Just want to share an interesting experience.  When Totem came home from surgery we had a friend who is a certified hands on healer come several times to work with him...to help get over the anesthesia, help alleviate pain, and mainly to help him heal from the trauma of being attacked.  She came several times the first week he was home.  She touched him, held him and used essential oils.  She was so kind and gentle with him.  She truly communicated love to him.

So, that was 3 months ago.  Yesterday I went in to take a bath and Totem followed me into the bathroom.  I thought ok fine ... he will just lie on the rug which is exactly what he did.  He was lying on the bathroom rug quietly waiting for me to get out of the tub.  Then, I added a few drops of lavender to the water.  OMG.  Totem started breathing heavily and whimpering, clearly not in pain.  He got up and put both front paws on the edge of the tube , sniffing, sniffing, sniffing and whimpering.  I reached out to him with a wet hand which he licked over and over.

I am convinced that the lavender elicited memories of those healing times with Robin and her quiet care for him.  It was a very poignant moment.

I have learned much on this site and one thing I learned is that our country vet did not prescribed nearly all the pain meds that I see discussed here.  Totem went home with instructions to give him one pill a day which was like tylenol.  I didn't know any better.  I am eternally grateful to Robin and her gentle care with him.  I know it promoted his healing.