Zoopharmacognosy

HELLO. 

We thought that our blog page would be a good place to talk to you about ZOOPHARMACOGNOSY. What it is and Why we do it.

First of all we have both Zoopharmacognosy (we shorten this to zoopharm) and Applied Zoopharmacognosy (AZ). Zoopharm itself is the use of natural products to self medicate. Applied Zoopharmacognosy is the actual practicing of Zoopharmacognosy.


Now then, if we look at the entire word and break it down into three parts we end up with zoo, pharma and cognosy. Each of these on their own translate to animal, medicine/remedy and knowledge. Therefore when we practice AZ we are working with animals that have the knowledge to self medicate. This knowledge is used to help with nutrition deficiencies, allergies, injuries, toxins and mental issues to name but a few.




In the wild...

Animals have an innate ability to self medicate. Their bodies go through changes when they are deficient in certain items, for example vitamin C, and as they forage they will gain an increased sensitivity to any product that contains this vitamin (lets say rose hips).

Animals won't necessarily go hunting for what they are deficient in but it's more a case of their sensitivity receptors increase so they can smell specific things from a greater distance, locate them and eat what they need.



 

At home...

Our domestic pets also have this innate ability but what they don't have is the facilities to forage in the wild. The closest they get to this is when we take them out. 

Our domestic animals rely on us to feed and protect them and in doing so cure any ailments that they may get. We do this by taking them to the vets and (for a huge number of us) by relying on pet food manufacturers doing their jobs.



With Zoopharm we bring the outside indoors so your pet can use his/her innate ability to self medicate just like their wild counterparts.





AZ allows our domestic animals to take control of their own health. The products we offer them mostly take the form of essential or macerated oils, dried herbs, minerals and clays.






Animals take these products in various ways and which way they do take the products depends on why they need them. 

1. They can take them through inhalation. This gets the volatiles into the body through the brain exceptionally quick and is a good way to get anti-depressants or hormonal products into the body. You often get to see a flehmen response with this method.
2. They can take them through the mouth via ingestion. This gets the products into the stomach and through the digestive system. It also means that the products will pass through the liver and so be changed into a different form or chemical. These are then transferred around the body through the blood stream.
3. They can be taken under the tongue (sub-lingual). This gets the chemicals into the blood stream very quickly indeed without any interference by the liver.
4. They can be placed topically onto the skin. This can be to have a direct impact in the skin or to be soaked in and working just under the surface.

Certain animals are very good at masking pain, until they start with AZ that is, but their choices never lie. We have found out so many times now that an animal has had lingering muscle pain or an old wound/scar tissue that is still tight or even the start of arthritis because of the group of products that they have been selecting.
We work with the animal and with what they want to take as they are the only ones that know truly what their body needs. This varies from emotional needs because of a past trauma or separation to pain or an old injury to digestive problems. The animals can even help their liver and kidneys with the natural products that they take. Another big area that animals deal with is allergies and skin conditions. The best way to deal with these are from the inside but also with help from products being placed topically onto the skin. This is absolutely amazing to see. Could you ever imagine an animal pointing to where he/she wants something put onto their body... well it happens. It happens a lot. 

 

This beautiful Connemara has lots of health issues including
type 2 diabetes and he regularly self medicates and it varies
every-time he has a session.

Big injury trauma left this beautiful mare
with emotional issues that she is working
through at her pace.

As stated on our website we regularly work with owners who have given a loving home to a rescue dog, cat or horse and the animal invariably has issues. These issues vary from separation, past trauma, abuse, fears/phobias, trust issues etc… and it is so difficult for an animal to deal with these on their own. This is where the applied zoopharmacognosy really shows its true colours.

Marmaduke up date 3

 Hello everyone,

I have been struggling to upload a video onto my blog, that's why we have had a slight delay in my posting, my apologies, I have put it on my face book page for now until I find out why it will not work. Please look me up under MARMADUKE GOODALL.

