How to Safely Use Essential Oils for Epilepsy in Dogs
As a pet owner, you want to provide the best possible care for your dog, especially if they suffer from a condition like epilepsy. While traditional medications can be effective, many pet parents are exploring natural alternatives, such as essential oils. However, it's crucial to use these oils safely and responsibly. While essential oils hold potential for helping normal and epileptic dogs, their proper use and care are paramount. Misuse or overuse of certain essential oils can lead to adverse effects, including increased seizure risk, skin irritation, vomiting, or even death. In this blog post, we'll guide you through best practices of using essential oils for epileptic dogs.
What are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts obtained through various methods, such as steam distillation or cold-pressing. Essential oils are expensive because it takes so much plant material to make them. For example, it takes about 250 lbs of lavender flower to make 1 lb of lavender essential oil. This extreme concentration is why essential oils can be more beneficial or dangerous than their plant counterparts.
How do Essential Oils Work?
Essential oils have been used for centuries in traditional medicine and aromatherapy practices. Essential oils are believed to interact with the body's olfactory system (smell) and potentially influence various physiological processes. In the case of epileptic dogs, certain essential oils may help promote calmness, reduce anxiety, and potentially support brain function. See our post on essential oils for seizures here. However, it's important to note that essential oils should not be considered a substitute for prescribed medications or veterinary care. It is also important to note that essential oils can easily be toxic and dangerous for your dog if they are used incorrectly.
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Step 1: Choose High-Quality Essential Oils
When using essential oils for your epileptic dog, it's crucial to choose high-quality, pure, and unadulterated products from reputable sources. Be wary of cheaper brands that may be diluted with synthetic oils or contain additives, as these can be harmful to your pet. Opt for 100% organic essential oils from plants that have not been exposed to pesticides, herbicides, or grown in soils containing toxins.
While terms like "therapeutic grade" are often used for marketing purposes, there is no authentic grading system for essential oils. The quality can vary from batch to batch and geographic location due to factors like moisture, soil quality, and extraction processes.
To ensure you're getting a pure, high-quality product, look for small companies that distill their own oils or have direct relationships with the farms. Seek out information on the country of origin, growing conditions, elevation, and extraction methods. The oils should be in dark amber or blue glass bottles, with labels including the Latin names, lot, and batch numbers.
Additionally, each essential oil has a typical price range, and if the price is significantly lower than average, it may be adulterated. A reputable company should have good customer service practices and be willing to provide the results of gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) testing, which helps determine the purity of the essential oil.
If you're new to using essential oils or unsure about how to use them safely, consult a certified aromatherapist or holistic practitioner with experience using essential oils with animals. Remember, our pets are far more sensitive to contaminants and adulterants than we are, so it's crucial to prioritise purity and quality when choosing essential oils for your epileptic dog.
Step 2: Introduce Your Dog to Essential Oils Slowly
Dogs have an incredible sense of smell, and some essential oils can be overwhelming or irritating to them. It's crucial to introduce new oils very gradually and observe your dog's reactions closely.
Start by letting your dog sniff the bottle with the cap still on. If they turn away, show discomfort or disinterest, do not proceed with that oil.
If they seem ok with the oil you can proceed to open the bottle:
Open the bottle and hold it at nose level from a respectable distance (1-2 feet away) allowing your dog to approach and inhale the aroma
Be patient and let your dog inhale at their own pace
Never chase or force your dog to smell an oil
Watch for your dog’s reaction:
Signs they like it: If she likes it, she’ll lick her lips, or blink rapidly or mouth. Don’t let your dog touch the bottle or lick the oil.
Signs they dislike it: signs your dog has had enough like losing interest, backing away, excessive blinking/licking, or falling into a deep sleep. Respect these signals and don't push further.
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Step 3: With Essential Oils, Less is More
Dogs have an incredible sense of smell, with 200-300 million scent receptors in their noses compared to our mere 5 million. If our sense of smell was vision, what we could see clearly from 1/3 mile away, our dogs could perceive from an astonishing 3,000 miles away. Their olfactory abilities far surpass our own.
With their olfactory superpowers, our dogs experience essential oil aromas far more intensely than we do. Using too much oil or applying it incorrectly could easily overwhelm your dog's senses. Respect this sensitivity by using only the minimum amount necessary to achieve the desired therapeutic effect.
Overusing or improperly applying essential oils can lead to adverse effects or even toxicity. Less really is more when it comes to safely using essential oils, especially when using them for epileptic dogs.
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Step 4: Always Dilute the Essential Oils in A Carrier Oil for Topical Use
While essential oils are natural plant extracts, they are highly concentrated and potent. In nature, plants produce only minuscule amounts of these oils for purposes like communication and protection. For example, it takes 16 pounds of peppermint leaves to make just 1 ounce of peppermint essential oil!
This makes undiluted essential oils 75 times stronger than their herbal counterparts - an extreme form of natural medicine. Using them undiluted, especially internally or topically, can easily overwhelm your dog and lead to adverse reactions including burning and itching reactions on your dog’s skin. Never apply undiluted oils directly to your dog's skin or fur (or yours!).
For topical use, general guidelines suggest a 0.25-1% dilution ratio. This means adding just 1-6 drops of essential oil per ounce of a carrier oil.
When diluting, our favourite carrier oil is fractionated coconut oil. It combines well with essential oils, slows absorption to avoid sensitivities, prevents rapid dissipation, won't clog pores, and doesn't go rancid like other vegetable oils. Coconut oil works well too if fractionated coconut oil is not available. Other popular carrier oils include almond, apricot kernel, and castor oil.
Proper dilution ensures your dog receives just the right potency of therapeutic essential oils without risking negative reactions from overexposure. Always respect their incredible sense of smell and the concentrated strength of these botanical extracts.
Step 5: Do Not Feed Essential Oils to Your Dog
Essential oils should never be given to your dog internally without the explicit guidance of a licensed and qualified professional. Ingestion, increases various risks of using essential oils, including gastric irritation, interactions with conventional medications, and fetal damage in pregnancy. One significant risk of internal use is tissue damage. Oils can irritate the lining of their mouth, throat, stomach, and intestines. Prolonged ingestion can lead to headaches, nausea, vomiting, and even kidney and liver damage. Long-term use, depending on dose and frequency, carries the risk of accumulation in the body, potentially leading to systemic toxicity.
Symptoms of toxicity include:
Diarrhoea
Excess salivation (drooling)
Lethargy
These symptoms often appear over time, meaning that by the time you notice them, significant harm may have already occurred. Always prioritise your dog's safety by avoiding internal use of essential oils and consulting with a veterinarian or certified aromatherapist for appropriate treatments.
Step 6: Monitor For Reactions
Every dog is unique, and their response to essential oils may vary. Closely monitor your dog for any signs of discomfort, such as excessive drooling, panting, or changes in behaviour. If you notice any adverse reactions, discontinue use immediately and consult your veterinarian. By following these guidelines and consulting with your veterinarian, you can safely explore the potential benefits of essential oils for epilepsy in your dogs. Remember, essential oils should be used as a complementary therapy and not as a replacement for prescribed medications or veterinary care.
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