# Are oils/aromatherapy safe?



## Cottonflower2 (Sep 24, 2017)

I had the idea of maybe giving Bellamy some sort of oil that naturally calms him down. But are oils safe for dogs? I've tried searching online but some sources I found say that oils and diffusers should be kept away from dogs, so I'm a bit conflicted


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

I doubt oils are going to have any calming effect on your dog.


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## Cottonflower2 (Sep 24, 2017)

Chip Blasiole said:


> I doubt oils are going to have any calming effect on your dog.


Why not? I've heard of people using them to calm their dogs


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

The scientific evidence that oils have any emotional effect on people or dogs is very weak. The placebo effect is often at work. With people, they are doing several other things to calm themselves when using aromatherapy that could account for feeling calm, like deep breathing, soothing music, relaxed setting, etc. With people claiming to use oils to calm their dogs, what is their objective evidence? Or do they just say, "My dog is calmer after exposing him to oils." The expectancy effect is at work. Plus, some oils contain volatile organic compounds that can be harmful, but, while I think the risk is low, so is the benefit. Exercising and spending time with your dog will help more than anything.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

I've used EO's for many years for various purposes.



Works on "some" dogs.



Use only HIGH quality Therapeutic grade oils. "Cheap" is just that!


Must be diluted with a "carrier oil" before using. (dilute with sweet almond oil, grape seed oil etc.)



Most EO's *not to be used around cats*.


This article can give you some background: https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/essential-oils-for-dogs/ 





There are also: **Dog Appeasing Pheromones (DAP)*: Dog Appeasing Pheromone-Relieves Dog Anxiety For those with dogs suffering from panic attacks or phobia miseries, there is help in the form of the dog appeasing pheromone used in the pheromone therapy. Pheromone therapy has been very effective and successful in treating phobias and stress experienced by dogs. How can pheromone help in appeasing dogs? What are pheromones? Pheromones are natural chemicals within animals and are said to be the chemical that affects animal behavior. For dog appeasing pheromone therapy, pheromones are taken in through the nasal passage of the dog to produce a calming effect on one part of the brain that is connected to the dog’s behavior and emotion. 





Moms


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## Cottonflower2 (Sep 24, 2017)

Momto2GSDs said:


> I've used EO's for many years for various purposes.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you for that info! I will look into those sources


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

This is largely about making dollars out of "scents." There is no evidence that smelling different scents does anything. The idea of dogs having panic attacks and phobias is iffy at best. Is there a diagnostic criteria for dogs in order to diagnose these canine mental disorders? Does a vet require any special training in canine psychiatric disorders? I'd say weak nerves covers the topic a lot better. Rather than oils, people need to wake up and smell the roses. Vets, while often, well intentioned in the care of their patients, are often motivated to make a lot of money. They will offer cremation, which is done by an independent contractor, and mark up the price 100%. All they did was have the person with the cremation business come and pickup your dog and return the ashes to them. They provide temporary storage in their freezer until the dog is picked up. The same is often true of providing paw prints. If the crematory owner makes paw prints, the vet marks up the price 100% and does absolutely nothing. Think of the cost to euthanize a dog. It is often close to $100 for an injection. They are taking advantage of a pet's owner because of the emotionality that would be created if the owner had to euthanize his pet himself. They often promote high priced pet foods for digestive problems that are expensive and poor quality.


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## Beau's Mom (Nov 9, 2017)

There actually is some research on human response to aromatherapy. One pilot study that I’m aware of found that aromatherapy with a combination of lavender, chamomile, and neroli oils reduced anxiety and blood pressure, and improved sleep quality in post-op coronary patients, vs. effectiveness of conventional nursing interventions. I’ll bet there’s more out there.


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

You have to look at the methodology of the research and remembers that the "results" do not imply causality. Maybe the post-op coronary patients reported decreased anxiety and better sleep because they were getting more attention via the presentation of oils and the increased human contact in the process of presenting them. Plus, how did they determine that there was less anxiety and better sleep? Was it based on self report or something more objective?


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## Beau's Mom (Nov 9, 2017)

Anxiety levels and sleep quality were assessed using standardized questionnaires. Even if you discount that data, blood pressure is directly measurable. The aroma therapy group had lower blood pressure.


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## WIBackpacker (Jan 9, 2014)

If you avoid the oils that are considered risky for canines (Ylang Ylang, Pennyroyal, some others), it really can't hurt to try it.

It's not like giving your dog 4mgs of Xanax, it's a subtle physical change of the environment, assuming you're diffusing it.

Sometimes if _we_ are in a better frame of mind, our dogs reflect positive changes too. So if diffusing oils makes you feel better, why not?

I diffuse certain oils in my office, I diffuse different ones at home. I like them, I think they have a positive effect on my environment. I know that when I'm in a good frame of mind, my dogs reflect the same. 

