Pets and essential oils, part one.

Every week we get three or four questions asking us what essential oils to use when treating pets. All are excellent questions so over the next few weeks we will have a series of blogs with information, recipe's, other people's experiences and places to go for more information. At different times we will feature books, blogs and experiences. If you have any experiences, books or blogs that you would like to tell us about, please do so! We will happily share them with our RMO family.

Last week we were asked what to do for a dog with itching skin. First thing to determine with the dog is why his or her skin is itching. If it is due to fleas or ticks, then Bug Off would be a good idea.  This oil is helpful in getting rid of mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, etc. You can apply it by putting 1 or 2 drops around the collar area. Also along the back of the dog near the base of the spine. One of our RMO family, E.G., told us what she does for her dogs: "I use Lavender to ward of bugs and recently made a few cotton collars and put a few drops of Bug Off on them and it is working wonderfully and I don't have to use that nasty chemical stuff down their backs to ward off fleas and ticks!" 


Other reasons for itchy skin can be a rash or an allergic reaction to something in the dog's environment, or even just really dry skin. So you should take a look at what type of shampoo you are using as well as what kind of triggers could be around the dog.


One customer applied a drop of Lavender on her dog's feet where she was licking and behind her ears where she was scratching. It seemed to give her some relief.


For a treatment, here is a recipe we found in the book Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals by Kristen Leigh Bell

Soothing Skin Essential Oil Blend

1/2 (15 ml) base oil (carrier oil)

2 drops Geranium

6 drops Rosewood

6 drops Lavender

1 drop Roman chamomile

2 drops Carrot Seed

Combine all ingredients, shake and store in a dark glass bottle. Use 2-4 drops of this blend to spot treat small areas of affected skin.

Here are some other recommendations by Kristin Leigh Bell: 

Top 20 Essential Oils for Dogs at a Glance

Carrot Seed                                     Mandarin, Green

Cedarwood Atlas                             Marjoram, Sweet

Chamomile, German                       Myrrh

Chamomile, Roman                         Niaouli

Clary Sage                                       Orange, Sweet

Eucalyptus radiata                           Peppermint

Geranium                                        Revensare Aromatica

Ginger                                             Rose

Helichrysum Italicum                       Thyme ( chemotypes)

Lavender                                         Valerian

Essential Oils to Avoid using with Animals

Anise                                              Pennyroyal 

Birch                                               Red or White Thyme

Bitter Almond                                  Rue

Boldo                                              Santalina

Calamus                                         Sassafras

Camphor                                        Savory

Cassia                                            Tansy

Clove Leaf and Bud                        Terebinth

Crested Lavender                           Thuja

Garlic                                              Wintergreen

Hyssop                                            Wormwood

Juniper (use Juniper Berry only)     Yarrow

Oregano

Here is a link to Ms. Bell's book on Amazon, if you would like to get your own copy of it. This was information we found very interesting and thought we'd like to share it with you.

What kinds of treatments have you used with your pets? What recipes are your favorites? Please feel free to share them with everyone on here. We'd love to see more!

--JC Shannon

(This information is provided for informational purposes only. It is not approved by the FDA nor is it provided in order to diagnose, prescribe or treat any disease, illness or injured condition of the body. Rocky Mountain Oils assumes no responsibility for such use. Anyone suffering from any disease, illness or injury should consult with a physician or health care provider.)