You’re all about taking your health into your own hands, using diet and healthy remedies to keep diseases and health problems at bay. But what about your dog? Why shouldn’t they enjoy a healthy, vet-free life? Luckily, for many of your beloved pooch’s ailments and health problems, theres an essential oil solution waiting just around the corner.
Are essential oils safe for dogs?
The simple answer is: yes. But only when you’ve done your research, and you know which oils are ok to use (see below), how to use those oils, and in what quantities. Where many people trip up is recognizing just how potent essential oils really are. It’s important to remember that just one drop of essential oil is many thousands of times stronger than a leaf or stem from the original plant it was made from. Practice caution when using essential oils for dogs, just as you would do with yourself and your family.
Why you should use doTERRA essential oils on your dog
Nobody’s forcing you to use essential oils on your furry friend, but there’s a whole lot of reasons why you should give it a try! Essential oils are literally tiny bottles of home remedies just waiting to be unleashed (pun unintended). They contain a wide range of healing properties, and because they’re so powerful they can really work wonders on your dog. We’ve used and promoted doTERRA essential oils for the past 5 years, and are happy to give them our seal of approval – they’re high quality and have never let us (or our dog!) down. More importantly, they’re therapeutic grade, which means they’re safe to use on (and sometimes in) the body – unlike many of the cheaper oils, which are only safe to use via aromatherapy (diffuser).
Here’s a few reasons why you should use doTERRA essential oils for dogs:
- Just one essential oil can provide many different natural remedies. Lavender essential oil, for example, can reduce inflammation, speed healing, prevent infection, and relax a stressed pawed companion. All in one tiny bottle. Imagine what you could do with 6, or even 10 different essential oils!
- Essential oils are non-toxic…when used in the right amounts, that is. We’re trying to avoid having your dog go to the vet and being prescribed liver-destroying anti-inflammatory drugs or gut-ruining antibiotics, so essential oils provide a great non-toxic alternative to conventional treatments.
- Essential oils are simple to use. If you’re familiar with using essential oils on yourself and your family, it’s an absolute breeze to use them on your dog as well. And if you haven’t used them before – no worries! Just read on for some easy actionable tips.
Using doTERRA essential oils to help and heal your dog
Because there’s just so darn many essential oils out there (we have at least 100 different kinds languishing around our home!), this post would be a very long one indeed if I was to go through EVERY SINGLE ONE. Luckily, certain oils are jack of all trades, and can be used to solve any number of complaints from your pooch. Here’s some of the most popular essential oils for dogs, that can be used to make effective home remedies for your beloved pooch.
Lavender essential oil for dogs
Just quietly, lavender is my fave. Lavender essential oil is easily the most versatile oil we have at our disposal, helping to calm frayed nerves, help us sleep, soothe inflamed cuts and wounds, reduce inflammation at sites of injury or arthritis, and fight off infection. How many dog meds do you know that can do all those things, and without any side effects as well? Lavender essential oil is:
- antibacterial
- calming
- anti-itch (especially with bug and tick bites, and also with healing wounds)
- antihistamine (reduces symptoms of allergies)
- pain-alleviating
- anti-inflammatory
Based on the above abilities of lavender essential oil, it’s fair to say that this is one of the most important essential oil for dogs! Lavender essential oil even has strong anti-mutagenic qualities, making it a proven method of fighting canine cancer.
Because lavender is one of the gentler essential oils, you dog likely won’t be bothered when you apply it to their wounds/bites/aches/pains. To promote milder healing and relaxation, you can also use lavender in a diffuser.
Helichrysum essential oil for dogs
We’ve used helichrysum essential oil on our pup’s injuries countless times, and it seems to work wonders. I myself have used it on a sore lower back and lower leg injury, so I know that it works. Be warned, though – helichrysum is expensive (just another reason to buy it wholesale!), but that being said a little goes a very long way. You usually only need to use around one drop, mixed in with a carrier oil, to provide pain relief and healing for your pooch. Helichrysum is:
- strongly anti-inflammatory
- analgesic (pain-relieving)
- regenerative (promotes faster healing)
- antimicrobial (especially against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus species)
If you can get over the price, helichrysum is a must have for all your dog’s aches and pains, and is particularly effective for more troubling injuries. doTERRA’s helichrysum essential oil speeds healing of scars and bruises, soothes irritating skin conditions, and alleviates pain.
Roman chamomile essential oil
Roman chamomile is one of the most widely used essential oils for dogs, and for good reason. It’s second only to lavender in terms of it’s versatility, and its essential oil can be used for a range of problems associated with your dog, including:
- pain relief (analgesic)
- relaxation (calms a stressed or restless dog)
- treatment of cramps and other central nervous system issues (anti-spasmodic)
Roman chamomile essential oil is also a strong anti-oxidant, meaning it could be a good defense for your dog against cancer and other mutagenic diseases.
Thyme essential oil for dogs
Thyme is another must-have for your dog’s medicine cabinet. It is a strong anti-inflammatory, making it a great choice for achy joints and muscles, and arthritic pooches. Thyme essential oil is also great for fighting off infection, and for treating internal parasites. Thyme essential oil is:
- anti-inflammatory
- antibacterial
- antifungal
- antiviral
Because thyme essential oil is quite a strong brew, consider using it in conjunction with a carrier oil like coconut oil to ensure your furry friend doesn’t get any irritation.
Cedarwood essential oil for dogs
I’ve included cedarwood essential oil not only for its antiseptic and circulation-stimulating properties, but also due to its ability to repel fleas. Some of the conventional anti-flea products are downright harmful to your dog’s health, so it’s worth considering cedarwood as a natural alternative. Cedarwood essential oil is:
- tonifying
- antiseptic
- antibacterial
- pro-circulatory
You can make a cedarwood anti-flea spray by mixing up a small solution of water and several drops of cedarwood essential oil (add more cedarwood for a stronger brew) and using a brush to expose your dog’s skin. Then spray the solution directly onto the skin, avoiding the eyes and ears. For the head area, simply put some of the cedarwood solution on your hands and rub it into all the furry bits – but still make sure not to get too close to the eyes or ears!
How to use doTERRA essential oils on your dog
The best practice is always to apply the essential oils directly to external areas of your dog. One to two drops is usually more than enough for a specific ailment, and I almost always dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil to ensure it doesn’t irritate my wee furry friend. If you’re planning on using essential oils internally, I need to stress that you really need to do your research, and always make sure you use therapeutic grade (like doTERRA’s range) essential oils.
That’s it for now! Have you used essential oils on your dog before? How did it turn out?