health of both our animals and ourselves and brings yet another dimension into holistic animal-care. What is Essential Oil Therapy?Essential Oil Therapy (EOT) uses pure plant essential oils to help re-establish the balance of the body and so restore and maintain good health. It can be used to help a variety of issues from emotional trauma, to physical injury to supporting behavioural re-training as well as palliative care for those animals nearing the end of their lives. The welfare and needs of the animal are always paramount and because the owner is directly involved in administering the treatment it also helps with feelings of helplessness and disempowerment that people often experience when their animals are ill or suffering emotionally. How does it work? Essential oils are very volatile and can evaporate through the nasal cavity of the animal when inhaled. The active parts of the oil pass easily into the blood stream via a rich supply of blood vessels in the nasal cavity and are transported around the body. The chemical constituents of the oil are also processed by the Limbic system which links the sense of smell to the brain and as a result messages are passed to the various parts of the body that are out of balance. Animals are adept "self-medicators" and seem to know just what they need to maintain optimum health and so it is vital that they are given the choice to take the oils or not. By offering the oils to an animal to inhale and or lick if it wishes, and applying topically to areas of pain or injury if necessary, essential oils can gently encourage the body to trigger it's own healing systems. What does a consultation involve?Home visits When you book a consultation I will normally visit your home so that I can meet your animals in their usual environment. I will take a full case history and ask you some questions about your animal and its management including diet, exercise and any aspects of your family life that may have a bearing on the situation to help me to build up a picture of anything that may be influencing the condition. I will also show you how to offer the oils and fill in the record sheets, discuss safety issues, the duration of treatment and take some photographs as well as a small hair sample from your animal. Postal/Phone consultations Are there any conditions that can't be treated? While many conditions and states respond positively to EOT, there are certain situations where it would not be possible to use oils straight away. Essential Oil Therapy and your Vet. Currently, Essential Oil Therapists for Animals are allowed by law to carry out an assessment of your animal according to veterinary diagnosis by your vet. On completion of treatment I will be happy to supply a full report for your vet or insurer if requested. I am not allowed to treat your animal myself or to offer a diagnosis but I am allowed to educate you how to offer the oils to your own animal to support its recovery. Therapy for Animals must comply with a strict code of conduct and a copy of this is available on request or through the GEOTA website at www.geota.co.uk Mini Holistic Animal AssessmentsTo complement my in-depth Essential Oils Consultations I am also able to offer a mini Holistic Animal Assessment. What is an Holistic Assessment and what is involved? The purpose of this assessment is not to look at the physical state of the animal but to help bring about a deeper understanding of the animals individual energy and emotions, and find methods of management that will bring about balance, and help the animal maintain optimal health. This is done using the 5 Element Theory which is a system used in Traditional Chinese medicine to assess the energetic state of the body and mind, but I also incorporate behavioural knowledge and sound animal husbandry principles. The organs and body systems are associated with the 5 elements of Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal, each with a distinct personality and character trait when in or out of balance. For instance, the dynamic competition horse or show dog is often a Wood energy type which is associated with spring time, the liver and gall bladder and the emotion of anger and while it is easy-going and motivated when in balance it can be tense, rigid and frustrated when out of balance (ie.Wooden) How can this help my animals?When out of balance energetically the body cannot function optimally. This can eventually lead to emotional and then physical un-wellness. By carrying out an assessment I am able to suggest essential oils that may be useful to help correct these energetic imbalances and so maintain well-being. I also offer suggestions where appropriate as to changes in management, handling or routine that may help to resolve the problem that the owner has asked for help with. How do I get an assessment for my animal?The assessment fee is £10 and includes a full report on the animal, further resources for help if appropriate and on-going support to the owner if required. Please complete the form and send it to me with a cheque for £10. I will confirm receipt and send you your report within 7 days. To download a copy, click here. Try to include as much information as you can to help me to build up a picture of your animal and its situation. A recent photograph of your animal is also helpful and all photographs will be returned with the report. If you wish me to supply the essential oils these are available at an additional charge. If you have any questions or would like to discuss whether an Holistic Assessment or a full Essential Oil Therapy Consultation is more appropriate, please do not hesitate to contact me.
