Now that you know how important QUALITY is when it comes to essential oils, you need to know what to do with them! For humans, you can apply them, diffuse them, and even ingest them. For animals, you can use them in some of the same ways, with a few general guidelines to help you modify the usage based on your specific pet.
The three main things to remember when using oils with pets is…
- Less is more
- Gradual is better
- Moderation is wise
When applying oils to small animals like cats, small dogs, and exotics you generally want to dilute your essential oils at about 80-90% with a carrier oil and use around 3-5 drops with every application. That means use 2 drops of essential oil per 8 drops of carrier oil OR 1 drop of essential oil per 9 drops of carrier oil (80-90% dilution rate). Carrier oil refers to a fatty kitchen oil like coconut oil or Young Living’s V-6 Vegetable Oil Complex.
For larger animals like large dogs, goats, and pigs you can use 1 drop of essential oil per 3 drops of carrier. Oils high in phenol, such as Wintergreen, Oregano, Thyme, and Clove, are not recommended for animals. For even larger animals like cattle, horses, and elephants you can use a dilution of 50% or 1 drop of essential oil per 1 drop of carrier.
- Small dogs or cats: 9:1 drops carrier oil to essential oil
- Medium-sized dogs: 4:1 drops carrier oil to essential oil
- Large dogs: 3:1 drops carrier oil to essential oil
- Large animals (horses or cattle): 1:1 drops carrier oil to essential oil
Topical application should be reserved for animals who are familiar with essential oils, not first time users. Following these dilution guidelines, choose a carrier that is easily absorbed such as Young Living’s V-6 Enhanced Vegetable Oil complex or liquid coconut oil.
Mix the carrier and essential oil in your palms first and then apply to your pet gently, avoiding their eyes, ears, mouth or any sensitive areas. You can also use these dilution ratios to create a pet friendly roll on for your animal.