Aromatherapy for dogs?
Does the concept of aromatherapy for dogs conjure up images of poodles in beauty parlours, relaxing to soothing music and having a facial? Because aromatherapy has been so over-marketed as a ‘beauty aid’ in this country the idea of using essential oils to heal dogs can seem very strange. Actually, it is one of the most logical and sensible ways to help our pets be healthy and happy; it is also easy to learn the basic principles of Essential Oil Therapy for Animals so you can use it safely on your own dogs.
Why use essential oils for dogs?
Dogs benefit from essential oils because they are a natural solution for many common physical or behavioural problems. Many plants contain essential oils, they are the fragrant messengers that, among other things, attract or repel insects, help the plant to heal cuts, or repel fungi and bacteria. Just as essential oils can disinfect a cut in a tree, so they can help us heal our dog's wounds; essential oils that contain phyto-hormones, such as rose, effect a dog's hormonal balance, helping to ease cyclical moodiness, regularize the cycle or control an excess of hormones as in spontaneous lactation.
When a dog smells an essential oil the molecules pass via his olfactory system to the limbic area of the brain, the area that deals with emotion, instinct and regulation of many of the bodies systems, for instance the anti-inflammatory response. In the world of holistic medicine it is recognised that mind and body are one unit and the mind has a large influence on the health of the body. Recent science agrees that inhalation can be a direct and effective way of delivering medication to the body, also much study has been made on the effect of fragrance on the psyche.
Essential oils reduce stress
Essential oils work on your dog's body and mind together, reducing stress, which is one of the biggest triggers for disease, at the same time delivering tiny amounts of healing compounds into the system. When using essential oils with dogs we do not apply them topically except in very specific circumstances. There are obvious logistical problems in covering a furry house pet in oil, (the mess on the carpets doesn’t bare thinking about!), but the main reason is that the animals have shown us it is unnecessary. I have seen dogs let go of inappropriate behaviours after just smelling an essential oil for a few minutes. I was once giving a talk and a very shy dog had been brought in as the ‘guinea dog’. She spent the time hiding under her person’s chair and all we had seen of her was her nose. I offered her diluted geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) to smell and within minutes, as I continued my talk, she came out and greeted everybody on the front row. Usually it will be a few days before you see a change and often it can take weeks and a changing array of essential oils until we work our way to the root of the problem.
Dogs self-medicate in the wild
Given the freedom to roam animals will self-medicate. I’m sure most of you have seen your dogs eating grass from time to time, if you watch carefully you will see they are picking very specific grasses. Rough grasses with serrated edges ball together in the intestine to scrape worms out; soft, bitter grasses cleanse the stomach when regurgitated. Eating dirt and faeces are also ways of self-medicating. Clay is an excellent de-toxicant and wild animals will travel miles to clay deposits in order to cleanse their livers; the faeces of herbivores is full of enzymes and half digested protein, very useful for a carnivore’s digestive system.
Dogs can choose, naturally
In Essential Oil Therapy we utilise the animal’s innate ability to know what it needs (known scientifically as zoopharmacognosy) and after choosing possible essential oils and diluting them in base oil they are offered to the ‘patient’ to smell. We then allow the dog to guide us in the use of the essential oils. Sometimes dogs just want to smell the essential oil, often going into a trance like state, sometimes they want to lick them, and occasionally they will indicate they want them dabbed on a specific point on their body, either by moving into your hand or pointing with their nose. Each essential oil is offered separately and the dog will usually have a different response to each oil. It is fascinating to watch the precise reaction to each oil and how it changes from day to day until, in most cases, they show no further interest.
Side effects of essential oils
If a dog is allowed to choose its own essential oils it is highly unlikely that there will be any side effects, as long as the essential oil is well diluted. One of the only side effects of this method of using essential oils is the increase in trust and communication between dog and person. With the best intentions in the world we deny our animals autonomy in their lives, by offering them choice we give them a new level of respect and it increases a dog’s feelings of trust in you. This is especially beneficial in dogs who have experienced abuse or trauma in their lives. The experience of being listened to is empowering and very healing in itself.
Essential oils help many conditions
Essential oils can help a wide range of ailments such as arthritis, itchy skin, allergies, digestive problems, weak bladders, inflammation, colitis…. the list is endless. My own major area of interest is behaviour and training problems and I have had great success using essential oils and other aromatic substances for many common problems such as: noise sensitivity, phobias, aggression, stereo-typical behaviours, stress-related illness, hyperactivity and fear. It is important to look at the whole picture in these cases as there are often other factors to consider as well. Diet, management, the owner’s emotional state, can all contribute to behavior problems, and these need to be addressed before lasting changes can be seen. However using essential oils is like opening a door into the dogs heart and mind allowing it to relax, move on from bad experiences and re-set brain impulses that have closed down due to long-term stress or a traumatic incident.
