Essential oils for animals

What is Animal Aromatherapy?

The use of aromatherapy in humans has been widely accepted throughout the world. However, the concept of animal aromatherapy is something relatively new. But it's slowly gaining the attention of pet owners who just want the safest approach to treating their pets. In fact, essential oils can be used from your kittens in the home to large animals such as cows and horses.

As with humans, it can be used to address common health problems and diseases that animals suffer. But it can have the same emotional effects that humans experience when exposed to the aromas of these natural oils. Once the molecular substances in the oil enter the skin and enter the bloodstream, they travel to the brain and produce their corresponding action. Since the brain controls all functions in the body of the animal, your pet can experience immediate and effective relief from the use of aromatherapy.

How is essential oil beneficial to animals?

If you still do not know whether to use essential oils on your pet, here are some valuable reasons why you should be convinced with animal aromatherapy:

• Essential oils contain several beneficial properties that facilitate the healing of your pet's condition. Some of the most common properties found in aromatherapy oils are antiseptic, antibacterial and detoxifying properties.

• In the physical aspect, these properties of essential oils are effective in curing various diseases, as it did with humans.

• From the physical point of view, the effects of essential oils are much deeper, so you can address the emotional problems your pets face.

Correct oil management

To ensure the safety of your animal when using essential oils, it is important to take note of the proper dosage when administering them. For the safety of your pet, it is best to consult with an expert veterinarian. However, here are some general guidelines you can follow to determine the most appropriate dose of essential oil you should use, depending on the size of your animal:

* Small animals: for small cats and dogs, the safe dose would be 3 to 5 drops of diluted essential oil. The concentration of the oil can be between 80 and 90 percent.

* Large animals: for cattle and horses, the safe dose varies between 20 and 30 drops of essential oil, which can be diluted or used directly from the mixture.

* Larger animals: for large dogs, the safe dose is between 3 and 5 drops of essential, which can be diluted or used directly from the mixture.

How to apply

Since humans have different compositions than animals, it is important to learn where you can best apply essential oil when used on your animals to obtain effective results. For animals that do not have a hoof (dogs and cats), you can use diluted or undiluted essential oil when applying them on their legs. This will ensure a faster absorption of the therapeutic properties for immediate relief.

For hoofed animals, such as cows and horses, you can massage a few drops on the flanks or on the back. Other possible areas of application are on the tongue, under the upper lip or on the gums. For most animals, the application of essential oil in the auricular points of the ear is beneficial.

Suggested oils for animals

For those who are new to the concept of animal aromatherapy, deciding which essential oils are the best to use on your pet can be a difficult challenge. To make your task easier, here is a summary of some of the essential oils widely known to cure ailments or conditions suffered by animals. Read more to know the properties they contain that make them ideal for dealing with animal problems.

Lavender

Lavender oil is one of the most used aromatherapy oils in humans and the same applies to animals. Some of its most useful properties include fungicidal, germicidal, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. Therefore, you can use it to treat parasite problems in your pets and other forms of bacterial infection.

Eucalyptus

This is another useful oil for animals due to the presence of various properties of essential oils such as antifungal, bactericidal and expectorant properties. Therefore, the use of eucalyptus oil is highly recommended to cure respiratory diseases or to increase the immunity of the animal against certain diseases.

Mint

This is something that every pet owner should constantly have at home, since peppermint oil is an effective oil to use against common conditions that pets suffer. For your dogs, you can use it to relieve nausea or dizziness. Simply apply a few drops of peppermint oil to the dog's sleeping area or pillows so they can smell slowly during sleep. The properties of the oil will penetrate your system to combat the conditions indicated above. It is also an ideal essential oil to use as a natural analgesic.

Security rules

When using essential oils to treat your pets or animals at home, here are some safety guidelines you should consider to avoid damaging them and get the best results:

If you are treating large animals for conditions such as bone injury, bacterial infection or arthritis, you can use the same method of application and dosage that is recommended to humans.

When treating open wounds with essential oils, it is best to transfer the oil into a spray container and spray it directly against the wound area. Then, cover the wound with an ointment that would keep it sealed and free of other foreign substances that could increase the infection.

For younger animals, be very careful when using essential oils. Consult a veterinarian first before proceeding to make sure it is safe to do so.

On the other hand, avoid using essential oils in pregnant animals, as it can induce labor or cause a miscarriage.

Be careful not to put the oils in the eyes of the animal, as it may cause irritation.

As each animal is different, you must treat the treatment with essential oils differently. After using essential oil on them, observe how they respond to treatment before proceeding to add doses or use another type of medication, as it could lead to a contraindication.