Essential Oils to Avoid Using Around Your Dog (2024)

FAQs

What essential oil smells are toxic 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.

As mentioned, you can still use your diffuser with diluted essential oils, but not in a place where your pet hangs out. Likewise, only apply personal skin products, like body oil or lotion containing essential oils, when you're not around your pet.

They may also consider using it on their pets to prevent fleas. But, if you're a pet parent, you might wonder, “Is peppermint oil safe for dogs?” The answer is no. Peppermint oil is toxic to dogs. It should never be ingested or used on their fur or skin.

Peppermint oil presents a wide range of risks for dogs and can be toxic to our furry friends. Many other essential oils also pose a severe risk to most furry friends. If you use a diffuser in your home or use essential oils on your skin, it's important to be aware of the risks and which oils are safe.

Eucalyptus is toxic to dogs. According to Dr. Turner, "Ingestion of eucalyptus leaves may lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness; however, in large quantities, it may also cause seizures" in dogs. The ASPCA also notes dogs who ingest eucalyptus can suffer from depression.

Peppermint is toxic to dogs and understandably so, dogs don't like it. You might use peppermint essential oils to relieve inflammation or just reduce your stress, however, these highly concentrated formulas are toxic to dogs and toxicity symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea.

How safe are these essential oils for our pets? 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.

Many essential oils, such as eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, cinnamon, citrus, oregano, clove, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, wintergreen, and ylang ylang are toxic to pets. These are toxic whether they are applied to the skin OR used in diffusers.

Is Lemongrass safe for dogs? ›

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.

“Lavender does contain the toxic substance linalool but in such low concentrations that it is considered a [dog-]safe plant to have in your yard,” Dr. Bonk told The Dodo. In fact, in small amounts, lavender can even relieve some symptoms of anxiety if that's something your pup struggles with.

Two compounds found in lavender, linalool and linalyl acetate, can be toxic to dogs in large amounts. Concentrated lavender oil contains more of these compounds than its flowers; dogs would need to eat a large volume of lavender plants to get sick, but could fall ill after ingesting only a small amount of lavender oil.

Symptoms of Eucalyptus Poisoning

If you see your dog salivating, vomiting, or having diarrhea and he or she was exposed to eucalyptus your pet may be experiencing eucalyptus poisoning. You also want to watch for signs of weakness and/or depression as these are also side effects of eucalyptus poisoning.

Toxic to pets

Inhaling or coming into contact with eucalyptus oils can be toxic to animals, including dogs, cats, and horses, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Don't use eucalyptus oil as aromatherapy if there are pets in the home.

Several essential oil varieties should be avoided if you have pets in your home, as they have been shown to adversely impact your pet's health. These oils include eucalyptus, tea tree oil, wintergreen, pine, peppermint, camphor and clove.

If you applied a mint essential oil on your dog, he may develop symptoms of toxicity and with some mint species, he may develop liver failure. Wash the oil off your dog with a detergent type of soap as soon as possible and get him to a veterinarian. If corrected early enough, his prognosis of recovery is good.

Fortunately, most of the varieties, like peppermint, spearmint, lavender mint, apple mint, and even pineapple mint, are totally safe. However, you should steer clear of Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), a type of non-culinary mint that is toxic for both people and pets.

Dog Urine Repellents using Essential Oils

If you're trying to make sure your dog doesn't eliminate in the house, put a few drops of eucalyptus, cinnamon, or sour apple essential oil around the area.

Frankincense is a less potent oil used in many aspects of pet care, from wound care to behavior improvement to antibacterial healing. It's a great all-around oil to use with your dogs.

Can dogs smell essential oils? ›

Yes, dogs can smell essential oils. However, not all essential oils are safe for your dog. Lavender is perhaps the most popular (and one of the safest) because of its calming properties. Peppermint oil is another good one that can stimulate circulation and deter pesky insects.

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.

Phenols (a chemical group in oils such as those derived from Thyme & Oregano), Monoterpene Hydrocarbons (such as Pine), Phenylpropanes (such as Basil & Cinnamon), and many essential oils in the Ketone group (such as Pennyroyal and Wormwood), should not be used around or on pets.

Is thieves oil safe for dogs? No. Its constituent oils (clove, rosemary, lemon, cinnamon, and eucalyptus Radiata) are straight up toxic to dogs—whether ingested, applied topically, or used in diffusers.

High-phenol oils such as thyme, oregano, clove, wintergreen and mountain savory are harmful for both cats and dogs, so avoid using them.

They are harmful when applied topically or inhaled.” Dogs have a much stronger sense of smell than humans, so a scent that smells fine to you might be way too intense for your pup and might actually stress him out or even cause him to have difficulty breathing. Using a diffuser for essential oils isn't safe, either.

With this in mind, it is safe to say that diffusion is safe around your dog.

Key takeaway. Lavender is toxic to dogs, especially when consumed. However, the scent can also cause respiratory symptoms in some dogs because they have a stronger sense of smell. Both the lavender plant and essential oils can be dangerous for your pet.

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.

What scents are dogs afraid of? ›

“In fact, breathing in the particles released by the oils may actually trigger airway inflammation and asthma symptoms,” she says. “The strong odors emitted by essential oils may contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. VOCs are chemical gases that worsen air quality and can irritate the lungs.”