Using essential oils with pets does not have to be scary! As long as you are using pure oils (which YL’s are!) and follow the proper usage guidelines, your pets can happily be a part of your oily journey along with you! Here are some helpful resources for you to dive further into using oils with pets and to help put you at ease :)

Lindsey Elmore- Essential Oils and Cats

Join our exclusive FB group, Oily Pets, and use the search bar or ask questions if you have specific ones!

Our pets can use essential oils in many of the same ways that we can. And while this is great we also need to take a look at some of the safety precautions to take when using essential oils with our pets!

Just like with adults and little children, there are safety precautions you want to take when using essential oils with pets.

1. The biggest thing to remember is to have common sense.

2. Avoid getting essential oils in the eyes, nose, anal area and genital areas.

3. Use cautiously with newborn animals or pregnant animals.

4. Keep your essential oils up and out of the way in a place little children and animals can't reach them.

5. Leave a way out for your pet, animals are smart...if you are diffusing and they don't like it, it is good to leave them a way out of the room.

6. Dilution with essential oils is important. While there are a few that you can use without diluting, for the most part you will want to use carrier oils to dilute your essential oils for your pets.

7. Carrier oils also help stretch your essential oils further! Good carrier oils are (coconut oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, almond oil, and shea butter). We like things cold-pressed & minimally processed.

8. Avoid these oils on dogs regularly: Wintergreen, thyme, clove, cassia, camphor, and oregano. These oils wouldn’t be good to use each day, but are okay occasionally when needed.

9. Start low and slow. When first starting using essential oils with your pets start with small amounts and slowly build up (or wearing them on yourself & diffusing before moving on to topical application on your pet).

10. Just as you would not change a dog's diet quickly, you should not "blast" an animal with twenty different essential oils and a bunch of supplements on the first day. Start with diluted oils and a light touch is wise when beginning. (though there are always exceptions to this rule, remember just use common sense & get a resource).

11. Listen to your pet's signals and cues. Do not feel compelled to use the full amounts or recommendations when an individual animal may show you clues that a lighter approach may be necessary.