Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants. These oils capture the essence of a plant, including its properties, fragrance, and flavor. When applied along with a carrier oil, one’s body absorbs the nutrients and extracted chemicals present in the plants. If you have pets, you can use these oils on them too. However, their body is completely different from the human body in terms of reacting to certain chemicals. Therefore, one should be careful and consider certain factors before using essential oils for pets.

Essential oils aren’t good for all animals
Some oils must never be used on certain animals. This doesn’t include all the essential oils. Finding out the wrong ones is crucial to keep your pet safe. Cats especially are dangerously allergic to certain essential oils. They are more easily triggered by chemical compounds than most of the other animals.

Essential oils that contain polyphenols are toxic to cats. These oils include oregano, thyme, clove, wintergreen, and cinnamon bark. Essential oils that are harmful to dogs are garlic, thyme, clove, tea tree, and peppermint.

Method
Essential oils can be applied to pets in many ways, i.e., through massages, diet supplements, and acupuncture. It can be diffused with water, mixed with food, etc. Many oils work best when combined with other essential oils. So, use only a drop of these oils in 100 drops of carrier oil until you know how your pet reacts with more.

Check if your pet is accepting of the oils you’re trying to use on them. Apply the oils to a patch of skin and wait a few hours for a reaction. If there are signs of allergy, irritation, or sensitivity, stop using it immediately and consult a vet to figure out what to do.

Quality
Essential oils for pets that are bad in quality can cause no effect, if not bad ones. There are many deceptive oils in the market labeled wiht the “100% pure” statement. Stay away from them and consulting a doctor before buying oils. The best essential oils are tested in batches by a third party.

Effects on Certain Pets
You need to know which pets get affected by these oils so that you can be extra careful while using them. The most common house animals who are affected by essential oils are

• Birds
• Cats
• Dogs
• Guinea pigs
• Hamsters
• Rabbits

Essential oils that are mostly considered safe for pets include chamomile, frankincense, myrrh, and cedarwood.

Safety
Always consult your vet before using essential oils for pets. This is because pets are much more sensitive to concentrated chemicals than humans. Their sense of smell is also much stronger than humans, so essential oils can be potential irritants for them, causing a lot of problems in their bodies.

When you start using essential oils, start with low doses and in a place where your pet has access to fresh air.