Aroma Pets

Angelica Root Profile

ANGELIC ROOT (Angelica Archangelica)
History and Character
Angelica is a large graceful plant that can grow to a height of 2 meter/6 ft. The whole plant exudes the energetic depth and reach, which mirrors angelica's healing power. Its roots go deep into the earth and strong tall stem-" reaching to the heavens" - supports a large white/green umbrella -like flower. The flower can be seen as protective, as well as open an receptive.

Angelica root oil has been traditionally used to protect against "the Plague", for nervous hysteria, as a general tonic. for " fortifying the spirit", and for female disorders. It strengthens the liver and steadies the heart. Angelica opens us to healing, reconnects us to our inner innocence and is said to "connect us to the angels". Angelica is innocent and strong at the same time and is very effective where fears or compulsive behaviour has been triggered by a traumatic incident when very young. 

Principal Uses - Physical
Arthritis-Chronic bronchial disorders-Circulatory problems-Cushing's syndrome and other metabolic disorders-Dogs who have shut down due to chronic pain or stress-Immune stimulant, especially for those run down by a long illness- Liver dysfunction- Loss of appetite, including anorexia- Lympathic problems- Stress related digestive disorders

Behavioral
Chronic anxiety- Fears born out of early childhood traumas-Strengthens the nerves, especially where there is hysteria brought on by nervous exhaustion.

I most often use Angelica for:
Fear or compulsive behaviour, especially after one or more traumatic incidents in early life
Old dogs who are emotionally hardened or have chronic pain.
If dogs show no interest in any other of the oils offered

Extraction and Characteristics:
Steam distilled from roots, the oil is a colourless liquid, which becomes slightly golden brown as it matures.

Fragrance
Sweet, sharp, pungent, with earthy undertones.

Actions
Antifugal, antispasmodic, antitoxic, antibacterial, carminative, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, general tonic, neurotonic.

Safety & Cautions
Non-toxic, non-irritant, Angelica root oil can be phototoxic when applied undiluted to the skin. Avoid exposure to sun for 12 hours after application-avoid use with diabetes.

Maximum dilution: 2 drops in 5 ml/1tsp.

Reference: The Aromatic Dog: Nayana Morag

Storage

• Aromatics need to be stored in a cool dark, animal proof place (a fridge is best)
  Do not leave them on kitchen counters or suchlike, as dogs will go to great lengths to reach them when they need them.
  All aromatics are best stored in glass bottles. Essential oils will destroy plastic containers.
  Hydrosols must be refrigerated.

Each item has its own shelf life, with some of the more delicate carrier oils starting to oxidize after 3 months (flaxseed). Some essential oils improve with age. As a general guide, the heavier, thicker essential oils, like vetiver, last longer. The lightweight citrus and pine essential oils last for a year. Check with your supplier for recommended shelf life on each item.

Whatever the label on the bottle says  (European regulations require a 3 year "use by date"), shelf life is dictated by how you keep them. Essential oils oxidize with exposure to light and air, which makes them more likely  to cause sensitization when put on the skin. It is best to buy smaller bottles more often, and make sure your supplier is also storing the oils properly. 

Hydrosols have a low pH index, which inhibits bacterial growth. However, the pH level rises with age, along with the risk of bacterial contamination. The lower the pH the more stable the hydrosol, and the longer they will last.

To make your aromatics last longer, avoid introducing bacteria into the bottles. Don't put your fingers, on your dog's nose, on the top of an open bottle of hydrosol or carrier oil. Decant into a smaller bottles and use these as testers, to keep the main storage bottle frre of bacteria and clean.

Reference: The Aromatic Dog: Nayana Morag

 Your Aromatic Pharmacy

Starting your aromatic collection can seem daunting and expensive at first. But it doesn't have to be. I suggest you start with 5 to 10 essential oils. 3 or 4 hydrosols, and a couple of base oils. But you could start with a few as 5 essential oils and 1 carrier oil. It depends on your pocket book and your animal family and what they need. 

One way to start your collection is to buy the few essential oils or hydrosols you think your dog needs most. Then buy more as you need them, slowly building your collection, getting to know each item through hand-on experience and visible results.

Here is a list of aromatics that should cover most common eventualities. You can buy them via our web site Sanctumrapheal.uk or from your favourite supplier. 

