There’s no question that plants are essential to our lives. We eat them, grow them in our gardens, give them as gifts. They bring great joy and benefit to us humans but for pets, it's not so straightforward.
Aromatic compounds are responsible for creating the unique scents of fruits, plants or flowers. Not only can they smell great, these scents are generated by plants to ensure their growth and survival. These scents can protect the plants from pests, attract animals to spread their seeds, and can even stimulate healing from an infection or injury.
The use of essential oils around pets can present certain risks if applied directly to their skin or coat, fed to them, or even if they walk beneath a diffuser and pick up droplets on their fur.
Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, depression, and low body temperature.
The thing to remember is to keep all essential oils out of your pet’s reach, and only use them in a part of the house your pet doesn't hang around.
You can still absolutely use your diffuser and candles with diluted essential oils, but ideally not in a place where your pet hangs out a lot.
Check out the list below to see which essential oils to be careful with around pets as they can be toxic to cats and dogs:-
- Tea tree
- Peppermint
- Pine
- Cinnamon
- Citrus
- Clove
- Eucalyptus
- Ylang-Ylang
Every pet is different, and every essential oil product is unique. This means that your pet may never show signs of illness, or it could be that they become highly susceptible to the risks. When it comes to using essential oils around pets, take care.