One of the most common questions that pet owners seem to be raising is if they can use essential oils on their pets. To answer that question in just one word would be -Yes. However, there are certain things that you, as a pet owner, will have to know before you can use any essential oil on your pet.

• Pets metabolize oils much differently than humans do. Hence you will need to use extra precautions before you start using essential oils on your pets. The quality of the essential oils that you use matters a lot. Make sure you buy essential oils that are pure and do not contain any additives, synthetics, or artificial ingredients. If possible, you can also try and find out if the essential oils you buy to use on your pet are grown without the use of pesticides and toxins. Invest in a company you know and in one that manufactures good products. Knowing what you buy is a very important factor that you, as a pet owner, will need to consider before you invest your money to purchase essential oils for your pet. Cheap versions of essential oils might bring out nasty reactions in your pets. Hence, it would help if you used extreme caution while you buy essential oils for your pets.
• Once you have done your homework and invested in good quality essential oils, you will then need to know that you will need to dilute the oil in a carrier oil like olive oil, grape seed oil, or coconut oil before you apply the essential oil on the skin of your pet. The ratio that works best would be for one drop of essential oil you will need to add 50 drops of the carrier oil that you are using. Diluting the essential oil help slow down the absorption of the oil into the skin of your pet. You must remember to leave either a window or a door open when you apply the essential oil on your furry friend.
• Your pets have a heightened sense of smell. What can smell pleasant to you can have the opposite effect on your pet. Humans can smell the fragrance of essential oils right out of the bottle, but that is not the case with your four-pawed friends. As essential oils contain pretty powerful compounds in them, it would be safer for you to use the essential oil that you want to use on your pet in a water diffuser to test if your pet likes the smell of that particular essential oil or not.
• All animals are unique, and each animal will react differently to different essential oils. Hence, you must understand your pet before you invest in essential oils for him/her. It also matters if your four-pawed friend is a dog or a cat, as both dogs and cats are toxic to different essential oils, and they react differently to different essential oils.