I have been working extra hard lately with my Mam and Dad lately, we decided to go back to basics and I have been learning what praise is. The reason why we have done this is because we suddenly realised that I have never really had praise from a "two leg" concerning my decision making on every day matters.

What we have been doing to get me to understand when my parents are telling me "good decision" and when my body language is being understood is to are interact whenever I do something with them. They wanted to change my bed so they encouraged me to get up and stretch my legs, then I stood and watched them sort out my bed then they offered it back to me and when I got in it they gave me a truly delicious tripe stick.

I have also been working very hard with my oils with my Mam and Dad and they really are showing me that my parents only ever give me good experiences, I am beginning to believe it is okay to walk toward them and they wont try and touch me.

The more I do simple things and keep an eye on them they react in one of two ways, either by giving me some form of praise or by doing nothing at all. I am starting to test things out and see what happens, like walking out in the garden, they just sit and quietly watch me trying to pretend that they aren't, (the daft sods that they are...)

Now this exploration of mine to the garden might seem little, or trivial to some people but to me it was huge, I haven't done this type of thing before and the thought of leaving my bed (my safe haven) and walking out into a large area was, is quite daunting but I did it and I did it again and again and again. Suddenly I felt shattered, mentally drained and I slept like a log later that day and the whole of the next one too.

I eventually processed what I had done and then a few days later started to explore the living room more, WHILST my Mam and Dad were in it!!!

That video footage will hopefully be on my next blog. 

Thanks or taking the time to read this blog and please pop over to my fb page......

Thanks again for your support and speak to you soon.

Love
Marmaduke.

Enrichment

One of the many areas we work with dog owners is enrichment.

This is when you add items of interest to an area of your dogs walk or his garden/exercise area. The more a dog has to explore with his nose the more mentally stimulated he will get and this has a huge knock on effect because it means he becomes mentally tired not physically and this will then result in a dog that sleeps a lot better.

We can enrich an area generally by adding different textures in the garden like plant pots, trellis, vegetation, tree stumps, bushes, boxes, walls, sheds, long grassed areas etc... the list is endless and you can also look at enriching a walk.

This needs advance planning though but is so rewarding for the animal and therefore so worthwhile.

The attached video shows just one part of an enriched walk where the labrador had to sniff out pine cones with bits of treat (cheese or soft dog chew) stuffed into the them which were placed in among a pile of logs.

Watch it and take note of the interaction that takes place when the dog is a little timid and wary of getting in amongst the wood pile so giving the owner a brilliant chance to enjoy a bonding moment with his dog.

These moments are priceless.

Enjoy.

Marmaduke up date 2

Good afternoon buddies,
it's been a couple of days since our last chat so it's about time I brought you up to date.

Well..... to be honest I ain't done much hahaha..... I had a very quick trip to the garden and back again, it all seemed too much so was back in my bed in a flash but hey... my Dad didn't try and force me to do anything I didn't want to and I am guessing that is what they mean when people 'listen' to you. Let me know if I'm right on this one coz it's a pretty cool feeling. I didn't feel the need to make myself as small as possible when I got back into my super-kingsize bed and since then I haven't been feeling as tense as I was. My body is relaxed a lot more and looks pretty natural if I say so myself 

On Friday morning I waited till my parents went out and then got up and went for a bit of explore, I felt a little bit more confident knowing I couldn't bump into the "two legs" whilst sniffing all their tat... and by the time they came in I was back in my bed snoozing and feeling pretty good with myself and then the funniest thing happened about an hour after they came in. They suddenly came in the kitchen and were giving me lovely words of praise for no reason at all. I was just lying in my bed thinking "I have covered all my tracks spot on, they can't know I have been about" and here they are in the kitchen asking me if I'd enjoyed my gallivant !!!

this is me playing it real cool...

