Is Lemongrass Essential Oil Safe for Dogs, Cats & Other Animals? (2024)

We use lemongrass essential oil to eradicate or deter the aphids from our garden. It works magically and gives us the best pleasure in our garden. Meanwhile, you can also use the lemongrass essential oil to repel rodents and other wild animals.

Since it has a bitter taste and pungent smell, it will work against dangerous aphids, bacteria, and other animals. If you have pets, you should know the safety measurements and proper methods. It will give you the best ideas.

Is lemongrass essential oil safe for dogs?

Unfortunately, the lemongrass essential oil is not safe for dogs. It contains a toxic chemical that spreads a pungent smell. If your dogs inhale or eat some essential oil, they might face stomach issues like vomiting and diarrhea. If you want to use this oil, you must be careful about your dogs.

Table of Contents

Is Lemongrass Essential Oil Safe for Dogs, Cats & Other Animals? (1)

Since both the lemongrass and the essential oil are toxic to dogs, you cannot use the lemongrass oil diffuser around dogs.

If they inhale the essential oils or the diffuser, they will get sick soon. You cannot even think of the internal damage. So, it’s not their superior taste or smell.

All types of essential oils are toxic to dogs and other animals. You cannot use any of them around or near the dogs. To avoid such problems, you should avoid using the essential oils around your dogs. What if you need to use the essential oil or the diffuser?

That’s very common since you cannot ignore using essential oil in your garden. Repelling aphids and other wild animals, the essential oil is the safest option you can go for.

If there are any requirements to use the essential oil, you can use it safely. At that time, you need to protect your pet dogs and don’t allow them access to your garden.

If they eat any portion of the essential oil, they will get sick quickly. They will face stomach issues, and the stomach will go wrong for a long time. But the fact is that essential oil is helpful for the garden to prevent rodents, aphids, and other garden paste.

Mainly, you might have some pet-friendly plants; if you spray essential oils on them and the pet eats those leaves, your pet will get sick instantly. There will be severe health issues that you need to sort out with proper treatment.

Besides, the diffuser will also become a life-threatening problem. If you spray the diffuser around the dogs, they will inhale it and might take the diffuser with their food. In that case, you cannot avoid pet health problems.

So, it’s always a good practice to avoid using the essential oil and the diffuser.

Can dogs smell, inhale, or eat lemongrass essential oil? Are dogs allergic to lemongrass oil?

Dogs cannot smell, inhale, or eat lemongrass essential oil. If your dog breathes in the odor of lemongrass essential oil or inhales it, it may irritate their airways, which may cause them to cough, sneeze, drool, or even throw up.

As soon as these are absorbed into your dog’s body and metabolized, there is a possibility that your dog facing liver illness will have adverse effects.

Dogs are also allergic to lemongrass oil. It may create a lot of irritation and skin-related problems for your dog.

If a dog breathes or inhales essential oil, things below will happen.

Toxicity:

The number of cyanogenic glycosides becomes highly concentrated when turning lemongrass into an essential oil, which can be done by either cold pressing or distillation.

This indicates that while your dog may be acceptable if they eat a few lemongrass stems, they must not consume the oil as it is highly poisonous.

Low Glucose Level:

Because it contains a significant amount of citral, lemongrass oil has the potential to cause skin irritation in your canine companion.

And if your dog has diabetes or is taking medicine for hypertension, the blood glucose levels of both of these conditions can be dangerously lowered by lemongrass essential oil.

What to do if your dog eats lemongrass essential oil?

If your dog eats lemongrass essential oil, keep a tight check on your canine companion and watch for the onset of any symptoms. Activated charcoal is not safe to give to your dog. If any oil gets on your dog’s fur, you should wash it off.

Ingesting a bigger volume of highly concentrated lemongrass essential oil indicates that immediate action is required, yet a slight lick from your dog may indicate that he is entirely well. But you shouldn’t try to make them throw up.

