Many people seeking natural remedies have turned to the use of essential oils nowadays. Essential oils provide a natural and effective way of treating a wide variety of ailments, depending on the type of oil and proper use. Essential oils are natural chemical components of plants that are extracted through distillation. They are extremely concentrated and using them usually requires to mix a few drops with another carrier substance, like olive oil for instance. Essential oils of different kinds have a number of benefits and properties, for example, they can be antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, sedative, anxiolytic (anti-anxiety), expectorant, immunostimulant, etc.
Human usage of essential oils is growing in popularity, so it’s not a surprise that these humans have been trying to use them on their canine companions as well, as natural alternatives to many problems. It’s important to keep in mind that dogs can be more sensitive to essential oils than humans, so proper and careful usage is a must.
Peppermint oil commonly used thanks to its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and analgesic properties. Many people use peppermint oil in combination with other essential oils to create their homemade flea repellent sprays and shampoos. It’s also effective for soothing and overheated dog, relieving constipation, and even comforting the pain associated with an ear infection.
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Benefits of Using Peppermint Oil on Your Dog
As with any essential oil, you should always be very careful while using it, whether it’s on yourself or on a pet. Dogs are much more sensitive than humans, therefore the application of an essential oil has to be carefully considered and calculated. You may be wondering if peppermint oil is good for your dog, and the truth is that peppermint oil has many benefits when used properly.
Here’s a list of the benefits of peppermint oil:
- Analgesic
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antiseptic
- Anti-spasmodic
- Good at repelling fleas, ticks and mosquitoes
- Soothes upset stomachs
- Aids in motion sickness
- Stimulates circulation, thus improving skin and coat health
- Can relieve pain from injuries such as sprains and strains
- Good for arthritis and dysplasia
- May reduce allergy symptoms
- Help to cool down when taken with water
- Helps soothe hot spots
So, is Peppermint Oil good for dogs?
Absolutely! You can even give peppermint oil to your dog orally, according to the right dosage of course. Peppermint oil is widely considered a must have essential oil for your dog. Many pet owners claim that they make their own pest repellent using peppermint and other essential oils. It’s also commonly used by pouring one drop in their water to help them cool down faster. Among its many other benefits, peppermint oil can be diluted with a carrier oil and applied to your dog’s tummy or on the tips of their ears to help with motion sickness and cramps due to diarrhea. There are many other applications for peppermint oil that can benefit your dog, but you must always consult with your veterinarian first!
Dangers/Risks of Using Peppermint Oil on Your Dog
As I mentioned earlier, essential oils are highly concentrated extracts from plants. Their chemical compounds have many useful healing and therapeutic properties, but must be used with care despite being natural substances. Determining whether or not peppermint oil is safe for dogs depends greatly on the quality of the oil and the way you use it.
It’s important to mention that every dog is different and may present certain symptoms such as:
- Itching
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
If your dog has any of these symptoms, it might be allergic or sensitive to peppermint oil and you should take your pet to the veterinarian immediately.
So, is Peppermint Oil safe for dogs?
Definitely! While using peppermint oil the first time, monitor your dog’s behavior closely to make sure nothing unusual is going on. While serious adverse effects of the use of peppermint oil on dogs are hardly existent, it’s best to always consult with your veterinarian first as every dog will have different needs and sensitivities. You also have to keep in mind that proper dosage and administration of peppermint oil is of utmost importance. The quality of the oil must also be considered before purchasing because a low grade peppermint oil is more likely to cause harm than benefits.
The blog Experience-Essential-Oils tells us the following: “Most of the problems associated with essential oils whether they are for human or animal use, stem from the fact that people are using perfume grade oils for therapeutic use. Or people simply are NOT using them correctly!”
