Hello.... for pets lover who are also into aromatherapy
Extracted from an aromatherapy newsletter by Bryan Gan.
He gave a talk before in NLB... in case anyone is wondering who is he.
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Pet Care & Pest Control - Using Essential Oils
Essential oils can and should play a strong role in your pets life. They are inexpensive, dry or irritate their skin and make them smell much nicer than prepared chemical washes and sprays. Further, they are not toxic to you or your pet. Animals have a good instinct and will know which oils will benefit their upset stomach or a flea infestation but as they may have some difficulty relating this to their owner, we offer some helpful pointers here.
<U>Pest Control</U>
Dogs, cats even horses are all plagued by fleas and ticks. One or two drops of tea tree or lemongrass oil added to the shampoo, will greatly discourage these pests from associating with your pet. Prepare a bowl of warm water and add four or five drops of cedarwood and pine oil, then soak a bristle haired brush in the solution and brush your pet down with it. The eggs and parasites will come off in the brush so rinse it out thoroughly several times during this process. The essential oils will also condition the coat and skin while ridding the fleas and ticks. Adding citronella and lemongrass to this mixture will discourage flies on your livestock when brushed into their coat.
You can also prepare your own flea collar by soaking an old cloth collar or even a cotton scarf in a mixture of cedarwood, lavender, citronella and thyme and four or five garlic capsules. Blend together and add less than a teaspoon of vodka or alcohol to help thin the mixture and blend the oils, soak your collar in this then put it on. These collars can work for about 30 days. Adding garlic capsules to your pets food will also make them less attractive to fleas and ticks.
<U>Illness, Disease and Injury</U>
Animals suffer from colds, flu, arthritis and dental problems just as people do and often what works for us will work for them also. It is always important to remember the highly concentrated nature of essential oils and use sparingly.
If your pet has bad breath it can be a result of gum disease and bacterial build up on their teeth. Mix a couple tablespoons of baking soda, one drop of clove oil and one drop of aniseed for a toothpaste. Apply it with a soft bristle toothbrush or cloth and rub your pets teeth gently. Remember, they likely don't like the dentist anymore than you do, so be considerate of their sensitive mouths. For general bad breath, apply lavender, myrrh and clove directly to their gums to kill the bacteria causing this.
For wounds, abcesses and burns lavender and tea tree can be indispensible. Apply tea trea to an abcess, once the infection is discharged apply lavender to help heal the wound. Scalds and burns can also be treated with lavender to speed and aid healing. Skin rashes and eczema can be treated by applying tea tree to the affected area, as well as lavender and chamomile. A mixture of lavender, chamomile and tea tree dropped into infected ears is another excellent use for a common problem with pets <HR WIDTH=75% SIZE=2>
