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S 70 m a s s a g e & b o d y wo r k n ove m b e r/d e ce m b e r 2 0 2 1 When a dog inhales, the functions of smell and respiration are separated into two different areas of the nose so smell can be analyzed thoroughly. Kittens and puppies do not develop their senses of sight or hearing until days or even weeks after birth; they must rely entirely on smell and touch to navigate. Kittens follow scent trails that lead them to a specific nipple to nurse. Horses roaming in wild herds use their sense of smell to find water, recognize family members, and detect danger in the form of predators from distances of up to a mile. Many animals are equipped with a special filtering structure called a Jacobsen's organ that is anatomically capable of separating the chemical nature of a smell into each of its constituents. Imagine the delicious smell of an apple pie coming out of the oven. You and I smell pie but your dog smells apples, flour, butter, and each spice that was added. Hounds can store a single scent and distinguish it from an entire forest of smells—even when that smell is hours or days old. Recent research indicates that dogs can detect cancer cells within tissue samples with over 90 percent accuracy. 3 With all that in mind, including essential oils and other aromatics as part of a health and wellness practice for animals is a wise move but one that requires special consideration. Animals can be easily overwhelmed by essential oils and other scents, so products must be of the highest quality to avoid undesirable reactions. HARLEY'S STORY My first experience with essential oils and animals involved a horse named Harley, who had a history of aggression and tactile hyperesthesia (extreme sensitivity to touch). As an animal bodyworker, I spent nearly three decades working on various species of animals, including horses, dogs, and zoo animals, and had never encountered an animal so averse to contact. His dedicated owner tried everything at her disposal and, upon recommendation, asked me and my colleague Joan Sorita for help. I first noticed Harley's sullen posture as I entered his stall. He immediately set to pinning his ears, grinding his teeth, and keeping one hind leg cocked and ready to kick out. As I worked to establish a relationship with him through reiki and gentle tapping, Joan offered him an array of small glass bottles to sniff. He passed his nostrils across each small vial held carefully in her outstretched hand. One elicited a curled lip and wide eyes. The next earned a quick sniff and a pinning of ears. When a small vial of clary sage essential oil was offered, he paused. He drew a small breath through the left nostril and his ears pricked forward in interest. He shifted and moved one nostril and then the other back and forth over the bottle. A prolonged blink of his eyes and a softening of his lips showed a promising interest. After several seconds poised over the bottle, Harley let out a heavy sigh and his head drooped toward the ground. Harley was able to remain relaxed throughout our session as long as Joan kept the oil available to him. The physiological response of his brain to the unique structure of that particular oil opened a door that had remained closed for years. SELF-SELECTION METHOD Harley's exercise was a classic example of the self- selection method that is a cornerstone of Joan's work as an internationally recognized author, educator, speaker, and National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) certified aromatherapist. She trained with world-renowned Caroline Ingraham, whose methodology includes Applied Zoopharmacognosy, the study of animal self-medication in the wild. Zoopharmacognosy derives from Latin: zoo (animal), pharmaco (remedy), and gnosy (knowing). Scent is one of the strongest sensory experiences for most animals, including dogs and horses. A dog's sense of smell is exponentially greater than humans; depending on the breed, it can be 10,000 times (short-nosed breeds like pugs) to 100,000 times (bloodhounds) more acute. 1 In the nostrils alone, dogs have up to 300 million specialized scent receptors, whereas the human nose, by comparison, has approximately 6 million receptors. 2