KITO / Wirehaired Fox Terrier

For some time Kito's guardian, G*, had been dealing with allergic reactions that expressed themselves through irritation and discomfort in Kito's skin. Despite careful management and a thoughtfully refined diet, the issue remained - flaring, settling, and returning again. Alongside this, there were small behavioural patterns: occasional inappropriate urination, moments of tension in a multi-dog household, and subtle signs that something beneath the surface was asking for attention.

From the outset, it was clear that Keto’s physical health was largely stable. His diet was balanced, his body well supported. But what emerged through conversation was the possibility that not all of his symptoms were purely physical.

Kito told his story in a different way.

During his Applied Zoopharmacognosy session, his choices were selective and deliberate. He declined a wide range of nutritional supports entirely which is quite rare, but a clear indication that his body did not require additional supplementation and his diet was just right. Instead, he moved directly toward remedies that spoke to emotional balance, immune response, and skin integrity.

His engagement deepened as the session progressed. He sought out support for underlying anxiety, for inflammation linked to stress, and for microbial imbalances affecting the skin. He worked intermittently, resting and returning, processing in waves - his body guiding the pace.

Toward the end of the session his communication became unmistakably clear.

He moved with intention toward a mineral-rich substance and indicated not only that he wanted to ingest a little, but that he needed it applied directly to his body. He literally sniffed the remedy out from himself from my kit and then stood still, asking for it to be placed on key areas of irritation - under his limbs, around his ears, across his skin.

It was a precise and purposeful request.

In that moment, the behaviours his guardian had told me about began to make sense. The tendency to seek out mud, to immerse himself in water, to engage with the earth in ways the other dogs did not... these were not random habits! They were attempts at self-regulation. At relief. At healing.

Kito had been managing his discomfort all along, using the environment available to him.

All he needed was for that language to be recognised and supported.

"I came away with a much deeper understanding of Kito’s needs, particularly the possible link between anxiety and his skin issues, and a new awareness of how much animals communicate if you know how to observe them."

-G*, Kito's guardian