How????? How did they do it????? I spent all afternoon going back over my plan and re tracing my steps and I just couldn't figure it out, so when they popped out to the horses at tea time I took the opportunity to nip out my bed and check that I hadn't dropped anything on my travels or knock anything over and I was left scratching my head. Then AGAIN, half an hour after they got back in the house they pottered around at the kitchen table with one of those toplap thingy's and suddenly started laughing then giving me praise again. The only thing that I haven't got an answer to is they keep talking about a "gopro rodeo camera" or something like that. I ain't quite got the geordie/scottish twang yet. Can anybody shed any light on this one for me please......

Mind you, what it meant was that they had found out I wasn't as shy as I was pretending to be, I then started to panic and think what else did I do??? how did I look? was my hair a mess? did they get my best side? etc... you all know the sort of worries that go through your head when you get caught red handed eh.?.?.?
So on Saturday morning I decided to take the bull by the horns and I got up whilst they were in the living room and I went to the door and peeked round the edge... you should have seen their faces, it was amazing... if my Mam had false teeth they would have fallen out ho ho ho... but before they could react reality set in for me, I realized where I was and just what I was doing and me being such a braveheart! decided to nimble footit back to my bed, I darted backwards, sidewards in two directions at once (just to confuse them) and high tailed it straight into my lovely safe bed before they could blink.

That was a major adrenalin rush mates, who needs bungee jumping when you live life so near to edge like me???

Then I came back down & realised it was not all that big a deal and went and did it again and again, then I got bored and just went back to bed.
That night I thought up a cracking "by yourself game", in the dark I would get up and find a shoe or boot belonging to my parents and put them in my bed, in a neat little pattern mind, coz I still had to fit in and I ain't all that little (even if I say so my self).

On Saturday morning when Mom and Pops got up they thought it was so sweet and so I did it again later in the morning, why not eh? With similar responses to earlier....... then later in the day I heard a huge penny drop and my Dad started thinking about my shoe fetish from a different angle and he came in and said to me "I hear what you're saying and we will have a chat about my concerns/worries this afternoon." He told me that as soon as he gets my fence up in the garden ( to make it a bit smaller coz large areas are a bit freaky still at the minute, I shudder just at the thought of them...), we will have a lovely chilling session with some essential oils. Now I am looking forward to this as it is really good stuff and honestly folks, it works. Take it from me.

my magic oils, now this is what I call a box of tricks...

I am hoping that I get a chance to undurden some more of my past traumas and more recent separation issues coz I am now starting to feel up to it. If it goes as well as it has been so far then things will continue to improve at a phenomenal rate (that is one of my Dads words, not mine). I'll keep you all posted on that one so please keep all your fingers and toes crossed and loads of loving positive thoughts would be much appreciated and greatly accepted.


Right, enough for now, I know I have probably missed bits out but I'll be back to give you an up-date after my session, mmmmmmm and hopefully a nice relaxing trip into my new smaller garden.

Speak to you all soon.

Luv Marmie xx

Marmaduke up date 1

Oh boy... that smells good!

Hello everyone, wow weeee look at all you lovely people who want to be friends with me. I am a little bit overwhelmed. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, this is really helping me to adjust to my new life. My Dad and I have been chatting about you all this morning (the soft bugger went all funny on me, my Mam says he does that sometimes, especially on DIY SOS The Big Build, what that is I do not know!!!)

I am feeling a little bit more relaxed today, I have managed to stretch my legs out from under me and my tail has detached itself from my undercarriage, boy does that feel good. it was getting pretty hot under there with that tail (It was hard to tell who was more scared, me or my flippin tail, the daft galoot that it is...) oh and I heard myself snore earlier as well, gave myself a little fright he he...

I managed to get some sleep last night but I am still extremely shattered. This whole travelling malarkey and thinking/processing is very exhausting. I know it will get better with time and Mam n Dad are giving me plenty of that so I must just be patient.

