Did you know you can also use essential oils for your animals’ well-being? It doesn’t matter if you have a nervous pet that suffers from anxiety or is challenging to deal with. A variety of essential oils can be used on your dog or cat to help them be more at ease. However, not every essential oil is good for your pet, but many of them are.
DoTerra essential oils are the purest essential oils sold on the market. Furthermore, those oils are sustainably and ethically harvested and tested in laboratories. However, this doesn’t mean you can use every essential oil on your put. Furthermore, you must dilute the essential oils are your fur friends possess a heightened sense of smell hence the need for extra caution when using essential oils.
Bottom line: Always dilute aromatic essences; never use them undiluted.
Using essential oils safely around your pets
Dilute, Dilute, Dilute! This is VERY important!!! Start out with your oils MORE diluted when introducing Essential Oils topically to your pet.
You can use carrier oils such as Fractionated Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Almond Oil, etc.
You can always increase the concentration if the desired effect is not reached, but it is difficult to remove an Essential Oil once it has already been absorbed.
Remember, each animal is an individual, and your pet may be more or less sensitive than others. Observe their behavior – they will tell you! Please see our cats and dogs oils posts for specific oils to use or avoid with your fur babies. To make this easier for you, here is a dilution template for your dogs so you can see how much oil you can use.
Which essential oils are toxic for animals?
Many essential oils, such as eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, cinnamon, citrus, peppermint, pine, wintergreen, and ylang-ylang are toxic to pets. These are toxic, whether applied to the skin, used in diffusers or licked up in the case of a spill. For this reason, you should be careful when you have essential oils around and not leave your pets unsupervised around your oils.
Luckily there are plenty of essential oils that are safe for pets.
A list of essential oils that are safe for dogs include:
Myrrh.
Frankincense.
Chamomile.
Lavender oil.
Ginger.
Rosemary.
Comment.
Cedar/Cedarwood.
Bergamot.
Lemongrass.
Geranium.
Citronella.
The Truth about using Essential oils on your Pets
If you have a dog that struggles with separation anxiety, you can try this recipe.
Anxiety Away Spray Recipe
Helpful for bonfire night with fireworks or during thunderstorms too
For supporting your anxious pet during times of worry and stress.
Ingredients:
25 drops of Lavender Essential Oil
15 drops of Cedarwood Oil
Add the essential oils to a 30ml bottle with a spray top and fill it with fractionated coconut oil.
To Use:
Create a small association with this blend by introducing your pet to the mixture when they feel safe and comfortable. Spray the blend on your hands and stroke their fur; repeat this for a few days before using it for its initial intended purpose.
Spray once on the dog’s chest, back, and hind paws. Spray in a place where the dog spends most of its time (i.e., bedding, unique chair).
Tip: IF your dog dislikes spray sound or sensation, continue to apply with hands
Peaceful Cat Blend
For supporting your anxious cat during times of worry and stress or if your cat is feeling a little moody.
Ingredients:
25 drops of Lavender Essential Oil
15 drops of Cedarwood Oil
To Use:
Create a small association with this blend by introducing it to your cat when they feel safe and comfortable. Spray the blend onto your hands and stroke their fur; repeat this for a few days before using it for its initial intended purpose.
Spray once on both the animal’s chest and back, also hind paws, and spray in a place where your cat spends most of their time (bedding or chair, etc.)
Some cats can be nervous when sprays are used near them; if this is the case, spray blend onto your hand away from your cat and apply the blend to them from your hand.
Peaceful Cat Diffuser Recipe
Two drops of Balance Blend
Two drops of Serenity Blend
Don’t use any of these essential oils on your cats. Also don’t diffuse them when you have cats in your home,
The following essential oils are poisonous to cats:
Cinnamon oil
Citrus oil
Clove oil
Eucalyptus oil
Oil of Sweet Birch
Pennyroyal oil
Peppermint oil
Pine oils
Tea Tree oil
Wintergreen
Ylang Ylang