It would be best to consult with a doctor and follow the prescribed medicine and the other advice. Otherwise, the entire stomach of your dogs might get damaged. You must use the remedy to get rid of such health problems.

Is lemongrass essential oil safe for cats?

Lemongrass is not entirely safe for cats’ health. You can use it around the cats if you are sure that your cat will not eat essential oil. It has a strong smell and a toxic taste which can damage the animal’s health. If you want to eradicate or save your cat’s health, I’d suggest not using it.

Essential oil is mainly used against garden aphids and insects. If you have any concerns regarding your pet’s health, you must be careful about their food. You cannot use the essential oil on your cat’s food. The pet-friendly plants must remain without the essential oil.

The cats are allergic to lemongrass essential oil. Applying the essential oil to the cat’s food or skin will face different skin problems. Although the effect will be less than any serious health or stomach issues, you don’t want to make difficulties for your pet.

Sometimes, essential oil plays a crucial role in damaging your cat’s health. Particularly, when you raise your pet in a sensitive area, and they don’t have any interaction with nature, they will get affected by the lemongrass essential oil. It might create some life-threatening problems.

You cannot use the lemongrass oil diffuser around cats for the toxic smell and the taste. It might damage the good health of your cats and might damage their internal health.

Since an essential oil diffuser contains the same toxic elements, you should not use it around the garden.

It’s not good to use the essential oil or the diffuser around the cats. It might seem harmless, but the toxic elements of the essential oil diffuser would damage the cat’s stomach when. Therefore, it’s advised and recommended not to use any essential oil or the diffuser around the garden.

Can you use lemongrass essential oil for fleas and ticks on dogs & cats?

You cannot use lemongrass essential oil for fleas and ticks on dogs & cats. Essential oils are highly potent, and the undiluted form of these oils can be highly harmful to both cats and dogs.

Because an essential oil that has not been diluted might be potent, it must never be used on or around animals.

However, even diluted oils can be harmful, and neither of these choices has been demonstrated to be risk-free.

It is common knowledge that a number of the essential oils that are most frequently touted in flea and tick remedies (such as lemongrass) are harmful to dogs & cats.

Is lemongrass essential oil safe for other animals or pets?

Lemongrass essential oil is safe for other animals or pets because it doesn’t contain harmful particles. Be that as it may, insufficient research has been done on whether it is advantageous for different animals or pets.

Here we have shared some animal and pet reactions so that you can get enough thoughts regarding this phenomenon.

Birds:

Lemongrass essential oil is safe for your pet birds because its extract doesn’t irritate the birds. But sometimes, if you don’t know where you purchase this thing, it can create an unpleasant situation.

Always make sure you have bought this thing from a trusted source and use it around your birds. Otherwise, any synthetic oil may disturb the bird’s respiratory system.

Rabbits:

In general, the lemongrass essential oil is considered safe for rabbits because its fragrance always keeps them happy and charming.

If you use it around them, they are attracted to the smells inside the lemongrass essential oil. Besides, most people use lavender flavor as career oil on rabbit ear mites.

Horses:

There are no evil impacts that I am aware of when horses use lemongrass essential oil. Because it has been used for horses over the years, it works like aromatherapy for the horses that keep calm and pleasant.

The smell that spread out inside the oil impressed them and boosted their respiratory system as well. All these things happened because it is an antibacterial oil that is used all over the world.

Guinea pigs:

Most essential oil does not suit the guinea pigs because they are harmful to them. They have a few unfriendly impacts when ingested by the guinea pig and, in any event, when applied to their skin.

But lemongrass essential oil is entirely different because they like to use it and get energized by extracting it.

Final thoughts

The smells and taste of the lemongrass essential oil are not favorable to dogs, cats, and other animals. If they eat or inhale the essential oil, they will face stomach and other health problems. Therefore, the essential oil is not safe for dogs, cats, and other animals. You need to avoid using it.

