If you’re wondering “are essential oils safe for dogs to use?”, then you’ve definitely come to the right place! It’s well established that essential oils have powerful health benefits when it comes to humans, however it’s also true that many of your favourite essential oils can be fantastic for canines when used correctly. In fact, essential oils have actually been used in veterinary medicine to combat bacterial and/or fungal infections for many years now.
However, one thing that’s helpful to remember is that the type of carrier oil you use is equally as important as the kind of essential oil you use. Carrier oils, such as coconut oil, olive oil or argan oil, all have their individual distinctive properties which make them beneficial to the user, and safe for pets.
These oils are used to dilute essential oils so that the strength of the essential oils on their own don’t cause any damage or irritation to the skin. As a pet owner, your pet’s health will always come first, which is why it’s a great idea to invest in oil diffusers or figure out exactly how many drops of essential oil to mix with your carrier oils before applying them to your pup. When choosing a carrier oil, it’s crucial to consider the following;
1) Type of Skin
Some carrier oils might be more likely to irritate skin than others, and depending on the type of skin your animal has or whether or not your animal already has a pre-existing skin condition, it might do just that.
2) Overall Odor
Depending on the type of carrier oil you decide to opt for, you might be facing a distinctively strong odour in and around your living space depending on how good your sense of smell is! These smells are also known to change when mixed with essential oil, so keep your nose at the ready.
3) Absorption Level
Certain carrier oils are better absorbed by your skin than others, and the same goes for your dog’s skin too. Paying attention to what kind of oils are best absorbed by your animal’s skin, and what ones tend to sit more on a surface level, can really help.
Whether your dog is nervous by nature or just has trouble winding down after an exciting walkabout, there’s an essential oil to help. Remember that all essential oils can have side effects, and never use essential oil to directly treat an animal; always ensure you add your essential oil to a carrier oil or use it through a diffuser to see the very best effects.
3 Fantastic Essential Oils That Are Safe for Dogs
1) Ginger Essential Oil
Ginger oil is a fantastic ingredient for dogs, especially your four-legged furry friends who aren’t exactly puppies anymore. Ginger as an essential oil can be applied to your dog’s stomach or paw when they’re suffering from nausea or stomach pains.
As dogs grow older, their digestive systems don’t work nearly as well as they once used to, which makes ginger the perfect solution to your pup’s problems. Ginger often helps when it comes to kick-starting the bowels, and helping to eliminate vomiting and general discomfort.
It’s also been known to alleviate any pain associated with liver damage (both in humans and dogs). Ginger is also great for dealing with car/motion sickness in dogs, so if you’ve got a road trip planned, we suggest investing in advance and letting the fresh air in!
2) Roman Chamomile Essential Oil
Chamomile is one of the world’s most calming, soothing and relaxing essential oils, which makes it one of the most popular herbal remedies for humans and pooches alike. This essential oil is brilliant for curing stress, anxiety and insomnia in canines, as well as being a well-known and recognised muscle relaxant, so your pup is guaranteed a good night’s sleep! If your dog is suffering from stomach issues, much like Ginger, Roman Chamomile can also be an excellent remedy for your puppy’s woes.
It can often be the solution for dogs suffering from bowel disease, or even stomach ulcers, and is fantastic for combating inflamed areas of the body. For example, if your dog has been scratching at their red and irritated skin, applying a few drops of Chamomile mixed with a carrier oil to the affected area is bound to be a soothing experience. A lot of essential oils have similar calming effects and similar abilities when it comes to helping skin irritations.
3) Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender oil is one of the most popular essential oils out there, due to its powerful floral fragrance and a long list of benefits to both humans and animals alike. This relatively safe essential oil is famous for putting all who get a whiff of it into a relaxed, calm, and somewhat sleepy state, and it has a very similar effect on dogs as it has on people.
However, even though it’s considered one of the safest essential oils for humans to use, can be lethal for canines. Not only does Lavender essential oil soothe your four-legged friend’s itchy and irritated skin, but Lavender also serves as a fantastic insect repellent.
If your pup suffers when it comes to flies, fleas, ticks or mosquitoes, using Lavender in amongst your dog’s fur is bound to help reduce the chance of them getting bitten. Lavender also has this effect on humans, so you should remain bug-free as well! This essential oil is brilliant at fighting off any nasty bacteria or fungus that could seriously harm your pup in the long run, so applying it as a preventative step could make all of the difference.
Essential Oils for Dogs and Puppies: The Bottom Line
We know that when it comes to man’s best friend, nothing is too much and no distance is too great to make sure that your puppy is as happy and healthy as it can be. We hope that with our range of fantastic doTERRA essential oils, we can help you and your dog continue to live your exciting lives together for a very long time.
If you’re wondering what kind of essential oils might benefit your other animals, make sure you check out one of our other blogs that’s all about different kinds of essential oils for pets. Of course, if you have any questions about essential oils and how to go about safely using them to help your pet, then please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d be more than happy to offer any advice or guidance you might need.
