Essential Oil Therapy for Animals

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Essential

Oil Therapy for Animals

Treatment

& Safety Tips

How to use

Essential Oil Therapy safely.

Using Aromatherapy

with Cats

Using Aromatherapy

with Dogs

Using

Aromatherapy with Horses

The right to

choose.

Animals have an innate

ability to self-medicate, if left to their own devices they pick and choose the

herbs they need to maintain health. I have watched dogs go through my

collection of 60 essential oils, sniffing the closed bottles, and choose

exactly the oil it needs from among them so acute is this ability. In Essential

Oil Therapy we make use of this instinct and allow the animals to guide us in

their healing.

The same thing applies to

every living thing, from humans to hens, we all know what is good for us and

how much healing we can take on at any one time without provoking a crisis, we

must respect this.

Safety first:

1. NEVER APPLY

ESSENTIALOILS WITHOUT CLEAR PERMISSION FROM THE ANIMAL! Allow them to smell

EACH oil before EACH application. To apply oils without offering them first is

at best annoying (imagine being smothered in a perfume you hated with no way to

wash it off) and at worst dangerous as it is much more likely to provoke an

adverse reaction.

2. Dilute essential oils

well in good quality base oil (e.g. Sunflower oil) before use. 3 drops to 5 mls

is the highest recommended dilution.

3. If you allow your animal

to guide you in the application the likelihood of having an adverse reaction is

extremely low but in the unlikely event of your animal showing a reaction such

as skin rashes, hives, or shortness of breath discontinue use immediately and

contact a professional therapist for advice.

4. Cats are highly

sensitive to essential oils as their liver has a very limited ability to

metabolize them. It is always better to have professional guidance when using

essential oils with cats.

5. Never leave essential

oils bottles within reach of animals, horses have been known to eat them!

6. Know about the oil you

are offering as some oils have side-effects (such as bergamot which is

photo-toxic and can burn skin badly if exposed to sunlight within twelve hours

of application).

7. Essential oils are

potent chemicals albeit natural and should be treated with respect. Always

check with your vet and a qualified Essential Oil for Animals Therapist before

applying. Remember, 'Natural' doesn't mean non-toxic and safe use requires

knowledge.

8. DO NOT USE THE OILS FOR

MORE THAN 2 WEEKS WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE even if your animal still shows

interest.

How to use

Aromatherapy with Horses:

Assess the reaction to each

oil before each application!

Dilute each essential oil

you have chosen individually by adding 2-3 drops to 5 mls of base oil. Do not

offer more than five oils at any one time to a horse

Choose a quiet time when

you and your horse can concentrate on the oils (not before being fed or

directly after feeding) Hold the open bottle firmly in your hand about eight

inches away from your horse's nostrils, giving him space to come towards the

oil if he chooses. Then patiently observe the reaction and act accordingly. It

is best to have your horse loose in its stable if possible so it is free to

come closer to or move away from the oils and take your horse's personality

into account when judging its reaction. Horses will want the oils for an

average of 5 days (but it could be anywhere from 1 to 14 days). Once they go

off the oils the treatment is finished and you should see a significant change.

 

Signs of a keen interest:

smelling oils intently for a long time, the lip curls (flehmen) , follows the

aroma around, tries to nibble the bottle. Offer oils twice a day.

Signs of a moderate

interest: A few sniffs, looks away then returns to the bottle, ears forward,

slightly flared nostrils, easily distracted. Offer oils once a day.

No interest: Turns away

from the aroma, ears back, walks away. do not apply oils

Applications:

Essential oils start to evaporate

as soon as the bottle is opened, their molecules streaming up into your

animal's olfactory system and into its brain and blood stream, therefore

topical application is rarely necessary. (See Òtopical applicationÓ).

Your horse might just smell

the oils, possibly going into a trance-like state. In this case just hold the

bottle there until your horse moves away from the bottle. If you are unsure if

the horse is still smelling it move the bottle from side to side to see if

there is a reaction.

If the horse wants to lick

the bottle or behaves very orally, dab a small amount of oil on your hand and

allow him to lick it off. Repeat this two or three times.

Your horse may indicate

that it wants the oil dabbed onto a particular spot by pointing with its head,

stamping a foot, moving into you with its body. In this case just rub a little

oil into the appropriate area.

Offer all of the oils for

three days even if there is no reaction to one of them. If there is no reaction

to an oil after three days you can stop offering that one.

Your horse's reaction to

each oil will change from time to time or over a period of days, this is

normal. You should expect a keen reaction to at least one of the oils at first.

This reaction will diminish day by day until there is no further interest.

Once the horse has shown no

interest in an oil for three days do not offer it for two days and then try

again. If there is still no interest do not offer again as there is no longer a

need for this oil.

If your horse shows no

interest at all to the oils when you first offer them change the order in which

you are offering them.

Observe their nostrils

carefully as they may be taking in small amounts at a time that you haven't

noticed. The oils are highly volatile and just being near the open bottle

molecules of oil are entering their blood stream.

