Mary Allen
Whether for a pleasant scent in the living room or bedroom or for wellness treatments: more and more people put their trust in essential oils. This becomes a problem when you have a pet. Fragrant oils can be harmful to dogs, cats, and the like.
A drop of lavender oil for relaxing or tea tree oil for clear skin: Essential oils are becoming more popular as small home remedies. Aromatherapy can help humans, but this trend poses a health hazard to pets.
Direct contact with a concentrated dog or cat essential oils can lead to health problems. The Animal Poisoning Center reports, among other things, about imbalance, depression, or low body temperature.
When an animal ingests essential oils, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and depression. Therefore, experts recommend that you do not drip the oils directly onto your pet and store them in such a way that your pet does not accidentally lick them off.
Be Careful with the Diffuser: Essential Oils Can Harm Your Pet
Many aromatherapy lovers use a diffuser, which disperses the essential oil into the air in the room. If you already have one of them, you don’t have to get rid of it. But: Make sure the diffuser only works for a short time. Out of the reach of your dog or cat. This will ensure that your pet does not topple the device or come into contact with oils.
The situation is different if your pet already has breathing problems. In this case, it is better to do without a nebulizer – this also applies to birds. Because their airways are very sensitive. If you use a diffuser in your home, you can get serious problems.
Plus, of course, your pet’s sense of smell is much better than your own. Thus, the smell that you find subtle may already seem quite strong to your dog. This applies not only 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 Your Veterinarian Quickly
The precautions to be taken with essential oils also apply to rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters. Most importantly, if you think your pet has swallowed or has come into contact with a potentially toxic substance, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.