Is Lemongrass Essential Oil Safe for Dogs, Cats & Other Animals? (2024)

FAQs

Is lemongrass essential oil safe for cats and dogs? ›

Diffusing citronella or lemongrass oil outdoors may act as an insect repellent to keep away mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. This is perfectly pet safe.

Is lemongrass essential oil poisonous to cats? ›

Lemongrass oil is most often found in the form of a hydrosol, a 100% non-alcoholic aroma that is made by steam-distilling or hydro-distilling plant matter. Lemongrass is a safe essential oil to use around cats at a low concentration. It should not, however, be ingested by cats or directly applied to their skin.

Is lemongrass toxic 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.

What oils are safe to diffuse around cats and dogs? ›

This list is not exhaustive:
  • Anise Essential Oil.
  • Basil Essential Oil.
  • Birch Essential Oil.
  • Calendula Essential Oil.
  • Cassia Essential Oil.
  • Cinnamon Essential Oil.
  • Citronella Essential Oil.
  • Clove Essential Oil.
14 Mar 2019

What essential oils can I diffuse around my dog? ›

Pet Safe Essential Oils for Diffuser: Dogs
  • Myrrh.
  • Frankincense.
  • Chamomile.
  • Lavender oil.
  • Ginger.
  • Rosemary.
24 Jun 2021

What does lemongrass do to cats? ›

Concentrated essence of lemongrass (essential oil) could be harmful to cats, because unlike people and dogs, they lack certain liver enzymes to break down various compounds that, if not eliminated from the body, could prove to be toxic.

Do cats like the smell of lemongrass? ›

Cats dislike eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass, and peppermint – just choose the ones you don't mind the scent of yourself.

Do cats hate lemongrass smell? ›

Yes, lemongrass does repel cats as they dislike the strong citrus scent which is intense for their strong sense of smell. Lemongrass is a natural way to repel cats. This is good news for gardeners who have an organic garden and do not want chemicals on their plants.

How do I use lemongrass essential oil on my dog? ›

Lemongrass contains citral and geraniol, both of which are natural flea repellents. To make a spray, fill a bottle with water and add a drop or two of lemongrass. Use the spray on his blankets and bedding. Citronella deters fleas, and ticks.

Do dogs like lemongrass smell? ›

The most useful benefit might be the natural insect repellent properties. Plus, many pets and humans enjoy the citrusy aroma.

How do you dilute lemongrass oil for dogs? ›

A safe dilution ratio is 1 part essential oils to 50 parts carrier for an average-sized, healthy dog. See more about dilution below.

What essential oils should not be diffused around 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.

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.

What scents are safe for dogs and cats? ›

Here is a list of non-toxic scents and pet safe essential oils for dogs and cats :
  • Myrrh.
  • Frankincense.
  • Chamomile.
  • Peppermint.
  • Lavender.
  • Ginger.
  • Rosemary.
23 Mar 2022

What scents are calming to dogs? ›

Because barking and excessive activity are typically signs of stress in shelter dogs — not to mention being undesirable behaviors in the eyes of many adopters — the study concluded that exposure to the odors of vanilla, coconut, valerian, and ginger has the potential to reduce stress in shelter dogs.

Is lemongrass oil safe for dogs to breathe? ›

Lemongrass essential is typically safe for dogs!

What animals like lemongrass? ›

Great not only for cats to help with digestions, but for dogs, guinea pigs and bunnies, too. You can buy seeds at Sprout People. 2. Lemongrass (cymbopagon) – Kitties love the smell of lemongrass, so if you're growing some for yourself, grow some extra for them to gnaw on.

Is lemongrass calming for dogs? ›

Lemongrass essential oil is a great mood enhancer. If your pet is suffering from depression or deep sadness read more here, but using the essential oil acts as a sedative to calm the nerves, ease anxiety, relax muscles, reduces stress in cats, dogs and humans!