How to use

Aromatherapy with dogs:

Dogs have 200 million scent

receptors in their nasal folds, we have 50 million. Never offer undiluted oils

to dogs!

Dilute each essential oil

you have chosen individually by adding 1-2 drops to 5 mls of base oil. Do not

offer more than three oils at any one time to a dog.

Choose a quiet time when

you and your dog can concentrate on the oils (not before being fed or directly

after feeding) Take each bottle one at a time and hold the open oil bottle

firmly in your hand leaving only the top exposed so the animal cannot take it

from your hand. Hold the bottle about 3 feet away from your dog's nostrils,

moving it slowly towards him until you can see his nose twitching or some other

sign that they are in a comfortable range to smell the oils. Some animals will

want to come towards the bottle, possibly even lick it, others will want to stay

at a safe distance and simply smell it. The oil in the bottle is evaporating as

it is open so the animal is actually absorbing the affects even if it is a

little distance from the bottle. If you move the bottle backwards and forwards

you will notice if the animal is following the smell or not. When the animal

has had enough of the oil it will move away from you or display in its own

unique way that it has had enough!

If the dog rolls over rub a

tiny amount of the oil on its tummy avoiding genital areas. If the dog tries to

eat the bottle then put your open hand firmly on the bottle top, tip the bottle

up so a little oil is on the palm of your hand and allow the animal to lick it

off your hand. You can repeat this procedure up to three times in a session.

It is important to assess

the response to each oil before applying them, never apply them if the animal

shows no interest!

Signs of a keen interest:

smelling intently for a long time, licking the lips or trying to lick the

bottle, follows you around with the aroma, rolls on its back. (offer twice a

day)

Signs of a moderate

interest: A few sniffs then looks away, a small sniff but returns to the

bottle, tongue licks quickly, easily distracted from the aromas, (offer once a

day)

No interest: turns away from

the aroma, one sniff and no further interest, tries to leave the room. ( Do not

apply)

If the animal shows no

interest in the oil offer the oils again the next day, if there is still no

interest skip a day, if there is still no interest leave it for three days and

then try again. If at this stage there is still no interest the animal no

longer needs that oil.

Usually an animal will want

to use the oils for between 3 - 10 days however sometimes one application will

be enough or occasionally an animal will want them for longer, DO NOT USE THE

OILS FOR MORE THAN 2 WEEKS WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. By the time an animal

refuses the oils you will see a noticeable improvement in its condition.

The success of this method

relies on allowing the animal to guide its own healing it will indicate to you

how often and in which way it would like the oils to be used.

Using Aromatherapy

with Cats.

Do not apply the oils

topically or force oils on a cat as their ability to metabolise them is limited

and overuse or long-term use can cause liver failure. Often Hydrosols are a

better option for cats as they are gentler. (SEE SAFETY TIPS)

How to offer the oils and

assess the reaction

Take each essential oil

that you have chosen and dilute it 1 drop to 10 mls of base oil. Never offer

more than 3 oils at a time. To offer the oils, open the bottle and hold it in

your hand at least 12 inches away from your cats nose. Be patient and allow the

cat to come towards the bottle if it wants to, rather than you going towards

the cat.

Signs of a keen interest:

smelling intently for a long time, licking the lips or trying to lick the

bottle, follows you around with the aroma, rolls on its back, rubs against you

- Offer once or twice a day.

Signs of a moderate

interest: A few sniffs then looks away, a small sniff but returns to the

bottle, tongue licks quickly, easily distracted from the aromas - Offer once a

day.

No interest: turns away

from the aroma, one sniff and no further interest, tries to leave the room - Do

not apply.

Cats are very sensitive to

the oils and just a few sniffs is all that will be needed to trigger the

healing process.

If the cat shows signs of

wanting to lick the oil allow it to lick from your fingers if it will or put a

few drops on a saucer and leave it on the floor near its usual eating place.

Even if the cat shows

little or no interest offer the oil for three days in a row and try varying the

order in which the oils are offered (in the case of having more than one oil.)

If after three days there is still no response or the cat is showing a distinct

dislike to the oils (e.g. disappearing when it sees you get out the bottles!)

call me for a consultation.

To use hydrosols add ten

drops to 50mls of filtered/spring water and put some in a saucer for the cat to

self medicate. Change the water at least twice a day and make sure that the cat

has access to pure water as well.

Topical

application:

Topical application is

never recommended for cats. However there are occasions where topical

application is indicated for other animals (e.g. for injuries or skin

problems). You still offer the oils individually for the animal to choose then

blend the chosen oils in a water based gel (such as aloe vera) no more than 10

drops of essential oil blend to 25 mls of base. Let the gel down to a suitable

consistency using water or hydrosol and apply to affected area. The animal will

quite clearly indicate when the gel is no longer needed by fidgeting or moving

away from you on application.

 

 

Radiating

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE & Truth

To ALL who share our circle, our

universe, our love, our trust.

May

I always be found worthy.

Gratitude

& Thankfulness to All of Us

aSoaringHawk

Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the

first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with joy &

glory.

Thank you for YOU, ALL!