Bach Flower Remedies
In England and the United States, flower essences have been used to treat both human and animal illnesses (Howard 1990; Chancellor 1991). Edward Bach, a physician in England, developed a system of 38 remedies prepared from flowers and trees for negative states of mind such as fear, uncertainty, insufficient interest in present circumstances, loneliness, oversensitivity, despondency, and over-care for the welfare of others.
Bach flower remedies are frequently available at health food or homeopathic medicine stores or can be purchased via the internet.“Rescue remedy” is a versatile treatment for shock and terror. It is actually a combination of five flowers (cherry plum, clematis, impatiens, rock rose, star of Bethlehem; Goldstein 2008) that is given orally when the goat undergoes pain or stress, as with accidental injuries, disbudding, surgery, parturition, or a move to a new home. The owner may not mention the prior or ongoing treatment of an animal unless there is confidence that the veterinarian will not ridicule the practice. If the veterinarian offers a poor prognosis for an animal to avoid disappointing an owner, the owner will naturally conclude that rescue remedy was instrumental in a subsequent recovery.