Essential Oils For Our Four-Legged Friends
If you are an animal lover and have pets at home, you know that they are literally another member of the family. We love our animals and we want to keep them as healthy and happy as possible. If you have made the choice to use all natural beauty products, household cleaners, organic foods, etc., shouldn't you spread that practice onto your pet? Of course you should! Dogs in particular can benefit in many different ways from essential oils! Here are some tips, tricks and things to keep in mind when starting an essential oil practice on your pet.
First, figure out the dilution ratio. For this you will need to know how much your dog weighs. For small dogs under 20 pounds for example you would dilute the oils similar to if you were using them on an infant or small child - and dilute closer to human adult ratios for larger dogs. It's always better to start using less and work your way up.
You can put the essential oil in the palm of your hand and let them smell the aroma, or keep it in the bottle for them to sniff. You can also apply it to the skin, preferably in an area where the skin is thin such as the belly, applying from head to tail. Essential oils should always be diluted when applying to the skin and just like with humans, some pets may be sensitive to the oils so do a safety check before applying all over your pet. Diffusing essential oils in the home also is very beneficial for pets. As an example, diffusing Lavender essential oil will keep your pet calm or Eucalyptus essential oil will keep the air clean of viruses.
If your pet spends a lot of time outside in a wood-ticky area you can massage a small amount of Plantlife’s Neem Oil directly on your pet’s coat to prevent fleas and ticks.
If your pet gets a tick, you can try these essential oils to remove it:Apply a drop of the oil to the tick and it will fall off, and if it's hard to reach you can use a cotton swab. After the tick is removed apply a drop of Tea Tree essential oil to help prevent infection.
Does your dog suffer from anxiety? Do you have trouble with car rides or meeting new people? These are a few essential oils you can try to help calm your pup's nerves.
You can also make a simple solution to clean out your pet’s ears! Combine one of the essential oils below with one of Plantlife’s carrier oils. 3-5 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil is a good place to start. Place a few drops on a cotton swab and clean off the surface wax. Plantlife’s Patchouli or Lavender Foam Soap is also excellent to bath and clean your pet.Always start a new treatment for your pets with a small amount of diluted essential oils to see how they react. Also please note that these guidelines are for dogs - cats' systems react differently to the different oils. So-called “hot” oils like cinnamon, oregano, clove, wintergreen, thyme and birch are oils that should be avoided because they can cause kidney and liver damage.
Overall, incorporating essential oils into your pet’s life is a great way to naturally treat whatever ailments you may be dealing with, and assure that everyone in your family will enjoy a long, happy and healthy life together!