About
Zoopharmacognosy
Zoo (Animal), Pharmaco (Remedy), Gnosy (Knowing) – A greek word that simply means that animals know their remedies to self medicate.
In the wild, animals have had to forage for food, water and plant medicine to survive and heal themselves. Their innate ability via their sensory organs guide them to clay and termite mounds; leaves, bark and roots of medicinal plants to restore their health.
Applied
Zoopharmacognosy
An observational science that mimics how animals self heal in the wild. Domesticated animals don’t have access to go foraging for remedies in their surroundings.
Applied Zoopharmacognosy (AZ) is a practice that helps domesticated animals use their olfactory senses to detect plant constituents and use their innate wisdom to self medicate.
Plant extracts like essential oils and herbal remedies are offered
as a choice. The animals are able to identify the therapeutic constituents in these plant extracts as this trait is hard wired in them through evolution.
How does it work?
When an animal is unwell, in discomfort or in pain (emotionally or physically), their immune system alters the smell and taste perception. This is when they go looking for nutrients or plants compounds that are pleasing to their olfactory and gustatory systems.