Kinesiology for balanced health
The other tool I use in working with dogs is kinesiology. This is a system developed by an American chiropractor to test the body for emotional, physical, chemical and energetic imbalances, in other words anything that might be causing physical or behavioural problems. Kinesiology allows me to get the root of a problem very quickly instead of treating symptoms, it also allows me to assess which essential oils a dog needs without actually visiting it. All sorts of things can cause our bio-systems to be thrown out of whack -injury, shock, diet, emotional upset -, regular kinesiology check-ups can prevent problems developing by keeping the body balanced and flowing.
Use essential oils with respect
Although essential oils are natural they should be used with respect and knowledge and the permission of your pets. It is important to dilute essential oils well before offering them to dogs and always allow your dog to guide you in their application. This means you must be patient and resist the impulse to think you know best. A dog’s sense of smell is at least 10 times better than ours, and recent research suggests it could be as much as 100 times as good as our own. Imagine how distressing it is to be covered in a fragrance you hate (fox poo for example!), then multiply it by 100, and you start to get an idea about why choice is so important.
The basic principles of Essential Oil Therapy for Animals are easy to learn; they add a new dimension to your life and a new level of communication between you and your dogs and other pets. If you follow the principle of allowing choice and know a little about what essential oils can do they are a safe and effective way of helping your animals.
I might be biased but, personally, I don’t know how anyone lives without essential oils!
Comments
Our 6 year old Jack Russell
Our 6 year old Jack Russell terrier is severe epileptic, liver levels are off the charts. Has to take two anti-seizure meds, phenobarbital, primidone and denosol for liver health. Cannot increase any dosages. His Vet and I have been discussing essential oils for additional therapy. Do you have any suggestions? I am specifically looking for documented studies/literature that may help us to choose the right oils to use with my dog. I have Essential Oils Desk Reference but it doesn't have a lot of info listed for use with animals or dosages. Any help would be appreciated.
Essential oils need to be
Essential oils need to be used with great caution in cases of epilepsy as some of them can trigger fits. Having said that, I have used essential oils and hydrosols successfully to reduce fitting. From a TCM point of view the Liver needs to be strengthened to reduce the fits, which is difficult when taking so many meds. The goal would be to use essential oils to strengthen the liver and reduce brain activity which should allow for a reduction of the medication until a balance can be found.
There is very little in the way of documented studies on animal aromatherapy, most of what is documented is a result of testing essential oils on animals for human research.
Beyond that, I would certainly not suggest that a layman with no training in the use of essential oils should start using them on a severely epileptic animal, seek help from someone properly qualified in the use of essential oils for animals (not just someone who has done a two day course). You can have a consulation with me long distance (http://www.essentialanimals.com/animal-psycharomatica/apa-consultation) or look for someone in your area here http://www.essentialanimals.com/useful-links
I have an 8 year old cairn
I have an 8 year old cairn terrier who had a rather large nonmalignant tumor removed from his side about a year and a half ago. It kept growing. The vet said it was totally encapsulated. Unfortunately he has now grown another tumor on his other side and I really don't want to keep using surgery as a cure. Can you please tell me what essential oil will take care of this situation and how to apply it.
Thanks .....Joan
I love cairn terriers, we had
I love cairn terriers, we had them when I was a child! There are several oils that could help, the exact oils one that will work for your dog very much depends on the rest of his life/medical story. THat being said, I have had good success keeping fatty lumps and other growths under control using Sweet Fennel essential oil, then juniperberry and grapefruit work well sometimes, especially if the animal is overweight or sluggish, frankincense or flouve can also be helpful for the more granular, harder tumour, and bergamot is good for fast growing aggressive tumours. Diet also makes a big difference to the growth of tumours.
If you want to know exactly which oils your dog needs you can have a consultation with me (consultation form at the side to your left) more info here: http://www.essentialanimals.com/animal-psycharomatica/apa-consultation), or other qualified essential oil therapist for animals (see my links page for names or GEOTA).
