Mary Allen
Whether as a pleasant aroma in the living room or bedroom or for wellness treatments: More and more people swear by essential oils. This becomes a problem when you have a pet. The fragrant oils can be dangerous for dogs, cats, and the like.
A drop of lavender oil for relaxation or tea tree oil for clean skin: essential oils are becoming increasingly popular as small home remedies. Aromatherapy may help humans, but the trend poses a health hazard for pets.
Direct contact with concentrated essential oils for dogs or cats can lead to health problems. The Animal Poison Control Center reports, among other things, balance disorders, depression, or a lower body temperature.
When a pet ingests essential oils, vomiting, diarrhea, and also depression can result. The experts, therefore, recommend not to drip oils directly on your pet and to store them in such a way that your pet does not accidentally lick them up.
Be Careful With the Diffuser: Essential Oils Can Harm Your Pet
Many aromatherapy fans use what is known as a diffuser, which distributes the essential oil in the room air. If you already have one of these, you don’t necessarily have to get rid of it. But: Make sure that the diffuser only runs for a short time. In an area that your dog or cat cannot reach. This ensures that your pet does not knock over the device and come into contact with the oils.
The situation is different if your pet already has breathing problems. In that case, you should rather do without the nebuliser – this also applies if you keep birds. Because their airways are very sensitive. You could develop serious problems if you use a diffuser in your home.
In addition, of course, your pet’s sense of smell is far better developed than your own. A scent that you find subtle can therefore already feel quite extreme for your dog. This applies to dogs – but also to cats. Because they are often even more susceptible to toxic substances because they lack the enzymes in the liver to process them.
In an Emergency: See the Vet Quickly
The precautionary measures that you should take with essential oils also apply to rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters. Most importantly, if you believe that your pet has ingested or come into contact with a potentially toxic substance, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.