Essential Oils: For Pets

Make your very own shampoo, tick spray, and calming spray for dogs. Plus, learn which essential oils are safe for pets and the do’s and don’ts when it comes to essential oils and pets.

This journal note was a long time coming, and with all the questions we received asking if essential oils are safe for pets, we would have saved myself some time if we had written it sooner.

These questions (and maybe a few more) will be answered in this note as well as recipes for each. So, can you make a shampoo for dogs scented with essential oils? Is it safe to make a flea and tick spray using oil on dogs? What about a pet calming spray?

It was quite comical! When we went outside to grab a few pictures of the pups for this note, we found out that they were scared of our camera. Ha! We am not sure why but they wouldn’t come near me and had their tails in between their legs.

First, we’ll go over essential oil safety around pets. That is, the indirect effects of us using oils around our pets.

ARE ESSENTIAL OILS SAFE FOR PETS?

So, a couple of things, the FDA does not regulate essential oils, so you really can’t trust the labels. You actually have to do your own research and really dig deep into how your oil is sourced and the testing it goes through.

Many oils you find in local stores or on amazon can be diluted with water or have added fillers and contaminates. You can find out why we decided to go with DoTERRA here.

If you are using high-quality essential oils free of added fillers and contaminants, then YES, essential oils can be used safely around your pets. BUT, there are a few things to know before doing so!

Using essential oils around pets

Brown and white dog sitting in the grass after being cleaned with dog shampoo.

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It is important to note that most of your pets, especially dogs, have a far greater sense of smell than humans. In fact, according to petmd, dogs can smell up to 100,000 times better than humans.

Therefore, pay attention to your dog’s reaction when you diffuse oils. Let your pet be the judge; they will let you know if they like the scent or not.

If your dog seems to be affected, tries to leave the room, or appears distressed, stop using it immediately.

Just like humans, they can prefer certain aromas over others, but with far greater sensitivity. You can experiment with different oils that are well diluted of course, and see how they react.

DIFFUSERS– Most essential oils are safe to diffuse in your home while your pets are around. However, your pets may not prefer some of your stronger-scented oils. Never diffuse in an enclosed room around pets. Leave a door open so your pet can get away if needed.

DIRECTLY INHALING– Humans can benefit from inhaling an essential oil straight out of a bottle or out of the palm of their hands; pets CAN NOT. This also means oils must not be applied directly to any animal undiluted.

Here is a list of oils that may not be safe to use around your pets:

Anise
Camphor
Cinnamon
Clove
Juniper Berry
Tea tree (Especially avoid using tea tree around cats!)
Oregano
Wintergreen
Ylang ylang
Eucalyptus

These are the most common essential oils not recommended to use around dogs. As always, with any scent, pay careful attention to your pet and see how they respond.

TOPICAL USE

Oils can be used topically on dogs, such as in a shampoo or spray. It is not recommended to use essential oils on puppies or kittens under 10 weeks of age.

If you follow the safety tips listed below, you can use essential oils topically on your dog.