Essential oils and pets

[Catherine]

Right now essential oils are really popular. People take them for all kinds of reasons. Some of them really are beneficial so it is no wonder we want to use them on our pets.
There is need for caution however. Some oils are toxic to some animals. Each oil needs to be researched before using it for a pet.


http://news.google.ca/news/url?sr=1&ct2=...438&at=dt0

I used to use Rosemary boiled into a tea to treat mites in my hamsters. There was a small amount of oil in the water and it was very effective. I think in this case using the pure oil would have been too much.
Like anything, common sense and caution must be applied before the oil is applied.

[Tobi]

Yes it is wise to research first, and to be very careful. I have heard Tea Tree oil (which is marvellous for infections on skin) is very toxic for cats. It may also be toxic for dogs.
Also another thing -when we burn essential oils in a burner, we love the smell in the room. But it can be overwhelming for the sensitive nose of an animal!

[Catherine]

I never thought about the scent being a problem. Dogs would be overwhelmed by most oils when they are burned.

I have heard that tea tree oil can be toxic to cats.

I prefer to work from the herbs rather than the oils. They are not as strong, but sometimes that is a good thing.