Otherwise, put closed bottles of the suggested essential oils down on the floor (make sure you are using high quality, undadulterated oils) , let your boy sniff through them and decide which one he likes, then dilute that oil 2-3 drops in 5mls of cold-pressed sunflower or olive oil and let him either sniff or lick it as he likes, do this twice a day until he no longer shows interest in the oils, by which time you should see improvement in the growth.
You can look at the videos in the library to see how offering essential oils to dogs.
Hi! I'm glad to have found
Hi! I'm glad to have found your website. I have an 8 year old chocolate lab, but he looks and acts like he is at least 10. I'm worried that his life will end earlier than normal for a lab. He also has a pretty bad limp on his front leg and i've tried supplementing with glucosomine but it didn't help. I'd love to learn what oils would help his leg to feel better, and how to use them, and also if there are oils that could extend his lifespan. I'm a little worried about his liver, because he's had a poor diet all his life (due to not having the money to get him better quality food, and also due to giving in to his puppy face when he begs for treats :)) I put a drop of frankincense on the back of his neck. I hope that wasn't a bad idea... Anyway, anything you could suggest would be much appreciated! Thanks!!
The most important thing you
The most important thing you can do for your dog is make sure his weight is kept down, I suspect he may be overweight? There are some good herbal blends on the market that combine glucosamine, msm and devils claw which is a good natural remedy for musculo-skeletal problems, but you need to feed for at least a month before you see results. I don't suggest using essential oils for a chronic problem. One of the best oils for liver protection/healing is carrotseed (Daucus carota), offer it to him as described on this site. Milk thistle is also a good herbal supplement for the liver.
Thank you for the quick
Thank you for the quick reply! I will try the things you suggested and let you know how it works :)
Can I use tea tree oil on my
Can I use tea tree oil on my dog's itchy skin?
Hi, it would depend on what
We have a 10 year old
We have a 10 year old standard poodle who has what seem to be fatty tumors all over. We noticed the first one about a year or two ago on his stomach. They don't seem to bother him. We love essential oils and are wondering if there are some we could use to dissolve these tumors?
Sweet Fennel, seaweed
Sweet Fennel, seaweed absolute or grapefruit are the main oils I use for dogs with fatty tumours. Also make sure you feed a diet with meat as the protein. These oils will work to balance your dog's body, do not apply directly onto the lumps it is enough for the dog to smell them.Look around the site for how to use the oils.
hi, wondering if you could
hi, wondering if you could tell me what essential oils would help for a dog who has part seperation anxiety and part stress. He seems fine at home but when we are at a dog show and I have to leave the ring he stresses out and lays down instead of staying sitting. I have heard lavender but wanted to make sure and to find out how to dilute it or if it can be sniffed straight from the bottle or applied to the tip of the ears? any help would be appreciated, I have a dog show on July 14th, 15, 16 and 17. thank you
Sounds like your dog needs
Sounds like your dog needs more confidence, You could try offering ylang ylang to smell. But which oil will help depends very much on the other factors involved, age of the dog, temperament of the dog, why it is insecure etc etc.
I have a four year old
I have a four year old maltese. She has been potty trained since we got her. But this summer she began peeing in different spots in the house. 2 years ago my mom (a close companion of hers) passed away and last year our 14 yr.old australian cattle dog passed. The kids are out of school and the routine has not been the same and we did leave for vacation for a week but my friend stayed here with her. But she does it when we are home and she has access to the yard??? Not sure what the emotion is?
You should firstly make sure
You should firstly make sure she doesn't have a kidney/bladder infection as this would make it harder for her to control her pee. Incontinence is also common in spayed bitches. Other reasons for peeing in the house would be fear or insecurity. She is either scared to go out to the yard (do you have new neighbours? Did she ever go out in the yard alone before the sheperd died?), or she is insecure because of the changes in her life and needs to mark her territory more strongly because of that. You can try offering her essential oil of cypress or geranium as described in the article and see if she likes either or both of them.
My 12 year old Border Collie
My 12 year old Border Collie suffers from bad arthritis in her front legs and has a very sensitive digestion. Can you recommend some oils to ease her pain and soothe her stomach? She currently has 227mg of Previcox daily for the arthritis.
There are several essential
There are several essential oils that can help with arthritic pain, ginger, yarrow, juniperberry and plai are the first that jump to mind. let her smell the closed bottles and tell you which ones she likes. Warning, collies are very sensitive to the smell of essential oils so a little goes a long way, dilute well. And, if the steroids are controlling the pain your dog may not respond to the essential oils as she won't feel she needs them.
