15 Essential Oils that are Toxic to Dogs - Essential Oil Nerd (2023)

FAQs

What are the most toxic essential oils for dogs? ›

Many liquid potpourri products and essential oils, including oil of cinnamon, citrus, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, tea tree (melaleuca), wintergreen, and ylang ylang, are poisonous to dogs. Both ingestion and skin exposure can be toxic.

Many essential oils, such as eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, cinnamon, citrus, peppermint, pine, wintergreen, and ylang ylang are straight up toxic to pets. These are toxic whether they are applied to the skin, used in diffusers or licked up in the case of a spill.

According to APCC, not necessarily. Using an oil diffuser for a short time period in a secured area—one that your dog or cat cannot access—is not likely to be an issue. However, if your pet has a history of breathing problems, it may be best to avoid using one altogether.

Key takeaway. Peppermint oil is toxic to dogs and can cause mild to severe symptoms, including diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, and even lethargy.

However, some scents are safer than others to diffuse. For example, lavender essential oil, orange essential oil, and lemon essential oil are considered relatively safe to diffuse around pets, but you should monitor your pet when diffusing oils in your home. Keep your diffuser up high where your dog can't get to it.

Inhalation of essential oils is a problem for dogs and other pets. Some of these oils are irritants to the lungs and inhalation can also lead to systemic effects of toxicity in some cases. If a dog gets oil in their airway, this can also cause serious irritation and disease to the lungs.

Most popular essential oils (including eucalyptus, tea tree, citrus oils, pine, peppermint, etc) are poisonous to dogs in moderate to large doses. All of Bath & Body Works' Wallflower scents contain essential oils, which are then sprayed into the air where they an easily be inhaled by your dog.

Follow these pet safety tips when cleaning your home with essential oils: Never apply essential oils directly onto your pet without first consulting your veterinarian or qualified pet health practitioner. It's a good idea to remove your pet from the room until you're finished cleaning and deodorizing the area.

Is peppermint oil safe to diffuse around dogs? ›

Peppermint oil is toxic for dogs. Whether you're using an oil diffuser, applying it to their skin, or adding oil to their food, it's unfortunately harmful to our four-legged friends.

Most of the time, candles are relatively harmless to dogs and will not make them sick. The common candle waxes, such as soy, paraffin, and beeswax, are all non-toxic and usually soften and pass safely through your dog's digestive system. Soy-based candles in particular are the softest and pose the least amount of risk.

The use of essential oils, such as orange essential oil, within the home has increased significantly in recent years, causing pet owners to ask if the orange essential oil is safe for dogs. Yes, the orange essential oil is safe for dogs.

The lemon essential oil contains citronellal, geraniol, and limonene, all of which can be toxic in large quantities. These compounds are known to cause liver damage, gastrointestinal irritation, and even central nervous system depression. Lemon essential oil is not safe for dogs to consume in any quantity.

Lemongrass is toxic to dogs due to the cyanogenic glycosides and oils in the plant. Lemongrass poisoning, however, is rare in canines since dogs must ingest large quantities of the plant to trigger severe symptoms.

Tea tree oil is often found in varying concentrations and high concentrations should never be used on pets. As little as 7 drops of 100% oil has resulted in severe poisoning, and applications of 10-20 mls of 100% oil have resulted in poisoning and death in both dogs and cats.

Symptoms of toxicity include elevations in liver enzymes, weakness, low body temperature, incoordination, inability to walk, hind leg paralysis, tremors, coma and death. These symptoms often appear 2-8 hours after exposure. If you suspect tea tree oil toxicity in your pet please contact your veterinarian immediately.

Well known for its incredible calming properties for humans, lavender oil is one of the best essential oils to calm dogs. It is a natural dog anxiety treatments to use with a nervous, depressed or hyperactive pup - and is also an excellent sleep aid if your dog has insomnia.

Dilution for Topical Application

We suggest a 9:1 ratio of carrier oil to essential oil. For medium-sized dogs dilute 4:1 carrier oil to essential oil. If you're using essential oils on medium-sized animals—like large dogs—dilute 3:1 carrier oil to essential oil.

Can dogs breath in lavender essential oil? ›

Direct inhalation

You can give your dog lavender through its nose by diffusing or adding a few drops of lavender oil to his collar or bedding. Inhaling the scent of essential oils is another way dogs enjoy the benefits of lavender, and it's a great way to make sure he doesn't develop an aversion to the smell.

