ANIMAL WELLNESS
Transcending the Wounds of Animal Traumas
er. Other kittens in the litter were fortunately born healthy. As fetuses, WKH D̆HFWHG NLWWHQVZHUH DELW \RXQJHU DQG UHFHLYHG IHZHUQXWULHQWV IURPWKHLUVWUXJJOLQJPRWKHU$QRWKHUFDW,FRQQHFWHGZLWKZDVVWUXJ - JOLQJZLWKEHKDYLRUDQGERQGLQJLVVXHV+HZDVDYLFWLPDVDNLWWHQRID hoarding situation involving the presence of gasoline, likely resulting LQVRPHWR[LFLW\D̆HFWLQJKLVKHDOWKDWDYHU\\RXQJDJH While examples of physical trauma in animals are extensive, we VKRXOGQRWLJQRUHWKHLPSDFWRIHPRWLRQDOWUDXPD6RRIWHQRXUSHWV H[KLELW MR\ DQG SOHDVXUH WKDW ZKHQ WKH\ GHPRQVWUDWH ³TXLUNV´ LW LV easy to assume it is simply a personality trait. When the behavior be- FRPHVGDQJHURXVRUPRUHIUHTXHQWZHVKRZFDXVHIRUFRQFHUQ,WPD\ EHKDUGWRLPDJLQHWKH\DUHUHÀHFWLQJDQHPRWLRQDOWUDXPD ,UHFHQWO\VSRNHZLWKDFHUWL¿HGGRJWUDLQHUZKRVKDUHGDQH[FHOOHQW H[DPSOHRIHPRWLRQDOWUDXPD6KHREVHUYHGQXPHURXVFDVHVZKHQD dog acted anxious, nervous, or even aggressive when approaching a
BY DEBBIE CAROLE
7UDXPDLVQRZDWRSLFWKDWJDUQHUVVLJQL¿FDQWDWWHQWLRQLQRXUVRFL - ety, and that trend is likely to continue. We continue to unravel trau- ma severity and impacts from overt events invoking Post Traumatic 6WUHVV'LVRUGHU 376' WR FKLOGKRRG WUDXPDV WR VHHPLQJO\ LQFRQVH - TXHQWLDOHYHQWVLQRXUOLYHVPDQ\ZH³IRUJHW´RUUHSUHVV:KLOHWKHUH LVQRPDJLFSLOOQRRQHVL]H¿WVDOOPRGDOLW\IRUKHDOLQJWUDXPDVWKHUH is certainly a greater focus on the importance of healing them and new techniques to do so. Trauma is no stranger to the animal kingdom, as animal lovers and caretakers, especially those involved in animal rescue, witness all too ZHOOWKHLPSDFWRIWUDXPDRQ*RG¶VEHORYHGFUHDWXUHV While we tend to avoid contemplating animal traumas, we are all too aware of more apparent tragedies. Far too many animals, whether
lost, feral or under the hands of human- kind, are starved or deprived of needed nutrition and shelter. Whether pets, farm animals, or carnival captives, we have heard too many stories about the EHDWHQ DQG EDWWHUHG ,Q PDQ\ DQLPDO trauma cases, the human does not in- tend endangerment; however, we still mourn the dog thrown from the truck bed or fallen from a car window. ,I\RXDUHOLNHPDQ\RIXV\RXFULQJH when you see graphic photos of animals in crisis, your heart aches when you KHDU WKH VDG VWRULHV RQ WKH DJRQL]LQJ 79 FRPPHUFLDOV $OWKRXJK LQWHQGHG to appeal to our help, they can leave us with feelings of hopelessness, which is
physical location, such as a street cor- ner, where the dog had a negative en- counter with a person or another dog, even if there was no one else present! $ VLJQL¿FDQW VRXUFH RI HPRWLRQDO trauma in pets centers around aban- donment and separation, which can RFFXU LQPDQ\ FLUFXPVWDQFHV9HU\ RI - ten, whether in a rescue situation or intended breeding, the puppies or kit- tens are separated from their mother or siblings too early, invoking feelings of ORVVDQGDEDQGRQPHQW,QPDQ\FDVHV early separation is not preventable, but the trauma exists nonetheless. Whether due to a short trip or a more extended period of separation, separation anxiety
