Aromotherapy
What is Aromatherapy for Dogs?
Aromatherapy for dogs is when essentials oils are used therapeutically to treat behavioral and physical problems. You
might already have seen grooming services offering the use of essentials oils, but aromatherapy is more than that. The practice of aromatherapy involves the careful combination of several oils for a certain healing purpose to help improve a dog’s overall health and well-being.
It is important to use 100% pure essential oils for aromatherapy treatment for dogs. This is emphasized by dog experts.
Using poorly made essential oils may lessen their therapeutic effects. It may even cause more harm than good for dogs.
How Aromatherapy Works for Dogs
Aromatherapy targets the brain’s limbic system, which is responsible for regulating emotions and mood. This is why
aromatherapy is often used by people to address feelings of anxiety, anger,fear, stress, and many more.
Using essential oils can be done in two ways, inhaling through the nose, or absorbing through topical application.
There are occasional instances where essential oils are taken orally, but it’s not too common to use essential oils this way.
The following are some of the effects of essential oils, depending on which combination is used.
• Anti-fungal
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-microbial
• Anti-viral
• Calming
• Diuretic
• Energizing
• Pain-relieving
• Repelling insects
• Rejuvenating
• Sedating
Dogs with anxious personalities usually go through a lot of stress, especially when they have to engage in activities that
require going outdoors, meeting a lot of people, and hearing loud sounds (e.g.fireworks, loud music, etc.). Aromatherapy promotes a feeling of calm and helps them relax after a long, stressful day.
In addition to helping calm anxious dogs,aromatherapy has also been known to help with the following:
• Aggressive behavior
• Bad breath
• Flying insects (e.g. flies and mosquitos)
• Joint problems (e.g. arthritis, growing
pains)
• Minor skin irritations (e.g. allergies,
burns, or rashes)
• Nervousness
• Parasites (e.g. ticks and fleas)
• Separation
• Anxiety
Aromatherapy can also help with preventive health maintenance, particularly with keeping a dog’s liver, immune system, or
digestive tract healthy. Since dogs have a stronger olfactory sense than humans, inhaling essential oils quickly transports the effects into their
bloodstream. This makes aromatherapy fast-acting for dogs and is the reason why it can help with the treatment of certain conditions so well.
Are Essential Oils Safe for Dogs?
Because of the growing popularity of aromatherapy for dogs, there are now specially formulated aromatherapy blends for dogs. These are crafted specifically for use with dogs and therefore, are guaranteed to give the best results.
The number of essential oils needed to treat a specific condition also depends on the size of the dog. Big breeds such as
German Shepherds or Great Danes might need 6 drops of oil massaged throughout their body. Smaller breeds such as Chihuahuas or Shih Tzus, on the other hand,might only need 1.