Essential Oils and Our Pets
Essential oils are becoming more and more popular in today’s society. So, what is an essential oil to begin with? An essential oil is concentrated liquid from plants that has been distilled and concentrated. They have become very popular in aromatherapy and in alternative medicine. Essential oils are used in cleaning products, food and drink flavorings, herbal remedies, perfumes, personal care products (shampoos, soaps, etc.), and liquid potpourris, or combinations of essential oils, used as home air fresheners and fragrances.
Many of these essential oils can be toxic to our animal companions and contain chemical that are rapidly absorbed through the skin. Many of these chemicals are metabolized in the liver. Dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens with liver disease or elderly pets are more sensitive to their effects. Exposure to low amounts of the essential oils often will only result in gastrointestinal upset: however, certain concentrated oils can have effects on the liver, such as pennyroyal oil, and on the nervous system, such as tea tree oil. Some essential oils and those found in liquid potpourri, or other blends, can irritate or burn the mouth and skin of the animal that has been exposed.
If you use essential oils with your animal companions, make sure they are safe and buy from a reputable company. One company I like is Animaleo. These essential oils are produced by a veterinarian, Dr. Melissa Shelton, and have been tested on her animals and are known to be safe when used as instructed. She has a facebook group too if you have questions on any of the essential oils you can do a search and/or ask in the group. I have also seen a number of other sources of essential oils that claim to be safe for our pets. I have not tried those though so I cannot recommend or give advice as to those other brands.
Essential oils have been used as holistic treatments in pets for a number of years. When used properly, they can treat anything from fleas and ticks, urinary tract infections, used as a calming aid, and so much more! The key is to use the right essential oils in the right manner (diffused, diluted and topical, etc.) and used as instructed. Unless directed to do so, never put a concentrated essential oil (also know as applying neat) directly on your furbaby’s skin, unless specifically directed to do so by a licensed veterinarian. The concentrated oil can burn the skin and/or cause rashes making your animal companion miserable. Also note that any essential oil can become toxic if you use too much. More is not always better, and with essential oils, a little goes a long way.
So what are some signs that your pet may have been exposed to toxic levels of an essential oil? Symptoms may include: difficulty breathing; difficulty walking or uncoordinated gait; drooling; lethargy or weakness; fragrance or scent on the hair, coat, skin or breath; muscle tremors; pawing at the mouth or face; redness or burns on the lips, mouth, gums, tongue, or skin; or vomiting. If you suspect that your animal companion may have been exposed to a toxic essential oil, it is important to take your animal companion to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Rapid diagnosis and treatment is essential! So call your veterinarian or call the Pet Poison Helpline, a 24/7 animal poison control hotline, at 800-213-6680. Fast and aggressive treatment by your veterinarian will minimize the toxic effects associated with essential oil ingestion. If clinical signs have developed, treatment will be based on those syptoms. The sooner you seek treatment, the better the prognosis and outcome for your dog or cat. It is important to note that you should not induce vomiting or give activated charcoal to your animal companion as it may worsten the animals condition, Also place any product packaging in a sealed container and take it with you when you take your animal companion to your veterinarian. If any essential oil product is on the skin or fur of your pet, quickly wash it off with hand dishwashing detergent.
To prevent your animal companion from getting exposed to essential oils and liquid potpourri, keep the products out of your pet’s reach. Also remember if you use a diffuser, a little goes a long way. More is not necessarily better when using essential oils. An animal’s sense of smell is so much better than our sense of smell. If the smell strong to you, it could be over-powering for your pet. The essential oils that you see in pet shampoos, etc. are in general at low enough concentrations to be safe for your animal companions; however, be aware of anything that you use on your pet and make sure to rinse it off throughly. Some pets are more sensitive than others and what may be safe for one animal may not be for another. If you notice any of the symptoms listed above, take your animal companion to the vet immediately.
I have included a list of essential oils that can be toxic to your animal companions below. If you use any of these or they are in combination (often in a blend), use with extreme caution and be aware of the signs that your animal companion could be having a reaction to the oil. Better yet, do not use the ones in the list below at all. There are a number of other alternative essential oils that you can find to use that are safe when used as directed for our animal companions.
References:
1) Burke, Anna. Are Essential Oils Safe for Dogs? April 3, 2018. American Kennel Club: akc.org; accessed 8/25/2021.
2) Schmid DVM, Renee, Brutlag DVM, Ahna, and Flint DVM, Charlotte. Essential Olis and Liquid Potpourri Poisoning in Dogs; VCA Pet Hospital: vcahospital.com; accessed 8/25/2021.
3) Michelson Found Animals. Essential Oils and Animals: Which Essential Oils are Toxic For Pets? Michelson Found Animals: foundanimal.org; accessed 8/25/2021.
4) Animal Medical Center of Deer Valley; Which Essential Oils are Toxic to Pets? Animal Medical Center of Deer Valley: amcofdv.com; accessed 8/25/2021.