somewhat traumatic to us, as it is so far from what we think is just. 2Q WKHÀLSVLGHZHDUHJUDWHIXOZKHQ WKHDQLPDOVXUYLYHVHYHQ LI it means with one less eye or three legs. The animals seem happy (be- FDXVHWKH\GRQ¶WMXGJHWKHLUFRQGLWLRQ VRZHDUHDVZHOO:HVHHNWR ¿QG LGHDO KRPHV FRPIRUW DQG D KDSS\ OLIH IRU WKH OXFN\ VRXOVZKR KDYH HVFDSHG WKHPLVHU\ WKH GHPLVH ,W ZDUPV RXU KHDUWV WR ZDWFK videos of laboratory puppies experiencing the smell of the outdoors, DQGWKHJUDVVEHQHDWKWKHLUIHHWIRUWKH¿UVWWLPH ,WLVHDV\IRUXVWRFRQFOXGHDQGLWFHUWDLQO\PDNHVXVIHHOEHWWHUWR believe that all ended well, that the animal is now content and trau- PDIUHH%XWLVLW"%HFDXVHMXVWOLNHLQKXPDQVWKRVHEXULHGWUDXPD wounds can run deep and invoke physical and emotional weaknesses DQGYXOQHUDELOLWLHV-XVWEHFDXVHWKH\DSSHDUMR\IXOGRHVQ¶WPHDQWKH\ are not subject to triggered fears and visceral reactions. As Trauma Leaves Its Trails $VDQDQLPDOFRPPXQLFDWRU,DPRIWHQFDOOHGXSRQWRKHOSFOLHQWV UHVROYH WKHLU EHORYHG SHWV¶ SK\VLFDO RU EHKDYLRUDO LVVXHV VRPHWLPHV relatively easily solved by changing food, routine or straightforward WUDLQLQJ+RZHYHU WKHSUREOHP LV IUHTXHQWO\ URRWHG LQDSK\VLFDORU emotional trauma that is mitigated temporarily by treating the symp- toms; but it often rears its ugly head again, leaving the pet guardian ZLWKWKHTXHVWLRQ :K\GRHVQ¶WWKLVJRDZD\" ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR WKH PRUH RYHUW SK\VLFDO WUDXPDV PHQWLRQHG HDUOL - HURWKHUV HTXDOO\ WUDXPDWL]LQJ FDQRFFXUZKLOH WKH DQLPDOZDV YHU\ young, or during an early history unknown to the guardian, which is RIWHQ WKH FDVHZLWK UHVFXHSHWV , UHFHQWO\ FRPPXQLFDWHGZLWK VRPH kittens who were born with cerebellar hyperplasia by a starving moth-
in their pets is also a common concern among pet owners. Prior aban- donment-related traumas can explain why some pets have this issue DQGRWKHUVDUHQRWD̆HFWHG ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR WKHPRUH REYLRXV SK\VLFDO DQG HPRWLRQDO WUDXPDV WUDXPDWUDSSHGLQWKHVHQWLHQFHRIWKHDQLPDOHQHUJ\ERG\FDQD̆HFW DQDQLPDO¶VKHDOWKDQGEHKDYLRU7UDXPDLQWKHVHQWLHQFHLVUDUHO\GLV - cussed and is typically manifested as a result of physical and emotion- ally traumatic experiences. Although veterinarians and health care SUDFWLWLRQHUVGRQ¶WKDYHWKHGLDJQRVWLFWRROVWRGHWHFWWKLVFRQGLWLRQ energy healers and animal communicators can often observe weak- QHVVHVDQGYXOQHUDELOLWLHV LQ WKHDQLPDO¶VHQHUJ\DQGHWKHULFERGLHV helping to identify and shift this inbalance. Unresolved traumas in animals may likely explain why supple- ments, foods, medicines, and other healing treatments work to heal some animals and not others. And, in many cases, traditional medical processes and pharmaceuticals may eliminate the symptoms for some time, only to have the underlying issue reappear later or in another form. Do Not Despair – Healing Modalities ,WLVHDV\WRIHHORYHUZKHOPHGE\WKHH[WHQWDQGVHYHULW\RIWUDXPD H[SHULHQFHGE\0RWKHU(DUWK¶VFUHDWXUHV6RZKDWFDQZHGR"$VVSLUL - tual and conscious beings, how can we positively impact these beloved DQLPDOVWKDWGRVRPXFKIRUXV",QDFWXDOLW\WKHUHLVTXLWHDELWZHFDQ all do to assist, individually and collectively. We can start by awareness, and by directing our thoughts and our intentions. Just as in intentional animal communication, our pets pick
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PATHWAYS—Winter 21-22—13
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