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You may have heard about the medicinal properties of essential oils. Could they have a similar effect on your dog? Are essential oils safe for your dog? Which oils can be bad for dogs?
With the recent surge in interest in essential oils from companies like doTerra, many pet parents want to learn more about this approach and aren’t sure if it’s a good idea.
As an animal health technician, I’ve often been asked if essential oils are bad for dogs. I wanted to learn more about the issue, and here’s what I found.
Safe Essential Oils for Dogs
Here is a short list of essential oils that are safe for dogs, as recommended by experts:
- Lavender: Universal oil. Useful for preparing patients for a new location. Can help with allergies, burns, ulcers, insomnia, anxiety, and motion sickness, to name a few. Not for use on cats.
- Copaiba : Supports the cardiovascular, immune, digestive, urinary, respiratory, musculoskeletal and neurological systems.
- Frankincense: Promotes cellular health and immunity. Supports the nervous system and digestive system.
- Peppermint : Supports the respiratory system and soothes joint pain
- Petitgrain : Helps calm the nervous and digestive systems. Good for dogs experiencing stress and anxiety.
Essential oils bad for dogs
Some oils can be toxic to dogs when ingested or come into contact with the skin. Here are some essential oils that are bad for dogs.
- Tea Tree : Symptoms of toxicity include depression, loss of coordination, hindquarters paralysis, vomiting, decreased body temperature, and skin irritation.
- Cinnamon : Symptoms of toxicity include low blood sugar, liver disease, vomiting, diarrhea, and fluctuations in heart rate.
- Citrus : Symptoms of toxicity include skin irritation, agitation or lethargy, vomiting, tremors, convulsions.
- Pennyroyal : Symptoms of toxicity include vomiting and diarrhea—often bloody—due to liver failure. Lethargy may occur. Consult a veterinarian immediately, as pennyroyal toxicity can cause death in dogs.
- Pine : Symptoms of toxicity include skin or stomach irritation, vomiting (possibly with blood), salivation, weakness, loss of coordination, central nervous system damage, and possible kidney and liver effects.
- Sweet Birch : Symptoms of toxicity include severe gastrointestinal ulcers, kidney failure, seizures, and death.
- Wintergreen : Symptoms of toxicity include vomiting caused by severe stomach upset and ulcers. Wintergreen toxicity can also cause kidney and liver failure.
- Ylang ylang : Symptoms of toxicity include difficulty breathing, weakness, unsteady gait, and vomiting.
How to determine its quality?
Essential oils are extracted from plants, and the quality of the oil varies depending on various factors such as sunlight, altitude, and even the amount of water the plant receives. Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils (concentrated oils extracted from plants through distillation, usually evaporation).
Essential oils produced for aromatherapy are generally handled with great care. Why? Well, they’re expensive! For example, 220 kg of lavender produces just over 3 kg of lavender essential oil. Kristen Leigh Bell, author of Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals, writes that “oils that are produced specifically for the aromatherapy industry are produced with the same care and attention that one would give to a fine wine.”
However, purity doesn’t always mean safety, just as “natural” doesn’t always mean “safe to use.” Essential oils are very powerful because they are highly concentrated. Therefore, it’s best to diffuse them by evaporation and never give them to your pet for ingestion.
Most veterinary experts will also warn you not to apply them topically. When used on the skin, an oil must be diluted in a carrier oil. Always consult a veterinarian before trying this.
Even if you’re using a dog-safe essential oil, you still need to be careful about the number of applications and the concentration of the oils. Some safe oils can become toxic if used in excess, and others can be accidentally absorbed through the skin or cause contact burns if applied incorrectly.
How do essential oils and aromatherapy help dogs?
Dog-safe essential oils are designed to treat everything from skin irritation to flea treatment. Lavender is popular for dogs because of its calming effect, for example.
My dog, Max, suffers from anxiety, and lavender has been effective in helping to calm him. We add a few drops of lavender to the essential oil diffuser in the kitchen before leaving the house.
The holistic veterinary community supports their use. A recent survey of this group of veterinarians shows a wide variety of uses for essential oils: diffusing lavender in the waiting room, using essential oils for odor control, giving a light massage with frankincense, and more.
Veterinarian Dr. Janet Roark, or “Essential Oil Dr.”, has many excellent links and resources on the benefits of essential oils for animals on her website .
However, there is very little research done on the subject and, therefore, there is a lack of facts that can confirm whether essential oils actually provide all the benefits that are claimed to be true.
If used improperly, some essential oils pose risks to dogs. Cats are even more sensitive to these oils, and birds should not be around them. That said, even if essential oils are safe for dogs, you could be putting other pets in the household at risk.
If you want to learn more about essential oils for your pet, be sure to seek professional advice.
How to use essential oils for your pet?
Studies have led to the following conclusion regarding essential oils for your pets: THE LESS YOU GIVE, THE BETTER THE RESULT.
Always start with a therapeutic grade essential oil and check that you are not using an oil that is bad for dogs.
- As a general guideline, add 3 to 6 drops of essential oils to 30 ml (1 oz) of carrier oil.
- Use a smaller amount of diluted oil on small dogs compared to large dogs and even less on puppies and older dogs.
- Use a hydrosol, an aqueous by-product obtained by steam distillation of essential oils.
Dr. Roark adds the following precautions when using essential oils in dogs:
- Do not apply to the eye area, ears, nose or genital area.
- Be vigilant with pregnant or lactating females.
- Know your pet’s health and behavior and discontinue use if you have a concern.
From MeasuringFlower.com
Please note that all of these tips are intended for use in dogs only . Essential oils are generally more dangerous in cats , and you should definitely consult your veterinarian before planning to use them in cats.
A few more safety tips
Dogs are more sensitive to essential oils than humans, so while you may be familiar with them for your own use, it may be a different story for your dog.
- Only use essential oils that target a specific condition that is present and active in your dog; do not use as a preventative treatment.
- Do not add essential oils to your dog’s food and water.
- Avoid essential oils for puppies under 10 weeks old and for pregnant or nursing dogs.
- Do not use oils on dogs with epilepsy or who are prone to seizures.
Symptoms of Essential Oil Poisoning in Dogs
If essential oils are within reach of animals, even if they are safe for dogs, they present a risk of accidental ingestion.
Keep an eye out for these symptoms:
- Muscle tremor
- Weakness
- Difficulty walking
- Decrease in body temperature
- Excessive salivation
- Vomiting
- Excessive rubbing of the mouth and face with paws
If you believe your dog has ingested an essential oil, contact your veterinarian or Poison Control (1-800-463-5060) immediately. It’s always best to act quickly.
For more advice on the safety and use of essential oils in dogs, we recommend the excellent book Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals by Kristen Leigh Bell.
Finally, remember to consult your veterinarian before trying any essential oil on your dog.
To find out more