Pets Information |
Essential Oils and Our Pets
Before we talk about using the essential oils, we first should define what is an essential oil in the first place. An essential oil is a bioavailable nutritive liquid. This liquid is derived from flowers, plants, trees, etc., through a special distillation process. Essential oils (when left in their purest, non-diluted state with no synthetics added) have a 100% kill factor on harmful viruses, bacteria, funguses, mold and tumors.* The key to using an essential oil in the ways I will describe here though is to make sure you 1) know your source 2) because you'll want the oils derived from certified organic plants not grown with pesticides in order to have the full effect of the oil. Aromatherapy is often a word you'll find associated with the essential oils. The phrase was first "coined" by French chemist Dr. Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, Ph.D., in 1920. One day while he was working in his laboratory he had an accident that caused a third-degree thermal burn to his arm and hand. His immediate reaction was to plunge his arm into what he thought was a vat of water but rather it was a vat of lavender oil. So, he continued to use the lavender oil to treat his burn which eventually healed completely and left absolutely no scar! Now please keep in mind that most of the essential oils on the market today have synthetics added to them as they're basically made for the cosmetic industry and are not nutritional. However, there are some excellent therapeutic grade oils on the market that are pure, unadulterated oils that can be used internally, topically and inhaled as powerful immune system builders. While these essential oils for the most part have been created with humans in mind, many people are using these essential oils in their pet care successfully, and I'm one of them. The essential oils work synergistically with the body to maintain, help, repair, and renew it right down to our DNA. The "oil" from the plants is similar to our blood and immune system so they work very harmoniously within our bodies. They go in and oxygenate and detoxify our blood simulatenously and create an environment where pathogens cannot live! Even more exciting is when the oils are either directly inhaled or diffused (using a cold air diffuser) they will cross the blood-brain barrier and clean out the petrochemicals. Due to their adaptagenic qualities they go into our blood streams, cells, etc., and seek out where they are needed like little therapeutic agents. You might be thinking, well but I don't have any petrochemicals in my brain or blood and even if I do, my pets don't. Think again. Dr. David Stewart, PhD, wrote in his article Essential Oils for Things That Bug You Around the House the following "Among the many chemicals in our industrial environment that get into our systems and make us sick are the pesticides we use in our homes. We use them because we they are toxic to the creatures that bug us, but they are also toxic to us. Sometimes the toxicity is immediately apparent: we get a headache, get sick or feel nausea from the fumes or other contact. Sometimes the toxicity is subtle and can accumulate resulting in chronic complaints and disorder (including allergies, cancer and miscarriages) that can be serious and even deadly over time. Sometimes we even put poisons on our pets to deal with ticks and fleas, not realizing that these substances are not healthy for us nor our animals." Pesticides normally include some kind of petrochemical. Meaning if we don't take responsibilty for our health and the health of our pets, we can become sicker and sicker through the use of all these pesticides, herbacides, and chemical cleaning products in our homes. What affects us can affect our pets even faster and more readily because they are lying on our chemically cleaned floors and in our chemically treated and fertilized yards. There is hope though! By using therapeutic grade essential oils, we can eliminate much (if not all) of the poisons from our homes and in our bodies -and that includes our pets too! While I can't go into depth in one single article I can leave you with some links to follow up on and a few of the essential oils you may want to get immediately to start implementing the change in your lives and the lives in your pets. When using therapeutic grade oils, you can use them "neat" (undiluted) on skin, inhaled, or even internally with some oils. To apply any to your pets, you may choose to diffuse them in a diffuser until your pets become more used to the oils. With cats it is always a good idea to err on the side of caution and either diffuse them or apply diluted to their hind feet (using more mixing oil than essential oil) or tips of their ears. I only use one brand of oil and do not use any others. I know my source and these oils and trust them. Do your homework before embarking on the oils for your pets, especially your cats. Lavender oil has so many uses benefits including the one at the beginning of this article: for burns, cuts, scrapes, sunburns it is an all-purpose oil. Add to that the calming effect and wonderful smell, you can't go wrong with this oil. It can be used on bee stings and insect bites also and is a good oil (when diluted with a organic mixing oil such as olive or almond) for cleaning your dog and cats ears (VERY diluted on a cat!). When you use any of the oils (neat or straight undiluted) the oils act an insect repellant. When you mix them with water they act as a natural pesticide. This oil is a good repellant to chiggers, fleas, flies, mosquitoes, and ticks! Peppermint oil: this oil is great for relieving doggy flatulence (and human!), diarrhea, indigestion, as an anti-inflammatory, and can reduce fevers. You can also use it before or during a workout to boost your mood and reduce fatigue -I do daily! Oh and the best part -it can curb your appetite! This oil is also good at getting rid of the following bugs: Ants, aphids, beetles, catepillars, fleas, flies, lice, moths, plant lice, and spiders. There are many many more oils to help you for nearly every single medical protocol for you and your pets. Here are some articles you can read along with Dr. Stewart's above which can all be found on my dog's blog Bark 'N' Blog (see bio): "Aromatherapy Research and Education: What is AFNOR?" *All information presented here is intended for educational purposes only. It is not provided in order to diagnose, prescribe or treat any disease, illness or injured condition of the body or pets and the author, publisher, and contributors accept no responsibility for such use. Anyone suffering or their pets from any disease, illness or injury should consult with their physician or veterinarian. Originally published for Suite101.com Holistic Pet Care Topic About the Author:
