This case study is an excerpt from those compiled for my book Holistic Emergency Care and Trauma Recovery for Animals from case studies that I have documented as part of my facilitating the healing of some animals friends and clients over the years. It is my intention, through sharing these studies, to provide you with a greater sense of how to successfully apply the information in this book to real life situations.
This particular case is of my wolf-dog Ishnahnay who is on the cover of the book. It occurred when she was about 3 years old and we were living in an area outside of Mount Shasta often referred to as Shasta Vista’s.
Case 1: Ishnahnay’s Car Incident
Location – Shasta Vista Residential District; 35 miles from Mt. Shasta, CA
When: 5:30 pm ; No emergency assistance available within 60 miles
Ishnahnay before Being Hit by Car
A Day of Miracles
Fall 2006: The events of this day were life changing for me in bringing an awareness of the power of Alternative/Integrative medicine combined with calling for Divine Assistance in emergencies as well as in our day to day lives. Had I not done so, it is possible that Ishnahnay would not have survived this day.Read on to understand why.
My two Wolfdog companions, Ishnahnay, Spirithawk and I were about 1 mile from home, hiking in the juniper forest in which we lived. Ishnahnay was ahead of Spirithawk and me, and temporarily out of our visual sight, but within hearing distance. Hares (cousins to rabbits) were abundant in this high desert forest. Ishnahnay spotted one and gave chase.
The hare dashed across a nearby dirt road. Ishnahnay followed at a dead run oblivious to anything but the chase. There were few houses in the area, and therefore little car traffic. On a busy day perhaps 5-6 cars would go by. However, Ishnahnay, crossed just as one of our neighbors came around the same corner. The timing was such that in focused chase, Ishnahnay did not see the car until it was too late. The impact was sudden.
All I heard was Ishnahnay yelp loudly one time. Then there was silence. Rushing to the scene we met our visibly upset neighbor who stopped to tell me he had just hit Ishnahnay and was going home to get his truck so he could help me take her home. Meanwhile Spirithawk and I went to find her. Moving into her instinctual behavior of a wounded animal, Ishnahnay had curled up under some bushes and then became quiet, hiding from prospective predators who might take advantage of her condition.
Spirithawk honed in on her location with some difficulty, since Ishnahnay had pulled in her energy and was in hypovolemic shock. However, with Divine Grace as our ally we located her under the tree where she had hidden herself. Once we found her, I called in an etheric healing team (Calling Divine 911, emergency, please help), and set to work stabilizing her while waiting for our neighbor’s return. (See Calling in Divine Assistance). He came and gently placed her in his truck, but there was no room for Spirithawk, so we followed quickly on foot. Upon arrival at our home, Ishnahnay was lying on the porch, but upon our arrival managed to enter the house before collapsing.
All the while her healing team comprised primarily of Angels and Elementals, prompted me to get to work on her physical, mental and emotional bodies (lower bodies) while they went to work on her subtle bodies; stabilizing her life force.. Fortunately, I had just taught an Emergency Care Class and my materials & gear were still out and easily accessible. Ishnahnay was in critical condition. Yet feeling the support of the angels and elementals there to assist, I settled into what had to be done for her with confident focus.
Important Note: we were about 1 ½ hours from an emergency animal hospital as our local ones were closed already and even those were 40 minutes away from our home. So I had to act with the authority and wisdom that I had gained through my years of training.
Now since there were several components of this process I will break them down into sections.
First: Assessing the Situation: Ishnahnay’s injuries:
- Extensive internal and external bruising, including vital organs (life threatening)
- Road rash on her belly and inner thighs
- Dis-alignment of left shoulder and spinal column from upper thoracic vertebrae through sacrum and tail.
- Extensive damage to nervous system and GI track; resulting in no bladder or fecal control.
- Diaphragm was pushed up into lung cavity, impairing Ishnahnay’s breathing among other things.
- Extensive hypovolemic shock set in and was a danger for over 24 hours (life threatening)
Second: Once her injuries were determined and prioritized according to severity, my real treatment of her began.
It is important to note that since I had already called in a Divine Emergency Healing Team, they were already at work on her subtle bodies while I was assessing her emotional – physical and beginning assistance there. Again, this was key to her survival.
- Rescue Remedy (Five Flower Remedy – FES), given internally and rubbed on paws and ears to stabilize the shock reaction.
- Homeopathic phosphorus and arnica montana 30c for internal bleeding and shock (arnica). Dosed her orally every 20 minutes for 1st hour, then down to once every three hours for first 12 hours; dropping to twice a day for three days.
