Essential oils can have very powerful emotional and physical effects on people and animals. They are so powerful that some veterinarians use them as a first line option for prevention and treatment of disease.
When using essential oils for animals, it is extremely important to choose high quality, medical grade oils, that are made for use on pets. Some oils are not "pet-friendly", even though they may be fine for human use. When choosing oils, remember that just because a company may have a few medical grade oils, it does not mean that all of their oils are medical grade. Oil quality can also change from one harvest to the next; each batch of oil should be tested for purity and quality.
Cats are particularly sensitive to essential oils; many oils that are fine for use on dogs should not be used on cats.
Dr. Melissa Shelton is probably the foremost veterinary expert on essential oil use in animals. She has formulated her own line of essential oil products that she personally researches and uses before using them on her patients.
Based on her expertise, I am happy to use her essential oil products for my patients. There are many ways oils can be delivered safely to animals. I have been using a product called "Sniff-Its", which uses a felted wool material diffuser that attaches to the crate or collar. The Sniff-Its come with different oils, based on desired outcome.
FOCUS - created specifically to focus attention and motivation towards a certain project or attitude. Great for competition dogs.
TRANSITION - assists coping with fear, change, grief, and builds an acceptable new normal. Joining a new home, losing a human or animal companion, being rescued, undergoing a surgery, leaving a litter, and more can all be considerable transition periods for an animal.
CALM-A-MILE - for any situation where a calm and balanced attitude is desired. Great for travel. Overall calming, anxiety relief, balancing of emotions, and a grounded feeling can be felt with this beautiful smelling blend.
CLEAR SAILING - designed for an uplifting, yet calming and relaxing result. Ease from anxiety, dog introductions, calmer natures, benefits during training.
For cats, a Sniff-It toy mouse is a great way to deliver an essential oil blend to tame even the toughest tiger. HAPPY CAT is a diluted blend of catnip oil and coconut oil. When I gave this toy to my cats, they instantly rolled and rubbed all over the toy, then carried it to their favorite sleeping places and napped. Happy cats!
