Essential oils and aromatherapy are big topics of interest right now. There is a lot of conflicting information on the internet about their uses in pets. I wanted to address this and provide some guidelines to follow.

What is an essential oil?

An essential oil is a volatile substance that is obtained from leaves, flowers, roots, bark, seed and fruit of a plant that is processed by an extraction method to end up with a very concentrated, non-oily and very aromatic substance.

What is Aromatherapy?

Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of pure essential oils in holistic treatments.

Problems with Pets

The main problem with pets is that they are much more sensitive to essential oils than people are. They must be used diluted or problems with toxicity can occur. Also you need to take into account the size of the pet. A chihuahua requires much less than a great dane. So size matters! Essential oils are very potent and if used in an undiluted (also called neat) form, they can not only be irritating to the skin, but also can lead to toxicity with continued use. I also don’t recommend using essential oils orally unless you know the purity of the oils and I would only give them in a very diluted form. Cheaper essential oils can have artificial fragrance oils added and also be processed with chemicals and pesticides that concentrate in the oils making them very toxic to pets. I prefer using good quality, organic essential oils topically in diluted form for safest results. I have seen that some pets can be allergic to essential oils, their skin will get red, even if diluted. I see this most commonly with tea tree oil but I have seen it with other oils also. I recommend stopping the oil, as the pet is not tolerating it. In my clinic, I have seen many cases of toxicity from essential oils, especially in cats, and most commonly when they are used in non-diluted forms or much too frequently.

What is the problem with Cats?

Cats have an additional problem. Their bodies don’t have the enzymes in their liver to break down essential oils and excrete them, so what happens is that they can build up in the body and quickly cause toxicity. Even the safest, purest oils can be very toxic to a cat. I only recommend using certain oils in very diluted forms in cats, and using them very sparingly. The safest way to use essential oils in cats is in a hydrosol form, which is an essential oil extracted into water.

While there are some essential oils considered toxic to pets, I feel like most of the common essential oils are safe to use in diluted quantities.

Safe essential oils:

• Basil, Sweet

• Bergamot

• Catnip

• Cedarwood

• Chamomile, German and Roman

• Citronella

• Clary Sage

• Copaiba

• Eucalyptus, globulus and radiata

• Frankincense

• Geranium

• Grapefruit

• Helichrysum

• Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia)

• Lemon

• Lemon Balm, melissa

• Lemongrass

• Marjoram, sweet

• Orange

• Peppermint

• Pine

• Rose

• Rosemary

• Sandalwood

• Spearmint

• Tangerine

• Tea Tree (melaleuca alternifolea) *best avoided in cats

• Vetiver

  Essential Oils considered UNSAFE or not recommended:

• Angelica Seed

• Agarwood

• Anise, star

• Basil, holy

• Basil, lemon

• Benzoin

• Birch

• Catnip, Lemon

• Jasmine

• Pennyroyal

• Ravensara

• Sage

• Vanilla

  Guidelines for Safe Use of Essential Oils in Pets:

• Always DILUTE!

• Use high quality, preferably organic, essential oils sourced from trusted suppliers

• Do not use on puppies or kittens less than 10 weeks of age

• Do not use if the pet doesn’t like the smell, seems upset by it or starts to drool

• Use a smaller dose for small pets, very young pets and cats

• Do not use on pregnant pets, very sick pets or very elderly pets

Ways to Dilute:

All essential oils used on pets should be diluted for safest use. You can dilute into carrier oils (such as coconut oil, olive oil, apricot kernel oil, sweet almond oil etc.), water, shampoo and pet products. We will discuss this.

Oil Dilution

1-5 drops essential oil into 1 tsp of carrier oil or 10-15 drops in 1/2 oz carrier oil (3 tsp)

Water/Liquid Dilution

15-30 drops in 8 oz water or liquid (you can use pet shampoo, baby shampoo and pet ear cleaner)

Room Diffuser

1-5 drops of essential oils in a water diffuser for an average room

Joint and Muscle Rub

2 drops Copaiba

2 drops Frankincense

1 drop Peppermint

1 tsp coconut oil

Rub a small amount on joints or areas of pain, once or twice a day

Lump and Bump Rub

2 drops Frankincense

2 drops Lemon Balm

1 drop Lemon

1 tsp coconut oil

Rub a small amount on lumps, masses, and growths once or twice a day

Pet Spritz Deodorizer

8 oz water

6 drops Lavender

4 drops Eucalyptus or Lemongrass

4 drops Orange or Lemon

Combine in a spray bottle. Skake well. Can be used to spritz pet as a scented deodorizer. Can also be sprayed in room as a air freshener.

Calming/Anti-anxiety Spritzer

8 oz water

6 drops Lavender

4 drops Roman Chamomile

4 drops Bergamot

Combine in a spray bottle. Shake well and spritz the room or area around the pet for a calming effect.

How much to use:

I recommend start slowly at first with essential oils and see how your pet responds. Most dogs can tolerate twice a day, for cats I recommend only once a day in most cases.

I personally make a line of safely diluted essential oil therapeutic products for dogs and cats that I use with my clients called PawromaTherapy. They are available in my office Animal Healing Solutions or on my website

Healing Gel for Dogs, for itchy skin, rashes, wounds, bug bites, burns yeast infections and dermatitis.

Healing Gel for Cats for hair loss, itchy skin, abscesses, wounds, dry skin, fungal infections and bug bites.

Herbal Ear Wash for cleaning and preventing ear problems in dogs and cats.

Pet Dental Spray for bad breath and gum infections and to prevent tartar buildup in dogs and cats.

Herbal Hot Spot Spray for skin problems, itchy skin, rashes, bug bites and infections in dogs and cats.

Natural Pet Shampoo is a homemade castile soap with essential oils for gentle cleansing for dogs and cats.

For more detail and further reading about essential oils in pets, check out these 2 great books:

Written by Dr. Deneen Fasano, Holistic Veterinarian in Orlando, Florida