How to Use Peppermint Oil for Your Dog
Peppermint oil is a great alternative to a number of chemical based treatments that can turn out to be more toxic and harmful in the long run, such as analgesics and pest repellents. Peppermint oil can be used both internally and externally. Keep in mind that I am not a vet, and you should always make sure you consult with your veterinarian before using any kind of essential oil on your dog. Holistic veterinarians are on the rise and they may be best suited to give you the right advice on how to use a specific oil on your pet. Always try to introduce your pet slowly to and essential oil and make sure you give them rest periods from these oils as well.
The manufacturer of essential oils Young Living tells us that the animal’s size affects the amount of oil you should use on them. They provide the following guidelines:
- “For smaller animals like cats and small dogs, use 3–5 drops. Be sure to dilute 80–90 percent prior to application (for example, for every 1 drop of oil, use 4–5 drops of a diluting agent, such as V-6™Vegetable Oil Complex).
- For larger animals, like large dogs, start with 3–5 drops. Unless otherwise indicated on the product label, dilution is unnecessary.”
Natural News also provides the following recommendations to take in considerations before using peppermint oil on your pets:
- Dogs cannot tell you what is or is not working. As such, you must closely watch their reactions. Excessive scratching, sniffing, nervousness or whining are all signs to watch for.
- Always dilute the oils. A common acceptable dilution is 25% of the adult human formula.
- Giving essential oils internally is not generally recommended.
- Do not use any oils on medium-large breed puppies under 8 weeks, and small or toy breeds under 10 weeks. Hydrosols are a much better choice.
- Gradually introduce the oils.
- What is good for a large dog is not good for a small dog. Size matters, and less is definitely more when working with oils, for animals or humans.
- Sick, frail, older, or pregnant dogs have special considerations, just as in humans. Do not administer the same dose to them as you would to a healthy animal of the same size.
- Never use oils near the eyes, mouth, nose, or genital area.
Also remember to always wash your hands after handling essential oils to prevent them from accidentally getting in contact with your eyes or mouth. It’s also important to note that peppermint oil should not be administered to pregnant dogs because of its stimulant properties.
Here are some ways you can use peppermint oil on your dogs:
- One drop of peppermint oil in their bowl of water will help cool your dog down faster. This also helps when your dog is suffering from hot spots in companionship with cool compresses that can be made out of peppermint leaf tea.
- You can use a dilution of peppermint oil (3 drops in a half teaspoon of carrier oil) and apply it on the tips of your dog’s ears to ease cramps due to digestive issues. You may also use this and rub it on your dog’s tummy to help the discomfort caused by nausea and/or motion sickness. This can also be used on the outer area of the ear to help ear inflammation due to infection, or to soothe any other areas of pain, making sure you keep away from the face and genital regions.
- You can make a repellent spray by adding 10 drops in a spray bottle filled with water, or by using a bandana as a makeshift collar and apply a couple of peppermint oil drops on that as well.
- Adding a few drops of peppermint essential oil to your dog’s shampoo will also help repel fleas and ticks. Make sure it’s a mild shampoo with no harsh ingredients.
If you want a good recipe on how to make your own flea repellent spray, you can check out this recipe that contain a combination of other beneficial oils as well as peppermint oil.
Choosing Essential Oils
As I have previously explained, choosing the right essential oil is important because not all of them are created the same. When it comes to personal use or for your dogs, you need to seek the highest quality therapeutic grade essential oils.
The purity of an essential oil is a common issue, and this is because its achievement is expensive. For example, it takes nearly one hundred pounds of lavender plants to produce one pound of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil. Because of this, many producers will dilute essential oils with other carrier oils or even add artificial fragrances to create a greater production. Natural News gives us the following guidelines to make sure you buy the purest therapeutic essential oil:
- EO’s should not be oily or leave a greasy residue.
- Packaging should include the common name (i.e. Lavender), the Latin binomial (i.e. Lavandula angustifolia), the country of origin, the method of distillation, the part of the plant used, lot number, amount of oil in bottle, contact information of the company, how the plant was grown, and the words “100% pure essential oil” orthe ingredients, if in a carrier or blend.
