How to Protect Your Pet from Toxins in the Home

It may not always cross your mind, but your environment is also your pet’s environment. Many common household cleaners are filled with synthetic chemicals and toxins, and what you use to clean the floor is what your furry friend walks, naps, and plays on.

There’s your air to consider as well. You may be surprised to learn many fragrance products—from candles and air fresheners to perfume—are also filled with artificial chemicals and toxins. You breathe it in, and so does your pet.

Reducing the toxic load of your home benefits the whole family, including pets. While it may be overwhelming to think about every single product in your home that may increase the toxic loads of the people and animals who share it with you, making your space greener and cleaner doesn’t have to be daunting. Reducing toxic load and replacing your current products with natural alternatives is a step-by-step process.

Using Essentials Oils Safely around Pets

Here are a few tips for diffusing essential oils around your pet:

1. Use only three to four drops of an essential oil in a water-based diffuser. Pure essential oils are incredibly potent, so just a few drops can fill a whole room with their aromas.

2. Position the diffuser in a place where your pet can’t knock it over.

3. When diffusing, leave a door to whatever room the diffuser is in open so your pet can come and go as desired.

Get Rid of Odors Naturally

Anyone with pets knows that it isn’t always lilacs and roses. Plenty of unwelcome smells and odors come along for the ride. Pure doTERRA essential oils are excellent for this as well. Imagine the benefits of using nature to tackle the pet odors in your home, as opposed to whatever synthetic products you might be using now.

With fewer chemicals and toxins wafting through your air, you can have peace of mind about the huge step you’re taking to make your home a more natural environment, with fewer toxins burdening you and your furry family members.

Frequently Asked About Topics

Are Essential Oils Safe For Animals?

Essential oils are safe on animals. There are some oils that you do want to stay away from with dogs and cats. In particular with dogs, Melaleuca, Birch, and Wintergreen are a little bit too much for them. And the way they metabolize oils, they just metabolize these ones very slowly. And it can cause some problems. So, we do stay away from those oils, particularly topically and certainly internally with dogs.

With cats, those three oils as well, Melaleuca, Birch, and Wintergreen. And we also see some problems with respiratory symptoms with certain cats with Peppermint and Spearmint. And then of course you always want to be careful with your hot oils in general with those little bitty guys. So hot oils meaning oregano, thyme, On Guard, cinnamon. Some of those really, really spicy oils. So, you want to just be a little bit more careful with those ones.

But, it really matters which ones you're gonna be using. Essential oil brand matters. And the reason is because other brands of essential oils just don't cut it. You want to make sure you're getting CPTG Certified Pure Tested Grade™ oils like doTERRA.

Essential Oil Dilution For Animals

Just remember that for dogs and cats and small animals, the smaller they are, the more you want to dilute it when applying. Typically, use a one to 2% dilution for dogs. And cats that means one drop of essential oil to 100 drops of carrier oil like Fractionated Coconut Oil. And I love doTERRA's Fractionated Coconut Oil because it's not as greasy as some of the other products out there.

Application Methods For Animals

There's three different ways you can use essential oils with pets and animals in general. Just like with people you can use it aromatically, topically, and internally. And we typically use essential oils diffused or topically with animals.

(Indirect application – apply to bedding or an area your animal frequently comes into contact with.)

Internal Use With Animals

Always start out with diluted oils with a safe carrier oil such as coconut oil when applied internally. You typically don't use oils internally unless you were dealing with a specific issue. But oils that maybe don't smell as good or are a little bit spicier like On Guard or Turmeric are really good choices to use internally. Turmeric supports the nervous system. It's another really good one for overall health. And On Guard of course is our immune supporting blend. Very good for situations if maybe you're gonna be traveling or your animal needs to be boarded at a kennel. It's a really great one to use three to four days before they go in, and then three to four days after they return home to make sure that they stay nice and healthy and have a really supported immune system. For example, use one drop of diluted oil with a safe carrier oil like coconut oil on your finger and rub the oil onto gums of mouth.

Should I Pet My Dog Or Cat After Using Essential Oils?

Petting is actually a great way to apply essential oils topically to pets. Some of the most common applications include massaging along the spine or on the ears. However, any issues with petting often happen because people don’t realise that they may have residues of essential oils on their hands and accidentally touch sensitive areas such as eyes, noses and mouths. After all nobody would like Peppermint or Deep Blue in their eyes!  If you are worried about provoking an unpleasant reaction in your pet, just wash your hands before petting them.

Work With Your Veterinarian

Always work with your veterinarian. Particularly when you are using essential oils if for any particular reason with your animals.