Essential oils are safe to use with dogs if you know a few safety tips, and use only pure, tested essential oils (I only use doTERRA CPTG — certified pure tested grade essential oils). My Havanese dog, Ivy, is seven years old, and there are several oils I use with her regularly.
Digestive Support With Essential Oils For Dogs
Princess Ivy
Havanese dogs tend to have delicate tummies, and my Ivy certainly does. If she eats anything that is not her grain-free dog food or treats, she gets a rumbly tummy, often throws up and/or has diarrhea, and avoids eating for several days. Despite us being very careful with what Ivy ate, this went on for several years until I thought of trying my essential oils. I did my research and discovered several oils that are safe to use with pets, and also which ones to avoid. I also learned that it is best to always dilute essential oils with dogs, and to dilute at an even greater ratio for a small dog like Ivy (she only weighs 8 pounds).
At the first sign of an upset tummy, I add a drop of DigestZen Digestive Blend and some Fractionated Coconut Oil (FCO) in the palm of my hands. Next I rub them together and apply to the pads of Ivy’s back feet. She doesn’t seem to like or dislike it, probably because I held and petted her until the oil was absorbed. The first time I was amazed that about 5 minutes later she went and ate her dog food; she hadn’t eaten in 2 days! Of course, I wasn’t convinced from this one trial. However, Ivy does not seem to learn that eating other things doesn’t agree with her (she especially likes rabbit poop). We have tried DigestZen on the pads of her feet dozens of times, and it always settles her stomach within an hour.
Essential Oil Dog Prevention Of Fleas And Ticks
doTERRA makes a repellant blend called TerraShield that works well for keeping aways pests such as fleas and ticks. I like to add 10-20 drops to a bowl of water, and soak Ivy’s collar once/week during flea and tick season. This works well; however, if we are going camping or hiking in the woods, I also apply a drop or two undiluted to her collar for extra support. What I love, is that using this oil does not have the side effects of traditional flea and tick remedies.
Calming Essential Oils For Pets
Ivy tends to be pretty chill, but she does occasionally get anxious. She does okay during fireworks and thunderstorms, unlike our previous dog. Ivy does tend to get anxious when going to get a haircut or for a vet appointment. She begins shaking and crying, and it’s obvious she is quite upset. I like to apply a drop of Balance Grounding Blend to the palms of my hand (it’s prediluted), and then pet Ivy. She calms down, and seems to really enjoy the scent.
Many of my friends use quite a few more oils for their pets than I do. ivy is a low maintenance dog, and simply doesn’t have any other needs. Some of the other issues that my friends use them for are discomfort, to prevent licking and skin issues. Before using essential oils with your dog, I recommend reading about pet safety with essential oils. In addition, I recommend letting your pet sniff the oil you intend to use with the bottle still capped. Dogs have much stronger senses of smell than humans, and it’s a great way to introduce them to an oil.