Is lemongrass oil poisonous? ›

A common food ingredient in many cuisines, lemongrass oil is non-toxic to humans and most non-target species. Lemongrass has a non-toxic mode of action and is believed to pose a minimal risk to human health and the environment.

What smells do cats love? ›

Catnip and More.

Many herbs we use in cooking are safe and fun for cats to sniff, and some are known to be feline favorites. Catnip, part of the mint family, affects many cats with a scent-induced kitty “high.” Silver vine has a similar effect. And valerian can energize cats.

Is lavender and lemongrass safe for cats? ›

Some pet-safe essential oils include: Chamomile oil. Lavender oil. Lemongrass oil.

What essential oil smell do cats hate the most? ›

Surprising smells cats hate
  • Citrus: orange, lemon, lime, and grapefruit. Citrus smells are widely reported as being repugnant to cats. ...
  • Lavender, geranium, and eucalyptus. ...
  • Rosemary, thyme, and rue. ...
  • Banana and mustard. ...
  • Pepper, curry, and cinnamon. ...
  • Mint, wintergreen, and menthol. ...
  • Pine. ...
  • Dirty litter box.
23 Mar 2020

Which essential oil is safe for cats? ›

Which essential oils are safe for cats? The best essential oils that are safe for cats are rosemary, copaiba, helichrysum, oregano, frankincense and cedarwood essential oil. Cats can also tolerate chamomile, lavender, thyme and valerian essential oils at very diluted concentrations.

Where do I apply lemongrass essential oil? ›

Never apply essential oils directly to your skin. You can also inhale lemongrass essential oil directly. Add a few drops to a cotton ball or handkerchief and breathe in the aroma. Some people massage the diluted essential oil into their temples to help relieve headaches.

Does lemongrass repel fleas on dogs? ›

Lemongrass Essential Oil

Lemongrass oil is a great repelling oil for fleas. The scent is very unpleasant for fleas- but for us it smells great! What is this? Mix into a spray with water to spray on your pet's bedding to keep fleas away.

What essential oil keeps fleas off dogs? ›

5. Make a natural flea repellent by adding six or seven drops of the essential oils of rosemary, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, and citronella to a cup of water and shaking well. Use a spray bottle to apply the solution to your dog's coat every other day.

Can I mix lemongrass oil with water? ›

Use lemongrass oil as a natural and safe air freshener or deodorizer. You can add the oil to water and use it as a mist or use an oil diffuser or vaporizer. By adding other essential oils, like lavender or tea tree oil, you can customize your own natural fragrance.

Does lemongrass essential oil need to be diluted? ›

Note - It's not advisable to use Lemongrass essential oil directly for topical applications. Always dilute it with a suitable carrier oil like Almond oil, Coconut oil, or Sesame oil prior to use. In this article, we'll learn more about this essential oil and discover its multifarious benefits.

Can I put a drop of essential oil on my dog? ›

Applying oils topically can be irritating to the skin — yours and your dog's. This is counterproductive for treating skin conditions and can add to your dog's discomfort. Therefore, without proper professional guidance, it's best to avoid using essential oils topically or directly on your dog.

Can dogs smell lemongrass essential oil? ›

In fact, lemongrass essential oil is a wonderful insect repellent, which makes it a good option to use with your pet. It is important when using essential oils with your dog to understand a dog's sense of smell is a hundred times stronger than a human's, meaning it can be easy to overwhelm your canine companion.

What essential oil scents are toxic to dogs? ›

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.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Golda Nolan II

Last Updated:

Views: 5915

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Golda Nolan II

Birthday: 1998-05-14

Address: Suite 369 9754 Roberts Pines, West Benitaburgh, NM 69180-7958

Phone: +522993866487

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Worldbuilding, Shopping, Quilting, Cooking, Homebrewing, Leather crafting, Pet

Introduction: My name is Golda Nolan II, I am a thoughtful, clever, cute, jolly, brave, powerful, splendid person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.