- Price usually dictates quality.
- Not all bottles of the same size yet of different oils should be priced the same. In other words, if they carry 50 different types of oils, yet every 5ml bottle is $7.40, there is something wrong, and you can guarantee these oils have been adulterated in some way.
FAQ
- Why should I use peppermint oil on my dog?
Peppermint oil has many beneficial properties for your dog. It can prevent and repel fleas, mosquitos and ticks, it can also help soothe a variety of aches and pains, and even help your dog cool down. It’s a versatile oil that can be ingested orally or used topically, but always with proper dilution and guidance from your vet.
- Are there any side effects in peppermint oil?
The only significant side effects from using peppermint oil stem from the quality and proper usage of the essential oil itself. You need to make sure you have purchased a pure, high quality oil. You can determine this by reading the label closely. High quality oils will not be cheap and will not be diluted with another carrier oil such as jojoba oil. They will also always have the scientific name on the bottle. You should also keep in mind that the dosage is important and that every dog is different. If your dog seems to present an abnormal behavior then he/she might not respond well to peppermint oil or you may have used an improper dosage. Always be sure to check with your vet and to read the instructions on how to properly use peppermint essential oil.
- Can I use peppermint oil on my puppy?
Since animals can be more sensitive to essential oils than humans, one much take extra precautions and really research the proper methods before actually using them on pets. It’s generally not recommended to use any essential oil on puppies until after they are 10 weeks of age. The amount used should be very little and properly diluted. Always consult with your veterinarian first.
- Can I use peppermint oil on my pregnant dog?
Using peppermint oil on pregnant dogs is not recommended. Peppermint oil is a stimulant and this might create health problems if used on your dog. It’s best if you consult your veterinarian to best address any problem your pregnant dog may have and find another natural treatment for it.
- Does my peppermint essential oil have to be therapeutic?
Yes. Unless you’re intending to use peppermint oil just for perfume, you should always seek a high quality therapeutic grade essential oil. Any other kind will not have the beneficial properties you seek.
Perfume quality or oils that are labelled only for aromatherapy can cause more harm than good if they are used topically, because they are distilled using solvents or are mixed with chemical fragrances and/or other oils. Pure therapeutic grade peppermint oil will be steam distilled and will be guaranteed to not contain any toxic chemicals.
- How do I use peppermint oil for my dog?
Peppermint oil can be used both internally and externally. For internal uses, you can add a drop to their water to help them with their internal cooling, since dogs have no sweat glands. They’ll also have a fresher breath.
When used externally, it also must be diluted properly and it can be applied in areas where there is pain since it’s an effective analgesic. It can aid stomach cramps, dysplasia, arthritis, ear aches, motion sickness, etc. Never apply this oil directly on their face, eyes, nose, or genital regions.
This essential oil is also popularly used in combination with other essential oils to create repellent shampoos and sprays that you can use on your dog and on your dog’s bedding.
- How should I store peppermint oil?
Peppermint oil, as any other essential oil, should be kept away from heat and the sun. They should also always be properly shut or sealed after using.
Conclusion
Peppermint oil is a highly beneficial essential oil not only for you but for your dog as well. There is plenty of evidence that indicates its use as safe and effective when applied properly. It’s can be widely preferred over pharmaceutical, pain killers, and chemical laden treatments. Whether you’re using it internally or externally, you should always seek peppermint oil in its purest form to guarantee that your pet will receive all the great properties this oil has. From car sickness, diarrhea, to any type of ache and pain, and even as a repellent, peppermint oil is a must have essential oil for many pet owners that use natural treatments for their dogs.
Make sure to consult with your veterinarian before using any kind of essential oil on your pet. Even though peppermint oil is a very versatile essential oil, it’s always best to introduce it to your pet slowly and with proper precautions. This way, not only will you ensure that no negative side effects occur on your pet, but your will be helping your dog lead a more balanced, happy, healthy, and natural lifestyle.