Since there's no risk or exorbitant expense, I'm good with that level of "proof", for myself. 

Lavender is a good one to try for mellow/bedtime. There are studies out there about sleep quality, anxiety, fight behavior, etc.

Here's one. I skimmed it..... 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612440/



> It was shown that lavender possesses an anticonflict effect in mice [15]. Continuous exposures to lavender essential oils for 7 days significantly *inhibited anxiety- and depression-like behaviors *tested by elevated plus-maze and forced swimming tests in rats [16]. Lavender oil produced *significant antianxiety effects* in the Geller conflict and the Vogel conflict tests in mice. Linalool, a major constituent of lavender oil, *produced significant anticonflict effects* in the Geller and Vogel tests; findings that were similar to those of lavender oil [17]. Effects of lavender oil were compared with chlordiazepoxide, as a reference anxiolytic, on open-field behavior in rats. Lavender oil exhibited antianxiety properties similar to those of chlordiazepoxide [18]. Anxiolytic effect of lavender was also compared with diazepam in elevated plus-maze test in the Mongolian gerbil. *Exposure to lavender odor showed an anxiolytic profile similar to diazepam in female gerbils *[19]. Investigation of *the effects of inhaled linalool on anxiety, aggressiveness, and social interaction in mice showed anxiolytic properties in the light/dark test, increased social interaction, and decreased aggressive behavior* [20].


And so on, and so on. 

Very important note, though - no matter how much I like them, I do not expect any oil to cure disease or fix behavioral problems.


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## Cottonflower2 (Sep 24, 2017)

WIBackpacker said:


> If you avoid the oils that are considered risky for canines (Ylang Ylang, Pennyroyal, some others), it really can't hurt to try it.
> 
> It's not like giving your dog 4mgs of Xanax, it's a subtle physical change of the environment, assuming you're diffusing it.
> 
> ...


Of course! Nothing other than proper training can fix behavioral problems  I'm hoping it will help both of us feel a little more at ease before or after going out. Thank you for the source and your input!


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Great post as always, WIBackpacker! 

FWIW, there are some placebo effects that are probably 100% worth having. If diffusing oil turns out to be an owner placebo effect, I'll _totally _take it when I've got house full of stress and frustration getting mellowed out. 

I've often used Aura Cacia's Mellow Mix (which contains a lot of lavender) It definitely makes _me _feel subjectively less stressed, and I have no doubt that gets reflected to the dogs. When I diffuse it, all the dogs sac out on their beds in the living room, near the diffuser...so I know they must at least like it, as there are beds available in other rooms away from the diffuser, and a dog door allowing them to go outside to escape any smell they don't like. (BONUS: the house also smells great when I'm diffusing that one, which is almost worth it all by itself, with 4 big dogs around!) ETA: OTOH, AC's "Chill Pill" blend always gives me a headache and makes me a little cranky. I have no idea why, but it happened so consistently that I'm not ever using it again!

I also diffuse eucalyptus oil when I have a foster dog recovering from kennel cough -- or an adult human recovering from a cough-related illness (URI/flu/chest cold). It's the same idea as the old Vick's Vapor Inhalant (now Vapopads) for an old-fashioned steam vaporizer, which many of us grew up with -- the oil just makes it easier to control how much you use, as you can make it very light in the diffuser to not overwhelm a room like the old stuff used to do. It's not going to "cure" a respiratory illness, but most people _feel like_ they can breathe a little more comfortably while your immune system fights off the "bug"...and when you're miserable with the flu, that's no small thing.

FWIW, "certified pure therapeutic grade" actually a trademark owned by a MLM-company that sells very expensive oils...despite what people who sell the oils may claim. As far as I can tell in my research, the term has NO LEGAL MEANING, just whatever the company decides it means -- there's no third party organization that polices that term for an industry, no government body regulating it, and no system for the "grading" of the oil (like the USDA inspectors do for meat). That's why it all seems to be marketing hooey to me...so I'm not paying extra for it. (I admittedly do _really_ like the smell of the "Thieves Blend" from one of those very pricey MLM companies....but there are other inexpensive dupes that are fair stand-ins at half the cost).


"Organic" is a highly regulated term that actually means something (and thus may be worth paying for). "100% pure" is also a term enforced regularly by courts. The mode of expression might also justify some price differences. That's something you'll have to decide based on your budget and needs. For spraying in a bathroom to chase off "toilet odors," or adding to a bottle of home-made cleaning solution, or dropping on a wool dryer ball to make laundry smell nice...I honestly don't know whether it matters....it's at least a question (though I generally tend to come down on the side of buying organic when possible due to the importance of sustainable agriculture for the planet). For supporting recovery of a sick person or dog, or even diffusing daily into living/working spaces, the argument is likely stronger.


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