www.BFRAP.nl - Information on Bach Flower Remedies in relation to animals

The BFR is not an alternative, but a complementary healing system to the traditional medical approach. BFR do not treat physical complaints directly. Each of the 38 remedies discovered by Dr Bach is directed at a particular characteristic or emotional state. Though the system was initially designed for people, it has shown that also animals benefit from them. The remedies are not toxic and not dangerous for the health of humans and animals. The remedies contain a small amount of alcohol. They have been used over 65 years without known problems or side effects. Rescue Remedy is more known than the other remedies, and has been prepared by Dr Bach to cover all the usual reactions to crises and emergencies. It is intended as an emotional first-aid kit and not as a quick replacement for the 38 individual remedies.

For animals often the choice will be to prepare a treatment bottle and to give the animal 4x per day 4 drops on some food/treat. In this way you are sure the animal receives the required dosage, for the best results. Never give the dosage directly with the glass dropper en do not leave bottle or dropper unattended near your animal in view of accidental breaking of the glass by the animal and by that injuring itself. The use by end date of a treatment bottle is 3 weeks, because of the addition of mineral water and the bottle needs to be kept cool.

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How do the BFR work?

The whole concept of "the more the better" does not apply for the BFR. To work effectively it is important to make sure that the minimum dosage is reached. The minimum dosage equals the amount you take by using 4x per day 4 drops from a treatment bottle. So "more" does not influence the effectiveness in any way, but simply is a unnecessary waste. I would like to emphasize that establishing a standard treatment bottle for all animals in the same situation is not correct, as each individual animal will have its own personal emotional response to the same situation. Rescue remedy is the only exception as a premixed treatment bottle. In case of emotional inbalans or chronical situations, the remedies will help to regain balance, the principle is often described as pealing an onion, working from the outside emotion layer toward the centre in a graduate and mild way. The remedies are not sedative and are not addictive. When the balance is restored treatment can be stopped without any problem.

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Rescue Remedy

Rescue Remedy is prepared by Dr Bach to cover all the usual reactions to crises and emergencies. It is intended as an emotional first-aid kit and not as a quick replacement for the 38 individual remedies, so after the immediate crisis is over the correct thing to do is to look at the individual response and base your remedy choice on that.
In case of a crisis or emergency the direct dosage of Rescue Remedy is 4 drops*. When included in a treatment bottle you will also have to add 4 drops.

* the dosage of RR is different from the other 38 remedies (being 2 drops per selected remedy). The reason being that Rescue Remedy is a composite remedy and contains fewer drops of each individual mother tincture than a single stock bottle would.

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When could an animal benefit from the remedies?

Of course this list is just a selection but hopefully it will give you an impression in which cases your pet could benefit from treatment

• After moving house the behaviour of your pet started to change, and eventhough it has been already some time ago the new behaviour doesn't decrease
• Your cat is fearful and is basically living on the attick.
• Your horse becomes easily startled after an experience it had when out for a ride
• You animal has changed its behaviour after loss of its companion
• Your dog is fearful in the street
• Animals with separation anxiety
• Because of illness your animal started to change its behaviour and even though it is well again the behaviour has not changed accordingly.
• Your cat has started urinating in your house after a neighbour cat accidently invaded your house. Even though you have taken precautions to avoid this event happening again, your cat still is urinating in the house
• Your horse has become nervous and easily startled after moving stable
• Your animal is very upset after the loss of her newborn(s)
• You have adopted an animal from a rescue center, but the animal has difficulties adjusting in its new home, for instance remains very fearful
• Your children got a rabbit but the rabbit has become very nervous, or has started biting the children
• You have added a new pet to the household and the other pets are very stressed about this newcomer/change
• You have adopted a very young puppy, which is very distressed and keeps calling for its mum.
• You have adopted an animal that previously has been the victom of abuse, and has difficulty regaining trust in its new environment and care takers.
• Your pet does not play and is very passive, but no medical cause has been found for this behaviour
• Animals that intensively lick themselves etc as stress relieve.
• Animals that had a bad start in life resulting in various problems

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The making of the mother tinctures

Two methods are used to make the remedies. Most of the more delicate flowers are prepared using the sun method, which involves floating the blooms in pure water for a number of hours.

