You use essential oils to improve the health and well being of your family, so how about your family dog? Not all oils are appropriate for your pets, but carefully diluting and applying the oils to your dog can help support its health.
Two pet issues that you may not think about in the winter are fleas and ticks. But if your dog goes outside in the winter, it may come into contact with fleas and ticks through critters it sniffs out, like squirrels, rabbits or birds. Additionally, ticks are active outdoors during most months, including warmer winter days, and the flea life cycle means that they could be living in your house weeks before they find your dog during winter months.
There are three methods of application that may be appropriate for protecting or treating your dog for fleas and ticks.
1. dōTERRA®’s TerraShield® is a blend of 12 essential oils and fractionated coconut oil that helps repel many types of bugs on dogs and humans alike. It does not contain any synthetic or toxic chemicals that may be harmful to pets or children.
For a large dog, apply a drop or two of TerraShield® blend to the back of the neck, the paws and other trouble areas. Use less for medium size dogs. For very small dogs, use less than a drop. For small dogs you can also dilute a drop with a little extra fractionated coconut oil, rub it in your hands, then run your hands all over the dog to apply.
2. In a 16-ounce spray bottle, put 4-6 drops of rosemary essential oil and 4-6 drops of dōTERRA®’s Purify. (**If you have a cat too, omit the Purify and only use rosemary.) Fill the bottle with water, put on the top and shake to mix. Spray your dog all over, making sure to avoid its eyes.
3. Add 1-4 drops of TerraShield® during your dog’s shampooing. Work the shampoo into the fur and skin for about five minutes and rinse well.
All methods can be used to treat existing flea problems. Remember that essential oils will be absorbed quickly into your dog’s system. However, the oils will not build up its system, so treatments may need to be applied twice a day.