Since the oil is more concentrated in a diffuser, it can be unsafe for dogs to breathe. If you're diffusing lemongrass oil, do so far away from your dog or strictly outside just to be safe.

Coconut Oil for Itchy Dogs

For this reason, coconut oil is among the best oils for canine skin, which is why so many products for pups use it as a key ingredient. Many natural beauty products now contain coconut oil because of its antibacterial and antifungal properties.

Coconut oil not only tops our list of dog-safe essential oils for dogs because of its widespread popularity among dog lovers. We also love it because of the numerous canine health benefits offered by using the essential oil.

According to the Pet Poison Helpline

Behavior changes (depression, fatigue, weakness) Difficulty breathing (labored breathing, fast breathing, coughing, wheezing) Drooling and/or vomiting. Tremors.

Exposure to essential oils can result in varying symptoms ranging from drooling and vomiting to coma, seizures, and liver injury.

Absolutely. Your pal's got one powerful sniffer that's five times more sensitive than your own, so chances are if you can sniff it out, so can Spot. But even though your dog can smell eucalyptus — whether it's from the tree itself or through an essential oil diffuser — it doesn't mean they should.

The Bath and Body Works Wallflower is a plug-in-air freshener that has received negative feedback from pet owners. Despite their pretty packaging and heavenly scents, they are not safe to be continuously used throughout the day. Many pet owners have reported scents' adverse reactions to cats and dogs.

Can I spray force of nature on my dog? ›

Dirty/Stinky Pets & Their Habitats: It's pet-safe because it has no toxic chemicals, fumes or residues. Hypochlorous acid (the hero ingredient in Force of Nature) is actually used in a number of veterinary care products because it's so safe.

The answer. No, plug-in air fresheners are not safe for pets.

Yes, some scented candles can be poisonous to pets. If you are a fan of scented candles, you might want to try unscented, for your dog's sake. Just like with humans, fragrances and scented oils can trigger an allergic reaction or irritate existing breathing problems in our canine companions.

Some oils, like tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and eucalyptus oil, can cause serious health issues in dogs such as vomiting, diarrhoea, and even liver failure if ingested. Burning candles or using diffusers can also release fumes that can be harmful to a dog's respiratory system if they are inhaled in large quantities.

Yes, ginger oil is safe for dogs, both internally and externally. Not only is ginger oil safe for dogs, but it's also incredibly beneficial for them! Ginger oil for dogs is an excellent topical remedy for many skin conditions.

Cedarwood essential oils can be safely be used topically to condition your pets skin and fur and to repel fleas. Cedarwood oils are gentle, soothing and usually safe to use on both cats and dogs.

Many experts recommendcedarwood, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, spearmint, and tangerine essential oils as being safe to use around your dog.

The short answer is yes. Rosemary is considered non-toxic to dogs according to the ASPCA, and it may even have health benefits for your pup. Rosemary has a wide variety of uses, including serving as a potent ingredient for cooking, offering medicinal properties, and providing a sweet-smelling fragrance.

Dogs can safely eat one or two fresh, plain mint leaves per day. However, feeding your dog mint leaves in excess may upset their digestive system. Stick to serving them a few small bites of mint occasionally, rather than regularly.

Yes! Basil is healthy for your dog to eat in small quantities. It's anti-inflammatory and contains a high level of antioxidants that help prevent many types of illness including cancer. Basil also helps prevent cellular damage, calms your anxious dog, and eases arthritis pain.

Can you diffuse lemongrass essential oil around dogs? ›

As long as it is properly diluted and used in a way where your pet cannot ingest it, as a general rule, lemongrass essential oil is safe. For context, this means you can diffuse it in a well-ventilated room, not that you should be applying it to your four-legged friend or to yourself if your dog commonly licks you.

The Bath and Body Works Wallflower is a plug-in-air freshener that has received negative feedback from pet owners. Despite their pretty packaging and heavenly scents, they are not safe to be continuously used throughout the day. Many pet owners have reported scents' adverse reactions to cats and dogs.

As long as it is properly diluted and used in a way where your pet cannot ingest it, as a general rule, lemongrass essential oil is safe. For context, this means you can diffuse it in a well-ventilated room, not that you should be applying it to your four-legged friend or to yourself if your dog commonly licks you.