About meI am a qualified Essential Oil Therapist for Animals and studied a diploma course with GEOTA. I also have a qualification in human aromatherapy. My formal background is in agriculture and I passed my National Diploma in Agriculture at Hartpury College, Glos in 1989. I worked in the dairy industry for the next 12 years until a spinal injury leading to two back operations led me to re-think my career options and my approach to illness/wellness. My interest in complementary therapy and taking the "bigger picture" when dealing with so called "behavioural problems" in animals meant that I could take advantage of the enforced time off work to study animal behaviour and various training methods as well as courses in aromatherapy, Flower remedies, basic counselling and Reiki energy healing. I became a Reiki Master/Teacher and a member of the Reiki Federation and now specialise in teaching people who share their lives with animals. As a lifelong rider and animal owner, I currently have 3 horses, five dogs, three cats, three rats and work part time with my husband on our 560 acre organic farm on the Cotswolds, which we rent from The National Trust. We have a 70 cow beef suckler herd, a breeding flock of 350 ewes and grow arable crops. I also have a contract with the National Trust to help with the management of their herd of conservation grazing cattle which are used to manage limestone grassland sites in and around the Cotswold hills for the benefit of their rich plant and invertebrate communities and this has been an ideal opportunity to see "self-medication" in action. How to book a consultationI am available for consultations in Gloucestershire and the Hereford/Oxon/Wilts/Worcs borders in person and will accept clients from anywhere in the world by post although it is important that overseas clients make sure that they comply with the veterinary law regarding use of complementary therapies for animals in their own country if applicable. Home visits If you would like to book a home consultation please call or e-mail me to arrange an appointment and to discuss obtaining veterinary permission for me to do an assessment on your animal. Postal/Phone consultations Please Click here to view a printable consultation form. Please Click here to download the consultation form (66Kb) in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. Please Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. For postal consultations please fill in the consultation form with as much detail as you can. The more you can tell me the more accurate picture I can build up so please spend as much time as you need to think about the problem and include anything you feel may be helpful, however trivial it may first appear! Please include a cheque for £45 made out to Pauhla Whitaker. I am only able to accept credit or debit cards via Paypal in which case there is a £1.00 surcharge per order. To use this service, you will need to sign up to Paypal if you do not already have an account but this is quick and simple and means you can send money to anyone, anywhere as long as they have an e-mail address. Simply go to www.paypal.com where you can register for free and then click on "send money". The e-mail address for payment is pauhla@animoils.co.uk Overseas payment Paypal is the most convenient and simple method of payment and is free for you. Please note the only other payment methods I can accept is payment in Sterling by bankers draft or by cheque drawn on a UK bank account or by direct transfer to my bank account. Please contact me for my account details if you wish to use this method. Fee structure I feel it is important to state clearly my fee structure and what you can expect from me. AnimOILS Essential Oil Therapy WorkshopsI run regular one-day "Introduction to Essential Oil Therapy for Animals" workshops for groups, or on a one-to-one tuition basis, for people who are interested in learning how to use essential oils safely, for the benefit of their animals both large and small. Workshops are held on our organic farm on the Cotswold Hills near Gloucester and are designed to be informative, hands-on and fun and include practical work on a variety of animals and an opportunity to make up a set of oils for you to take home for the animal of your choice. More in-depth two-day courses are available on request and cover a further range of essential oils plus a more in depth introduction to kinesiology (muscle testing) to help refine the selection of appropriate oils for the individual animal. Please note that these workshops are an introduction only and you may only legally treat animals you own. The information given in workshops is not intended to be a replacement for proper veterinary diagnosis and care.
What do the Workshops Cover?Workshops are held on our organic farm on the Cotswold hills near Gloucester and are designed to be informative, hands-on and fun and will cover the following...
The course fee is £75 and includes tuition, refreshments, lunch and a comprehensive course manual plus a certificate of attendance.Please contact me for an information pack, booking form and list of available dates. Talks and Lecture/DemosI am very happy to take bookings for evening or daytime talks to groups and for half day informal "taster" lecture/demos at livery yards or for dog training clubs, riding clubs and other organisations as well as more informal talks for groups of horse or pet owners. If you are interested then please contact me for more information. Pauhla Whitaker (MGEOTA) 
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