Horse herd

Animal self-select is a therapy used at Animal Konnection. It allows domesticated, captive and/or caged animals to select their own natural remedies to aid them in healing some form of disharmony. These may be essential oils, clays, herbs and herbal powders or macerated oils. An animal may choose to inhale, lick, rub or indicate via body movement where they would like topical application of their selected remedy. This technique is used in therapy programmes or as a stand alone treatment option. This is a behaviour that animals use for self-healing. 

Animals "self-medicate" in the wild by ingesting or rubbing (topical application) plants, soils, insects, etc to prevent or reduce the dis-ease effects of pathogens and toxins or pain and inflammation. These remedies can be self-selected for a range of problems that our domesticated, captive and caged animals encounter, such as itchy skin, wounds, arthritis and kennel cough, various musculoskeletal, neurological and behaviour abnormalities. This methodology is known as applied zoopharmagonosy which has been extensively developed by Caroline Ingraham.

For detailed information on this modality please refer to Caroline Ingraham’s and Dr Sheldon’s websites. 

Zoopharmacognosy, is the scientific study of animals self-medicating in the wild. In ancient Greek ‘zoo’ refers to the animal, ‘pharmaco’ to the remedy, and ‘gnosy’ to their knowing. Applied Zoopharmacognosy is dedicated to enabling our pets, zoo animals or animals receiving rehabilitation to"self-treat".