Essential Oil Facts —
And Common Sense
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Diffusing essential oils around pets may cause or worsen respiratory or liver problems in certain cats and other pets, so use them with caution. When essential oils are actively diffused, tiny little oil droplets are inhaled and enter the lungs. Could the longtime use and inhalation of these oils cause something like secondhand smoke, which causes lung cancer? The droplets also like to hang out in fatty tissues such as the brain. That doesn’t sound too good.
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Essential oils should not be used anywhere near birds. Enough said.
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Essential oils should not be put on the fur or skin of any pet. Not only can the absorption be toxic, but pets have a tendency to lick themselves and ingest the oil, which can lead to toxicity. Some alternative veterinarians cautiously use essential oils therapeutically under strict supervision. Heed the familiar warning: “Do not try this at home.”
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Pets should always have an escape route when you are diffusing essential oils. This is a fact often overlooked by their humans. Realize that you may be moving about the house, walking in and out of the droplet-filled air, but your pets might be sleeping or confined to the essential oil area with no way out. The droplets can settle and penetrate their fur and nostrils.
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There are many ways to diffuse essential oils, and the quality and purity of these oils vary greatly.4,5 The more active the diffuser, the more likely the air will contain more oil droplets, intensifying the effect.
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Animals have fabulous noses. By the time you’re happy with the level of scent from your diffuser, your pets might be over it. A toxicologist compared a dog sitting in a room with diffused essential oils to a human stuck in an airtight phone booth with a lady who bathed in her perfume that morning. The lesson here? Give your pets some fresh air.
