5 Steps To Make Essential Oils Safe For Dogs
Using essential oils on dogs is a controversial topic. The internet is full of remedies ā¦ but are essential oils safe for dogs?
Some say you can while others are firmly against it.
The short answerās yes, but you need to be sure youāre following a few guidelines.
If youāve been afraid to use oils around your dog, youāre not alone. But you should feel empowered to introduce essential oils as long as you go about it safely.
So here are some safe and effective ways to use essential oils with your dog.
How To Make Essential Oils Safe For Dogs
Remember, the number one rule is to trust your instincts. When in doubt, donāt do it. Listen to that wise voice inside your head and donāt take a risk with your dogās health or well being.
1. Let Your Dog's Powerful Sense Of Smell Guide Her Healing
Your dog has amazing innate wisdom. Use that wisdom as a guide. Give her the freedom to inhale or avoid essential oils. This can be as simple as leaving the door open whenever youāre ...
- Blending
- Formulating
- Or diffusing
By doing so, it allows her to leave if she wants to.
This simple act is the process of self-selection and empowering your animal. EOs are powerful, meaningful and work effectively via the inhalation route of absorption. Often inhalation is all your dog needs to heal.
Donāt feel like youāre losing effectiveness by sticking to inhalation. Dogs have one nose but three routes of administration. A dog has about 300 million olfactory receptors as compared to humans who have 5 million or so.
When your dog breathes in, her airflow is split into a few paths. One for breathing and the others for smelling.
- The aromatic molecules are absorbed through the mucous membranes in the olfactory tract.
- While the lungs enable molecules to enter the lungs and therefore the bloodstream.
- And then there is the Vomeronasal (VNO) organ. You can see when an animal is using this because her mouth will hang slightly open ... which sends signals to the emotional centers of her brain.
2. Don't Use Essential Oils On Skin Or Fur
You donāt need to (and shouldnāt) use essential oils as remedies directly on your dogās skin or fur.
Your dog has an incredibly powerful sense of smell. This is what makes essential oils so powerful for your dog ... and why you should be all the more respectful of your dogās wishes.
I don't suggest that you use essential oils on your dog's skin ... unless you have taken some advanced courses or have someone to work with.
Avoid listening to advice from those without a strong background in clinical aromatherapy. Youāll find people online recommending using certain āsafeā oils on their petsā skin, ears or fur ...
... The trouble is that it's easy to jump online and post about essential oils and these lists donāt take into account ...
- Dosing
- Dilution
- Or an individual animalās health concerns.
So again, always better to play it safe and only use what you know to be truly safe.
3. Offer Essential Oils Gently And Respectfully
The method of inhalation for dogs is incredibly simple. Open a bottle of essential oil and hold it out where your dog can approach. A good distance is no closer than 1 or 2 feet from her nose. Let her experience the oil from this respectful distance.
If she likes it, sheāll lick her lips, or blink rapidly or mouth. Donāt let your dog touch the bottle or lick the oil.
Pay attention to your dogās signals. When you offer an essential oil to your dog, offer one at a time. Be patient if your dog is inhaling the oil.
Donāt chase your dog with it or force your dog to smell it. Then offer the next essential oil. Youāll know when your dog no longer wants any more.
The signs that your dog is done with the oils are:
- Lack of interest
- Backing away from the remedy
- Going into a deep sleep
- Turning her back to you for a long time
Thatās it! Wash your hands when youāre done.
Keep in mind you want to avoid using essential oils, especially undiluted, on your own skin. This reduces the risk to your dog if she licks your skin.
4. Using Gentle Hydrosols
The only exception to the āno skin or furā rule is to use plain hydrosols. Hydrosols are also known as essential waters instead of essential oils ... and they donāt contain concentrated essential oils.
Hydrosols are the byproducts of distillation, and theyāre safe for dogs ... and even babies. This doesn't change the fact though that you should still let your dog choose her own hydrosol. Never hold her down or force her to be sprayed by a hydrosol.
Instead, spray onto a clean cloth and let your dog give it a sniff. If she rubs up against it or licks it, she likes it. Spray onto your hand and pet her.
5. Use A Diffuser To Enjoy The Same Remedies That Help Your Dog
An aromatherapy diffuser can be found in most stores and online for a very small investment. It creates a thin stream of mist, diffusing the aroma and tiny droplets of essential oils into the air.
Make a stock blend and add a few drops to your aromatherapy diffuser or aroma stone. A diffuser has the added benefit of making the treatment enjoyable for everyone.
Remember , you and your dog donāt have the same taste. Donāt assume that because you love the smell of a certain essential oil, your dog will like it as well.
Always allow her to leave the room when you diffuse oils. If your dog regularly leaves when youāre diffusing an oil, do not use it in your home or any of your dogās spaces.
Bonus: 13 Essential Oil Blends For Dogs
Here are some of my favorite recipes for essential oil blends.
For each recipe, combine 5 drops of each oil for a stock blend. When the recipe calls for a hydrosol, mix 5 drops of each oil into 2 oz of the hydrosol.
Use the inhalation method with your small stock blend or use in a diffuser.
Precautions:Ā Donāt use any of these essential oil recipes for dogs directly on skin or fur. Never allow your dog to ingest oils in any way.
Separation Anxiety
- Neroli (Citrus aurantium var amara)
- Violet Leaf (Viola odorata)
- Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides)
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- Rose hydrosol
Fear of Thunder and Fireworks
- Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
- Rose Otto (Rosa damascena)
- Hops (Humulus lupulus)
- Cornflower hydrosol.
Fear of Vet or Groomer
- Ā Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
- Violet Leaf (Viola odorata)
- Linden Blossom (Tilia cordata).
Past abuse/ Physical Trauma
- Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
- Linden Blossom (Tilia cordata)
- Melissa (Melissa officinalis)
- Rose Otto (Rosa damascena)
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium).
Anxiety
- Ā Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
- Violet Leaf (Viola odorata)
- Linden Blossom (Tilia cordata)
- Roman chamomile (Chamomilla nobile)
- Hemp (Cannabis sativa).Ā This blend of essential oil to calm dog anxiety is really effective.
Allergies and Itchiness
- German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
- Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
- Peppermint (Mentha x piperita),Ā
- Yarrow or German Chamomile hydrosols.
These are greatĀ essential oils for dogs itching and scratching.
Fungal Skin Infection
- Melissa (Melissa officinalis)
- Lemon (Citrus limon)
- Sandalwood ( Santalum album).
Lick Granulomas
- Ā Roman chamomile (Chamomilla nobile) to inhale
- German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla).
Ear Infection
- German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
- Lemon (Citrus limon)
- Melissa (Melissa officinalis)
- Sandalwood (Santalum album)
- Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
- Thyme thymol (Thymus vulgaris ct thymol).
Eye Infection
- German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
- Sandalwood (Santalum album)
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- Wild Carrot Seed (Daucus carota
- And Cornflower, Elderflower, or Helichrysum italicum hydrosols.
Urinary/Bladder
- Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis)
- Sandalwood (Santalum album)
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium).
Diarrhea
- Garlic (Allium sativum)
- Clove bud (Eugenia caryophyllata)
- Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
- Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
- Thyme thymol (Thymus vulgaris ct thymol)
Spaying/Neutering
- Sandalwood (Santalum album)
- German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
- Wintergreen (Gaultherria fragmentissima).
By following these guidelines, you can enter a new world of safe, natural treatment and make essential oils safe for dogs.
Consider studying aromatherapy in depth to begin to formulate your own recipes and gain a deeper understanding of why essential oils affect humans and dogs so profoundly.
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