With a greater awareness of the toxicity of chemical-laden cleaning and air freshening products, many people choose to swap these out for products such as essential oil-based cleaners, oil burners, diffusers and incense.
While this is generally a good thing, it’s not without risks. For the same reasons you would keep bleach away from your dog, some oils are toxic to pets and will poison or cause liver damage if digested, put on skin or burned/diffused into the air. This is largely due to the high concentration of most essential oils. Some oils can be used topically if diluted in a carrier oil but, as always, do your research before using any products on your pet.
Not all essential oils are harmful, but it’s good practice to keep them away from your dog and not to burn anything without first speaking to a vet.
Here is a list of some common oils which should not be burned near or used on your dog (this is not an exhaustive list):
· Wintergreen
· Peppermint
· Citrus (including orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit)
· Lavender
· Spearmint
· Eucalyptus
· Tea Tree Oil
· Clove
· Cinnamon
· Basil
· Oregano
· Nutmeg
· Cassia
· Juniper
· Pine
· Birch
· Spruce
· Cypress
· Thyme
· Tansy
· Calendula
· Penny Royal
· Thuja
· Yarrow
· Myrtle
· Citronela
· Ylang Ylang
If you suspect your dog may have ingested an essential oil or they show signs of poisoning after being around a diffuser or burner, take them to the vet immediately along with the bottle of oil.
For more information on keeping your dog safe and happy, the Dogs Trust and RSPCA websites have some great resources.
Thanks for reading! For more info, get in touch on Facebook, Instagram or on bigpetservices@gmail.com. Have a great day!
Comments