In recent times, essential oils have become immensely popular for maintaining health and well-being. These oils are volatile and are often used as an alternative to traditional therapeutics.
Unsurprisingly, dog owners want to try these oils to get the best for their canine. But not all essential oils, aka natural oils, are safe.
Here we combine a list of the best six essential oils that would help your paw-some friend.
Lavender Oil:
Lavender essential oil is a colorless oil derived from flowers of lavender plants. It is majorly used for aromatherapy and as a fragrance agent in perfumes. It contains vital phytochemicals like linalyl acetate & linalool, which can do wonders for human beings. But when it comes to dogs, you can’t use concentrated lavender oil directly. You need to use well prepared, diluted oil for therapeutic purposes.
Benefits:
Soothe irritated skin:
If your dog itches or scratch regularly, applying diluted lavender oil can provide relief.
Insect & Tick repellant:
Applying diluted Lavender Oil on your dog’s coat can keep ticks & insects at bay, reducing tick bites’ chances.
Antibacterial agent:
As a preventive measure from fungal or bacterial rash, Lavender oil can be applied in small amounts. If your dog has already developed any fungal infection, it would be best to take veterinary advice immediately.
Chamomile Oil:
Chamomile oil is light blue colored oil extracted from the flowers of chamomile plants. The usage of these extracts can be dated back to the Egyptian era, where it was used to cure fevers.
Furthermore, there are two variations of this oil viz German & Roman. German chamomile provides anti-inflammatory benefits to the skin, thereby reducing allergies. Whereas, Roman chamomile helps reduce cramps & muscle pains by calming nerves. To ensure a healthy life for your pooch, make sure to buy health supplements and other pet products from reliable retailers like pet life and the likes.
Benefits:
Calming Gastrointestinal Tract:
Chamomile aids in alleviating indigestion, gas, and vomiting, thereby providing antispasmodic and sedative effects to the stomach. Moreover, studies suggest that chamomile inhibits the growth of bacteria, causing stomach ulcers.
Improving Cardiovascular and reproductive health:
Chamomile Oil can help strengthen the blood vessels and stomach lining, enhancing your dog’s overall reproductive health.
Acts as a sedative: Chamomile oil can help calm your anxious dog during long-distance travel. Because of this reason, you can find chamomile as an active ingredient in various dog treats.
Ginger Oil:
Ginger essential oil is dark amber-colored oil derived from the roots of the Zingiber officinale herb. Since ages, the use of the ginger herb has been devised as a natural remedy to cure inflammations, upset stomachs & arthritis. Furthermore, ginger’s antimicrobial properties can prevent bacteria’s growth in the gut, thereby providing several digestive benefits.
Benefits:
Prevents Nausea:
If your dog suffers from travel sickness, giving them a small dose of ginger oil 30 mins before the trip can help prevent anxiety.
Helps Manage Arthritis:
Ginger oil acts as a natural anti-inflammatory agent, thereby providing relief to your pet in case of inflamed joints.
Reduce Bloating:
In larger breeds, excessive bloating can be a life-threatening condition. It causes the stomach to bloat by building up gas and undigested food. Ginger oil can play a pivotal role in stimulating bowel movement and clearing the GI tract.
Myrrh Oil:
Myrrh essential oil is reddish-brown colored gum oil derived from the Commiphora myrrha tree. Since ages, Myrrh Oil cured cough, congestion & phlegm. Also, its antiseptic properties make it an ideal solution to heal irritated skin.
Benefits:
Helps Manage Teething Pain:
Teething occurs between weeks 4 and 6 of your dog’s birth and is quite uncomfortable. Diluted Myrrh Oil helps soothe your pooch’s sore gums and manage teething pain.
Relieves Skin Allergy:
Dogs often get exposed to contaminated surfaces, thereby bringing bacteria & dirt. Myrrh Oil has antiseptic and anti-infectious properties that can help cure skin allergy & infection.
Alleviates Anxiety:
Dogs can become nervous due to innumerable reasons ranging from thunderstorms to separation anxiety. Providing them aromatherapy with diluted Myrrh essential oil can help reduce stress.
Cypress:
Cypress essential oil is colorless oil derived from stems, twigs & leaves of the cypress tree. Studies suggest that this oil has antimicrobial and antifungal properties, which can help alleviate cough, muscle pain, and infections, etc.
Benefits:
Helps Manage Muscle Pain:
As dogs grow old, they suffer various joint and muscle issues, including injury to a limb or arthritis. A gentle massage of diluted cypress oil can help regulate their movements in a pain-free manner.
Supports Skin Health:
Cypress Oil can help maintain the shiny coat of your pooch. Besides that, it also prevents any skin infection or rash, thereby increasing the quality of your dog’s life.
As a Free repellent:
These days the entire pet market is filled with tick and flea repellent. But, not all dogs can endure the harmful pesticides found in these products, especially when they are suffering from chronic ailments like liver, heart, etc. Under those circumstances, massaging diluted cypress oil would prove to be a safer option.
Cedarwood Oil:
Cedarwood Oil is yellow colored oil derived from leaves, bark, berries & needles of cedar trees. It has a woodsy scent and has been used for centuries as a diuretic, antispasmodic substitute for traditional medicines.
Benefits:
Supports Immune Function:
Cedarwood Oil helps increase blood circulation in the body, thereby supporting the overall Immune system.
Helps relieve skin allergies:
If your dog is suffering from dandruff, rash, or dermatitis, massage the skin with three drops of oil mixed with water to reap all benefits.
Conclusion:
With all essential oil present on the market, it is vital to remember that each dog will respond differently as compared to others. Along these lines, if you observe any adverse effects, immediately stop the use of essential oils. An ideal approach would be to consult your vet before using any oils.