Essential oils for digestion depend what the sensitive digestion arises from and what you are feeding. If you want to know exactly which essential oils will help your collie, then book a consultation with me (http://www.essentialanimals.com/animal-psycharomatica/apa-consultation) or talk to a qualified essential oil therapist in your area.
Hello I have a friend at work
Hello I have a friend at work whose dog has all types of allergies and it can hardly go outside without getting into something...they have it on all types of prescriptions and I am a firm believer in oils but have never used them on animals and I wanted to ask if there was something that I could recommend to help relieve some of the scratching from breaking out etc. Also would you apply these oils to the paw of the dog and where else....thank you so much
Essential oils can help
Essential oils can help control allergies, but for a complicated case like this I would have to do a consulation, see here for more info/node/40
I have the sweetest
I have the sweetest pitbull/greyhound mix who recently developed a benign wart when his allergies kicked in. He gets allergies every year and they're being treated but short of going to the vet to have the wart removed, I haven't found a solution for the ugly little wart. I was wondering if you knew of any oils that would help make it fall off? I've used oils with him before with great success for his separation anxiety. Please help!
Hi, Bergamot is a great
Hi, Bergamot is a great solution for warts, although as he also suffers from allergies you might also want to try helichrysum. Let him sniff and pick the oil he likes, then add 1 drop to 10 mls of aloe gel and see if he would like a little dabbed on the wart. Do not let him go out sunbathing for at least 8 hours after application as bergamot can make skin more sun sensitive. If he objects to the oil being put on the wart, dont worry, just sniffing the oil will help. Also feed raw liver a couple of times a week. If you really want to find out exactly which oils will help both the wart and the allergies you could consider having an APA consultation/node/40
My 8-yr old small, mixed
My 8-yr old small, mixed breed male dog has been diagnosed with gallstones. He is lethargic and has lost a lot of weight. I read about using amni visnago and ledum essential oils for treating gallstones but am not sure if they are safe for use on dogs.
My 8-yr old small, mixed
My 8-yr old small, mixed breed male dog has been diagnosed with gallstones. He is lethargic and has lost a lot of weight. I read about using amni visnago and ledum essential oils for treating gallstones but am not sure if they are safe for use on dogs.
Hi, sorry to hear about your
Hi, sorry to hear about your dog. This is not a condition you should try to treat without the help of a professional, you should either seek to work with a holistic veterinarian, or have a consultation with me (http://www.essentialanimals.com/animal-psycharomatica/apa-consultation) long distance where I can advise exactly which oils will help to re-balance, or look for a qualified essential oil therapist for animals in your area, see the links page for a list of practitioners.
I have a 3 yr Rat Terrier I
I have a 3 yr Rat Terrier I rescued him when he was 3 months. He was very sick the first 6 months, but he's in excellent health now. As for myself, disabled with Asthma/COPD/Fibromyalgia/Chronic Nasal Swelling, etc. It's rare if I get infections. It's been highly recommened I use a cool mist machine in my bedroom at night with 100% Pure Essential oils. I require-use oxygen only when I sleep. The only lung medicine I use is my Xopenex. I'm allergic to many drugs. I was using Sprivia but it started making me cough all the time. I'm telling you all of this because I want to start using these oils that have been highly recommened for me. They are Rosemary, Cypress, Tea Tree, Lemon, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Camphor White, Peppermint and Thyme. My great concern is my dog, will it harm him in anyway? I do not want to do anything that will harm or alter his great personality. Well trained and very smart. Please let me know if these oils are safe for him to breathe. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!!
Hi My great dane has been
Hi My great dane has been very tempermental lately and ended up biting my neice. We are concerdering putting her down. I would hate to do that being as she has been an amazing dog. But I just dont know what to do anymore. I have 3 kids and I dont want to risk them being bitten. She has snagged my oldest (who is now 4) when she was about 2. Kinda putting her in her place. Since then I have just told my kids to leave the dog alone. She has been great since. But now that she has bitten my neice I dont know what to do. I am taking some classes to become a foot zoner and looking into oils. I was just wondering if there were any oils that would maybe benifit her behavior and help us keep her to have a better balanced dog. She is also pregnant but that has nothing to do with her behivior all the time. PLEASE HELP!!!!
Although oils could help in
Although oils could help in this situation, I dont like to use them when an animal is pregnant, and this situation is too complicated to work with you from a distance. You need to seek help with a qualified behaviourist who works with positive training who can advise you on how to help you and your dog live together in harmony. Three small children, a litter of puppies and a bitch who is under stress is not a happy combination.
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