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
Fat and Obese Dogs Live Shorter Lives Obesity is one of the most important health concerns facing dogs. If you love your dog, you should do something about it. Is A Premium Dog Food Really That Much Better For Your Dog? ==========The Scoop on Premium Dog Food========If you're interested in premium dog food, then I probably don't have to tell you about the importance of diet in keeping your dog active and healthy. You already know you want something better than "average" for your furry friend. How To Adopt A Shelter Cat - Your New Cat Will Thank You For Reading This Article If you are thinking of adding a feline to your family, consider adopting a cat from your local animal shelter or humane society. The animals have been carefully screened for adoptability and have usually been worked with to enhance sociability. The Basics of Dog Obedience Training for Your New Pet Dog obedience training starts even before you get your puppy in your home. Instead, it starts originally with the person that you purchased the dog from. Dog doors - dog and owner reprieve Buying dog doors onlineIf you need to buy a dog door then have some fun doing it online. Not only will you find discount prices but you'll have a huge selection of colors, designs, shapes, sizes and multiple features you haven't even thought about. Maintaining your Fish Bowls Maintaining your fish bowl can be difficult sometimes. However, your fish bowl should be kept as hygienic as possible. Dog Training - How To Communicate With An Elderly Dog As dogs grow older, their senses become less sharp and this can lead to communication difficulties developing.Other problems, such as a breakdown in toilet training, can also arise, and while the effects of aging cannot be cured, regular veterinary check-ups should help to combat them for a period. Herbs for Pets Let me begin by saying that I am not an herbalist. I do not recommend using herbs as internal medication for your pets unless you have consulted a holistic vet and/or have done extensive reading and research and feel safe treating your pet. Dog Health Conditions and Terms You Should Know... Some Dogs like Boxers unfortunately, are prone to several potential health problems such as:- Skin allergy- Food allergy- Cancer- Hip dysphasia- Bloat- Heart ailments- Hypothyroidism- Fleas- WormsKnowing what they are will help you to better monitor your pet's health and to gather the pertinent information, in case of an illness, that would assist your veterinarian to administer the correct diagnosis and treatment. Below are some common afflictions of Boxers. How To Toilet Train Your Cat Tired of cleaning the cat box? Here are some tips on how to train your cat to use the toilet.So, you're sick and tired of scooping poo from your cat's litter box, emptying the residual mess, and gagging from the whole process. Flea Control Last summer, we added a new pet to our family - our cat, Ally. She was a sweet, shorthaired, stray kitten that we picked up from a neighbor's house. Mind-Set: The Second Of 6 Keys To Building A Life Long Partnership With Your Horse Your mind-set, approach and way of thinking (beliefs)are critical to building trust and a lastingrelationship with your horse. Your mind-set is thefirst thing you must scrutinize and work to understandin developing skills in horsemanship. Comparison of the Cost and Effectiveness of Holistic Horse Care versus Conventional Care After years of practicing both conventional and holistic medicine for horses, I decided to compare the cost, effectiveness, and net results of managing and treating horses holistically versus conventionally.In this article I compare results for the average trail horse that is ridden about 2-3 times a week. Rules of Thumb for Saddle Fit In compiling some information on achieving a proper fit to the horse when purchasing a saddle I came across several "Rules of Thumb" to bear in mind. There's a wealth of information available on the subject of saddle fitting, some of it contradictory. Veterinarians Set Record Straight Most pet owners have become very educated about their pet and the health of their pet. Still, there are many others who tend to believe in the old wives tales and myths that have been passed around for some time now. Want to Feel Better? Go Stroke Your Cat! Stroking your cat can be good for your health! It has long been known that pet ownership is good for you, we all need someone or something to love. It is also believed that stroking a pet, such as a cat, reduces stress levels and helps you to have a more positive perspective on life. Down On The Farm As I listen on my long drive to my grandpa's farm, I begin to hit that little corner that always takes me back in time. I now live in town or the city, but my roots run deep, back in time I go to that little community I once lived in, where I grew up, where I was raised. Understanding Psychology Of Dog Training: Pack Behavior & Establishing Control Dogs are descendent of wolves. To study the psychology of dog training and understand the pack hierarchal system of dogs, we must go back and examine their ancestor - wolves. West Highland Terrier Rescue Dog - What To Expect When You Bring It Home Congratulations on your choice to bring home a West Highland Terrier rescue dog. By electing to adopt one of the rescued Westies, you are giving an older dog a chance to find a loving new homeIn many ways, this is simpler than going through the arduous process of training a westie terrier puppy. Filtration Methods For The Discus Tank Good filtration is the prime priority in the discus tank. Basically, there are three types of filtration - mechanical, chemical and biological. |
home | site map | contact us |