Boiling method: more woody plants, or flowers which bloom when the sun is weak, are prepared by boiling for half an hour.

In both cases full-strength 40% brandy is used as a preservative, mixed 50/50 with the prepared tincture. Drops from the preserved mother tincture are further diluted in brandy to make the stock bottles that can be bought in the shops.

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BFR - use-by-end dates on the bottles

By law things like the stock bottles of remedies have to carry a use-by date. The standard has been adopted, which is in fact the use-by date of the brandy. The remedies themselves will keep their properties indefinitely (although the brandy may begin to taste a little strange) - the Bach Centre still has some of Dr Bach's original mother tinctures, which are still as potent as ever.

The use-by-end date of a treatment bottle is 3 weeks, due to the addition of mineral water and needs to be kept cool.

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Hoe quickly do the BFR work?

Rescue Remedy usually works quite quickly, because it is taken for emergency situations rather than deep-rooted problems. The other remedies can also work quickly, but if dealing with something that has been around a long time then it can take weeks or even months to see a real difference.

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Alcohol in BFR

The amount of alcohol in the remedies, mixed into treatment bottles and taken with four drops at a time is actually very small. The drug named Antabuse causes a violent reaction in someone drinking even a tiny quantity of alcohol. As the amount of alcohol is so low, animals do not often have problems accepting the remedies. In the exceptional case, the drops could for instance be put on some war food for the alcohol to vaporate en the smell disappearing. This does not influence the remedies and their effect.

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BRF Animal Practitioners (BFRAP)

A BRF Animal Practitioner, completed its full training at the NAC, which provides this training for the Bach Centre. The BFRAP training by the NAC (UK)is a thorough education in which attention is given to animal knowledge, an extensive knowledge of the remedies and applications and ethics for the treatment of animals. The BFR is a complementary healing system to the existing medical system and not an alternative for normal required vet care and consultation! Therefore the BRFAP will not treat individual animals without a Vet referral. The main goal of the Bach Centre and the NAC, and therefore as well the goal of the BFRAP, is to assist the animal caretaker to find the right remedies and inform them in an open way about what the selected remedy is and does.

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Under which conditions should a BFRAP execute his/her work?

• Only under Vet referral
• Not to treat medical complaints, the BFR system is a complementary and not an alternative healing system(!) and focuses on emotional balance.
• To verify with the Vet in case any cause for this occurs during the consultations
• Only prescribe remedies to animals he/she has actually seen
• To execute his/her work with proper insurances in place
• Not to prescribe remedies or give advice on individual situations of an animal through the internet or email
• To provide the owner with a proper explanation on how the remedies work and for which elements of the behaviour the selected remedies are prescribed.

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Where can you find a BFRAP?

Registered Bach Flower Remedies Animal Practitioners who have indicated active for referral can be found at: Bach Centre active animal practitioner list

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The Bach Centre and the Bach Foundation

Mount Vernon, the house where Dr. Edward Bach worked his last two years, still homes today the Bach Centre's activities. The team of the Bach Centre make sure that the intentions and guidelines of Dr. Bach are being followed and that the mother tinctures are prepared in the correct manner. In addition their attention and efforts are aimed to provide information, organising courses and provide publications on the work of Dr. Bach and provide individual advise as well.


The Dr. Edward Bach Foundation is responsible for the registration and acknowledgement of the practitioners being trained worldwide.

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The NAC

As mentioned the Natural Animal Centre provides the BFRAP course for the Bach Centre. This is only a small part of their activities.
Next to the positive training and behaviour modification advices, they provide animal behaviour courses to give their students a thorough knowledge. In this way empowering them to work according to the NAC Mission Statement:
to positively influencing the well-being of animals world-wide.
The NAC Africa is another way to support this, by providing the opportunity to study animals in the wild.
Another activity of the NAC is to focus on living conditions of sick animals, how to improve these within the limitations of the illness, to reduce stress and depression and by this to positively influence their life and health.

the information on this side may not be copied or distributed without permission.

Would you like to use information or do you have any questions, please contact me via email: bfrap@live.co.uk