Essential Oils: With Pets

6/25/2017

|If you have pets, chances are you treat them as if they are a part of your family, like a son or daughter. For pet owners, it can be extremely important to take care of your live-in animal friends with proper nutrition and care (and of course lots of snuggles). And did you know that you can use essential oils with your animals to help them live happy and healthier lives?

This post will be dedicated to considering the benefits and safety considerations when using essential oils with or around pets and animals. Please note that I am not a veterinarian nor am I providing medical advice. I will be linking resources and referencing content and individuals who are more qualified or experts in the field who have their own disclaimer information that you can read about on their site.

Benefits

Essential oils can provide your pets with many benefits when used with proper safety precautions and considerations (see the next section for safety measures you should consider before using essential oils with your pet friends). Some of these benefits can include:

Stress/anxiety relief
Increase bonding/affection when used to pet/snuggle with your animals
Natural bug repellent
For fresh breath and digestion
Natural deodorizer
Soothing skin irritations
Supporting urinary tract & healthy kidney functioning
Reducing joint aches & pains
Cleaning (animals and pet products)

For more specific information on the types of oils that can be used with animals for different reasons, visit EssentialOilVet.com.

Safety Considerations

As a pet owner myself, it was important for me to check into the safety recommendations when using essential oils around pets before using them for myself. After doing a bit of research, I found a fantastic resource online through the Essential Oil Vet - Dr. Janet Roark is a veterinarian and uses essential oils for herself and for her own animals and in her practice. Check out her website for more much more information on the topic and on some great resources to purchase.

When using essential oils for yourself and around your pets, pay close attention to how your animal acts when using essential oils. Animals generally have a stronger sense of smell compared to humans and since essential oils are highly concentrated, an animal may have an aversion to certain smells or the strength of an oil.

General rules when using essential oils around pets*:

Dilute a small amount of essential oils first and add more slowly while paying attention to your pets reaction
Ensure pets have room to roam away from the scent of essential oils (for example, when using a diffuser) and that there is adequate ventilation
Understand your pets current health status or check with a veterinarian prior to using essential oils around animals
Use only high quality therapeutic grade essential oils
Use caution when using essential oils around animals that are pregnant, nursing, young, or on certain medications

General rules when using essential oils with pets*:

Dilute essential oils and add more slowly
If using topically, dilute using a carrier oils such as Fractionated Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or Almond Oil
Avoid these oils with cats: Basil, Citrus Oils, Birch, Cinnamon, Clove, Fennel, Melaleuca/Tea Tree, Oregano, Peppermint, Thyme, and Wintergreen
Avoid these oils with dogs: Birch, Melaleuca/Tea Tree, Wintergreen. Use caution with hot oils such as Oregano, Cassia, Cinnamon, Clove, Rosemary, and Thyme
Use only high quality therapeutic grade essential oils
Exercise extreme caution when considering using essential oils internally with animals - I would encourage speaking to a veterinarian first!

*Please note that I am not a veterinarian nor am I providing medical advice. Please check with your local veterinarian, medical doctor, or poison control helpline if you are concerned about your pets health.

I hope this post was helpful at providing more information for you to consider how to safely use essential oils around pets. If you have questions, share them in the comments below and I will do my best to answer them or steer you in the right direction for more support. Thanks for reading!

More Essential Oil resources & blog posts:

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References: essentialoilvet.com, healinginourhomes.com

*Please note: Essential oils are highly concentrated and as such should be used with great care, particularly with children, pregnant women, or those with medical conditions. The statements and information on this website are not intended to diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. The links on this page may be embedded with affiliate links for products that I may receive commission from.

18 Comments

Ruben Wauters link

6/26/2017 10:55:11 am

My dog suffers from stress sometimes, I'm going to give it a try! Maybe it calms her down. Great post! :)

Heather A LeGuilloux link

6/27/2017 11:13:03 am

Hi Ruben! Animals can benefit from the soothing effects of essential oils, just like humans, so it might help her to relax for sure. Let me know if you have any questions!

Amanda link

6/26/2017 01:16:09 pm

Great idea! Way less expensive than those calming treats.

Heather LeGuilloux link

6/27/2017 11:14:40 am

Hi Amanda! That's definitely true - a little goes a long way with essential oils because of how concentrated they are - and it's always a good idea to dilute quite a bit to start, especially around animals, to make sure there are no sensitivities or adverse reactions. Thanks for your comment!

Amy link

6/28/2017 10:57:29 am

Thank you for the thorough post! I foster animals as well as having three cats of my own, so there tends to be a little bit of turmoil in the house at times. I like the idea of a natural alternative.

6/28/2017 03:31:09 pm

Using essential oils in a diffuser might be a great way to help all your animals feel more calm and relaxed and get along better. Let me know if you have any questions I can help answer! :)

Raquel link

6/28/2017 12:00:58 pm

I love essential oils, but had no idea they can work with pets. I'll definitely be trying this with my dog!

6/28/2017 03:31:45 pm

I'm glad to hear you're going to try out essential oils with your dog, Raquel. Let me know if you have any questions! :)

Adrina link

6/30/2017 09:10:25 am

I had no idea pets can really react to essential oils but after reading your article it makes lots of sense. Thanks for sharing this. Helped me understand if from their perceptive.

6/30/2017 09:37:30 am

Hi Adrina, I'm glad the article was helpful. My cat was recently ill so it really brought my attention to considering what kind of substances (eg cleaners, household products) that we use and how we can switch to more natural or organic products.

Adrienne @ C'est La Vie link

6/30/2017 09:32:15 am

Loved your post! I have a one year old male rabbit who is pretty defiant and stresses about me leaving/moving his things. Any suggestions on types of essential oils? Thanks! :)

6/30/2017 09:39:54 am

Hi Adrienne, I'm glad you enjoyed the post. I used to have rabbits when I was younger - they can be so much fun and I believe their usual temperament is a bit anxious/stressed, as I recall. Essential oils may help him to relax when you are leaving, but I'm not sure what to suggest in terms of oils or blends for rabbits. I recommend connecting with the Essential Oil Vet (essentialoilvet.com) - she has some great resources and also has a FB group where she does live Q&A's. I hope that helps! :)

Sharon link

6/30/2017 09:55:32 am

That's really interesting, I hadn't thought about using essential oils around pets. And of course, I hadn't thought about which ones to use and avoid. Really informative!

Alex J Brown Creative link

7/1/2017 10:20:12 am

WOW. Love essential oils but never knew they worked with animals!

7/1/2017 07:18:10 pm

I'm glad to hear you enjoy essential oils. :) Animals can for sure benefit from them, too!

Diran link

7/1/2017 12:42:11 pm

Thanks for the insights.
Nice Post

7/14/2017 10:36:11 pm

You're very welcome, Diran. Thank you for reading! Take care.

Amber Young link

9/5/2017 08:41:33 am

Great post! I would add that lavender essential oil is definitely one you want to avoid with cats, and cedar is toxic if not diluted significantly (although it's not meant for topical or internal use on animals, just for scents). Pinning this to my Safety Tips For Cat Owners board!

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