Essential oils are a must-have for any eco-friendly home! These little bottles of natural essence pack a punch for room freshening or green cleaning, but are they as good for our pets as they can be for humans?
The answer isn’t exactly black-and-white. With a little research, we’ve tried to sum up the basics and safety precautions you should take when choosing to use essential oils in or around your pet-friendly home.
Essential Oils: The Basics
If you’re new to the world of essential oils and plant essences, welcome! It’s nice and delightful here, but there are some basics you should know when utilizing essential oils in your home—especially with pets.
You might be asking yourself: What are essential oils (EOs) and how do I use them?
Well, EOs are highly concentrated extracts from herbs, plants, flowers, or trees. These extracts are made through a distillation process using steam or water. In the case of citrus oils, these are typically cold-pressed.
Many eco-conscious homeowners use essential oils in green cleaning products, around the house for freshening purposes like laundry, potpourri, or air freshener, and to treat a variety of common ailments, from congestion to insomnia.
Essential Oils and Pet Safety
If you’re purchasing and using essential oils in their purest form (100% EOs), these should never be used directly on humans or animals. In this form, they are not safe for your pets and are more likely to cause harm than good. However, some brands of EOs are pre-diluted with carrier oils to lessen their potency and make them safer for human use.
When it comes to your fur baby’s health and safety, the Bayside team does not recommend using essential oils to treat any skin, coat, or other health condition your pet may be experiencing. Due to the vast variations of potency from one oil to another, there isn’t enough research to show efficacy or safety.
Essential Oil Storage Tips
Does that mean you should toss all your diffusers or warming pots? Absolutely not! Essential oils are still a valuable resource for your household.
- Store your favorite room-freshening, relaxing, or invigorating essential oils safely out of paw’s reach.
- When using oil warmers or diffusers, place them where pets cannot reach them or accidentally pull them off tables/shelves. If you notice that your fur baby’s breathing changes while these are in use, then consider removing them from your home.
- Be aware of concentration levels in your EOs and never use them topically on your pets—ingestion from licking is often the most dangerous form of exposure.
A little safety goes a long way, but if you believe your four-legged friend has swallowed or been exposed to an irritating essential oil, please contact us as soon as symptoms occur. We’re here when you need us–your pets are our family, too.
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