I heard my Mam tell Dad that she can't wait for the day that I come up to her and snuggle in and you know what, neither can I... but I just don't feel brave enough to do it yet. It is a lovely thought I now have in my head and when I do feel big and brave she will be the first person I say thank you too (coz she smells the nicest).
Mind you, it is very quickly dawning on me that they don't do this for thanks, it's all about love, oh and all about me too which is pretty cool I can tell you.
I bet I can get them wrapped around my big paws in no time, I'll keep you all posted on that one, but hey... it needs to stay our secret ok buddies?

This morning my Mam was making some breakfast and all I could smell was home made porridge and fruit, boy did it smell good... but I didn't get offered any!!! and then to rub salt into my wounds my Dad made some weird concoction up that had aromas of vanilla and honey!!! I really impressed myself with my pretend ignoring of them but I think they are catching on to my pretense, my bloody big hairy eyebrows keep moving and I think they are giving me away!!! they might make me look adorable but they do have their downsides too.

That's me for now, I really just wanted to say THANKYOU to everyone for all your amazing support.

Keep this up and I'll end up on the news!!!!!

Love to you all.

Marmaduke X

Marmaduke (first day on facebook)

Hello everyone,

I'm a little scared at the thought of doing this facebook thingy... actually I'm a little scared about everything at the minute.

I have been through a bit of weird stuff the last few years and at the beginning some of it in was pretty traumatic then some very kind people took care of me and tried their very best to look after me (I have been a bit of a special case for them and I know I have been a little frustrating at times and for that I would like to apologise) but I know they all loved me and I hope they ALL know that I love them soooo much too.

I am now chilling in a lovely big bed in a warm kitchen with some pretty amazing smells wafting around whilst I slowly get my head around everything that has just happened in the last 48 hours. One thing I am very aware of is that without the kind, caring and compassionate people who have looked after me for the last 3 years I wouldn't be here starting a whole new life up in rainy but very beautiful Northumberland.

My intentions are to keep a diary going on this facebook page about how I am progressing and also to talk to people as I work through my thoughts and memories. I am already starting to put things in place in my head and it is such a nice (but very scary) feeling, one I haven't really experienced before.

I have already started to be offered things that I have never had before, for example this morning I got to choose were I went for my walk and how long it lasted. I chose to go around the back of the garden table and chairs then turn and come back the same way, oh I nearly forgot... I had a toilet stop on the way back!!! Look at me eh...

Well that's enough for now, my paws are getting this thing called writers cramp, what ever that is...

I have enjoyed this so I will come back on soon, I have loads to tell you from the strange long, very long thing they call my lead to the very quiet and ever so polite Labrador that is helping me to relax and feel calm. She is called Macy and she is a stunner by the way.

I would like to end by saying a HUGE HUGE THANK YOU to everyone at Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary, you are all amazing, Lisa big sloppy kisses and Aaron, a big high five bro... you did really well with me, sorry but I couldn't help but wind you up before I left by hiding in my kennel hehe...
I had a good chuckle on the way down the motorway thinking of the look on your face. You're a top geezer.

PS- Rachel you are my personal guardian angel and I will always be thinking about you. Quite simply without you I wouldn't have met my new family. Love you heaps babes.

SPEAK SOON.
MARMADUKE X

Welcome

On this blog site Carin and I intend to offer you more information about what we do, how we do it and more importantly why we do it.

We have just recently welcomed a lovely dog called Marmaduke into our family. He was living down at the Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary after the very kind staff took him in because he had been severely abused during his first 9 - 10 months of his life. Due to these traumas he has quite chronic fear issues and we want to help him overcome these and with a lot of time, love care and attention we hope he gets to enjoy his new life to the fullest with us.

You can keep up to date with what he and we get up to on here.

We will be uploading his facebook diary onto here along with any relevant video footage and photos. We will also be showing certain case studies as we work with dogs and their owners from all over the country so please feel free to browse through our blogs as they come up and also make comments and ask questions.

Thank you and we look forward to meeting a lot of new people.

Colin.