General Use Starter Kit - Essential Oils
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Carrot seed (Daucus carpta)
Cedarwood(Cedrus atlantica) Frankincense(Boswellia carterii)
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) Roman Chamomile(Anthemis Nobilis)
Spearmint (Menta spicata) Yarrow(Achilles millefolium)
Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides)

HYDROSOLS
Melissa (Melissa officinalis) Neroli ( Citrus aurantium var bigarade)
Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

CARRIER OILS
Sunflower (Helianthus anuus) Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Hemp (Cannabis sativa)

Reference: The Aromatic Dog: Nayana Morag

Women Who Marry Their Dogs

A woman married her dog. Eamonn Holmes gave the bride away. The groom, a golden retriever, wore a top hat. Love Island’s Kem Cetinay acted as a ring-bearer. It played out live and like a David Lynch fever dream on ITV’s This Morning on Tuesday. One viewer called it “deeply uncomfortable viewing”. “There has to be law against marrying your bloody dog,” tweeted another.

There is, actually – the only legal marriage is between two human beings – but there were a few giveaways that this was not a solemn occasion. Alison Hammond, officiating, struggled to keep it together as she called for those present to voice any “bones of contention” as to why Elizabeth Mary Frances Hoad and six-year-old Logan Humphrey the Second should not be wed. No one said the obvious – “How long have you got?” – but Logan did offer a Tim-from-The-Office-style haunted look to camera.

The moment we officially pronounced Elizabeth and Logan as Dog and Wife! ??? pic.twitter.com/0xZwaAhj7k
— This Morning (@thismorning) July 30, 2019

What would move a woman to marry her dog, even symbolically? Before the ceremony, Hoad, 49, told This Morning that after four failed engagements, 220 dates and a range of unsatisfactory experiences in the search for love – men concealing wives, men her age pursuing younger women – she had given up on the male of her species.

What would move a woman to marry her dog, even symbolically? Before the ceremony, Hoad, 49, told This Morning that after four failed engagements, 220 dates and a range of unsatisfactory experiences in the search for love – men concealing wives, men her age pursuing younger women – she had given up on the male of her species.

A woman married her dog. Eamonn Holmes gave the bride away. The groom, a golden retriever, wore a top hat. Love Island’s Kem Cetinay acted as a ring-bearer. It played out live and like a David Lynch fever dream on ITV’s This Morning on Tuesday. One viewer called it “deeply uncomfortable viewing”. “There has to be law against marrying your bloody dog,” tweeted another.

There is, actually – the only legal marriage is between two human beings – but there were a few giveaways that this was not a solemn occasion. Alison Hammond, officiating, struggled to keep it together as she called for those present to voice any “bones of contention” as to why Elizabeth Mary Frances Hoad and six-year-old Logan Humphrey the Second should not be wed. No one said the obvious – “How long have you got?” – but Logan did offer a Tim-from-The-Office-style haunted look to camera.

The moment we officially pronounced Elizabeth and Logan as Dog and Wife! ??? pic.twitter.com/0xZwaAhj7k
This Morning (@thismorning) July 30, 2019

What would move a woman to marry her dog, even symbolically? Before the ceremony, Hoad, 49, told This Morning that after four failed engagements, 220 dates and a range of unsatisfactory experiences in the search for love – men concealing wives, men her age pursuing younger women – she had given up on the male of her species.

Logan, on the other hand, has been a constant in her life since she adopted him a year ago. “He’s saved me and I’ve saved him. I was broken before I got him.” It wasn’t just her, Hoad said – many of her friends preferred the company of their dogs to men. She is not even the first woman to marry one.

Wilhelmina Morgan Callaghan, from Northern Ireland, got hitched to her yorkshire terrier, Henry, in 2009, because “dogs are better than men” and “I know I’m with Henry for life”. Lilly Smartelli, 55, of Phoenix, Arizona, told the New York Times earlier this year of her plans to wed Bernie, her poodle-cross, to know the joy of being married to her best friend before she died. Her only misgiving? The expense. “He’s always there for me. He listens, and he loves me no matter what. What more could a woman want?”

Dog ownership’s links to lower stress, less loneliness and better mental and physical health well established, Hoad’s chances of living happily ever after might indeed be higher with Logan than if she settled for some desultory date. A 2010 study found that women might benefit in particular. Conversely, earlier this year, Paul Dolan – a professor of behavioural science at the London School of Economics – asserted that men benefited from marriage where women didn’t.

To even the score, Dolan wrote in response to the ensuing outrage, we “needed to start by caring less about what kinds of relationships other people choose to have, and how they live their lives. If they are not harming us, why should it matter?” One might put the point to This Morning. Tracey Emin famously married a rock “because it’s not going anywhere” – but a dog will actually love you back.