- Ishnahnay requested the Wound Repair Salve that I make which she ate from my hand 50 ml – 100 ml at a time over a period of days. Ingredients:
- Yarrow
- Chaparral
- Comfrey
- Lavender
- Calendula
- Self-heal
- Olive oil
- Bees wax
- Tincture of Benzoin (preservative)
(For ease of use in emergencies, I have since created a trauma recovery tincture to complement the salve’s effectiveness.
- Homeopathic Hypericum for nerve damage was administered every hour for first four hours, augmenting the wound salve components. Dosage was dropped to twice a day beginning third day and dropped to once a day beginning day five for an additional two days.
- Working in conjunction with Ishnahnay’s Divine Healing Team, I invoked Theta Healing (www.theatahealing.com) as I worked to scan her physical, mental and emotional bodies, requesting healing of whatever I was shown on an ongoing basis.
- Surface injuries (road rash) were cleansed with my witch hazel tincture and then wound salve was gently applied where advisable. (Some areas were too raw for a salve.
- So, as time allowed, I created a herbal poultice of yarrow, comfrey, lavender, calendula and selfheal which I placed on the affected areas for 10 minutes intervals to sooth and heal the raw areas.
Third, Emergency Assistance through Divine Healing Team
As previously stated, I called in a Divine Healing Team for Ishnahnay at the accident site, knowing that they could immediately begin working on her while we were in movement and I was setting up the healing station at my home to care for her fully. It was at this time, when I was kneeling before Ishnahnay’s body and tending to her, that I became fully aware of the Angelic and Elemental Team that knelt beside me to my left as we worked on her in tandem.
What I remember most about this time was how seamlessly we worked together – gratitude and grace flowing between us and Ishnahnay who was the recipient of our care. In this instance, I was gifted with visual awareness of the energies that they were weaving into her complete body system (etheric to physical) to remove the trauma and heal all that was ready to be healed.
It was during this time and since that I have been reminded of the great assistance that is available to anyone who truly and gratefully requests such assistance while being fully in faith that it does exist.
During the next 12 hours, we supported Ishnahnay through this critical time. Spirithawk did his part by holding space in the background and assisting me with communications as needed. The morning after, Ishnahnay was able to go outside and gently move about. She was still in a low level of shock. But she desired to be on the earth rather than in the house, as she knew the healing power that the Earth provides us all.
Obtaining Assistance from other Professionals
In most cases, I would have taken Ishnahnay to a veterinarian after she was stabilized. However in this instance, I was guided instead to take her to two body work professionals who could assist in realigning her body systems. First was a Feldenkrais and Osteopathic practitioner who had worked on me repeatedly, and whom I trusted implicitly. Over three appointments, she was able to pull down Ishnahnay’s diaphragm and stabilize it while also assisting the realignment of her shoulder and back, the latter of which was essential in bringing the intestinal tract and bladder function back online.
After a month’s time and through the following year, Ishnahnay also had regular appointments with one of our local chiropractors who worked on animals as well as people. He focused his skill to releasing the contracted places in Ishnahnay’s body, which allowed the healing energies still being supplied to her to penetrate her bodies (physical, emotional, mental) effectively.
Ishnahnay’s Body after Healing from Being Hit by Car
Photo by Julie Colt
Ishnahnay’s Long Term Healing
As with any injury that leaves our body somewhat altered – emotionally, mentally or physically – Ishnahnay has required ongoing care and attention from me and through me in subtle ways. My support has come in an array of ways dependent upon her body’s state of balance.
As can be seen in the above photograph, her lower spine down to her tail was damaged altering the positioning of her tail. To this day, there remains some damage to the nervous system in her lower back and intestinal tract leading to some heightened sensitivity in her back. Her left shoulder also requires regular attention, especially after she has been playing chase with her friends. To assist her ongoing health I provide her with macro foods (chlorella, spirulena and kelp) as well as homeopathy and herbal support as needed on a day to day basis.
Recently, a friend stated to me that when she looks into Ishnahnay’s eyes, she sees a very soulful being who emanates great determination and strength of purpose, such as that required of anyone who has endured such trauma and yet is embracing as fully as possible a life of joy and peace.
Animals in all forms share this Great Spirit and ability to overcome adversity. Their deep and constant connection with the Divine – God within – has much to do with this ability. They never question who or what is God/Goddess or the Divine. They just know. And they know they are an integral part of her expression.
About Kathryn Shanti Ariel
