Essential Oils for Dogs: Therapeutic Use, Safe Practice, and Scientific Insight

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The use of essential oils in holistic veterinary medicine is not on the periphery. An increasing number of holistic veterinarians are actively including essential oils in their practice, scientific papers are constantly uncovering new therapeutic uses for essential oils, and pet owners are becoming understandably curious. Do essential oils really have healing potential, or are they just a placebo? Are the oils harmful to dogs, or is there a safe way to use them? This article pulls back the curtain on how essential oils can be beneficial to dogs, the growing research behind them, and the safety considerations every dog owner needs to know. 

What Are Essential Oils, and How Exactly Can You Use Them on Dogs?

Essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts — they are distilled from various aromatic parts of plants and contain compounds with medicinal properties. One single bottle of essential oil can be made from hundreds of plants, so the oils are incredibly potent extracts; a few drops are significantly more powerful than a single plant.

With dogs, essential oils can be used: 

• Topically: applying the oil directly to the skin or fur. Great for fighting external infections. 
• Aromatically: diffusing the oil to expose the dog to the scent. Most effective for emotional and behavioral issues.
• Internally: ingesting the oil, under the supervision of a holistic veterinarian. Recommended for fighting internal parasites or larger immune system issues. 

For topical and internal uses, essential oils should always be diluted. They are not water-soluble and can only be diluted with oil. Coconut oil, sunflower oil, and olive oil are all good carrier oils for dogs. Books and articles about essential oils often use percentages when discussing dilution (for example, 5% dilution). Generally speaking, 1% dilution means 1 drop of essential oil per 5 mL of carrier oil. For dogs, 0.5% to 2% dilution is considered a safe range.

Scientific Insight on Essential Oils for Dogs — They Are Not a Placebo 

Essential oils are surprisingly well-researched for their healing properties in dogs. The following paragraphs highlight a few of the most notable studies and their findings on the ways essential oils can aid in treating common canine health conditions. However, the list is by no means exhaustive — every single condition mentioned below features in multiple studies spanning across two decades.

EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL ISSUES 

• Several studies have looked into the way essential oils affect the behaviors of shelter dogs — they found that dogs respond to aromatherapy and that different scents modify their behavior in different ways. For example, a 2018 study showed that geranium essential oil reduced behaviors indicative of chronic stress (like circling and pacing), while citrus essential oil increased the dogs’ tail wagging. The same study also showed that lavender oil decreased the dogs’ cortisol levels. 

• Another study that looked at lavender’s psycho-physiological effect on dogs was published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research and showed the oil lowered the dogs’ heart rate, suggesting the regulation of the vagus nerve and ability to calm anxious dogs. 

• Lavender also proved to be successful in a study that explored how aromatherapy affects hyper dogs with travel-induced excitement. When the dogs were exposed to lavender, they were notably calmer. They spent more time resting and less time moving or vocalizing.

The most popular essential oil for managing emotional and behavioral issues in dogs is certainly lavender, but frankincense, clary sage, and geranium are also common picks. That said, the best oil for emotional regulation will ultimately be the one your dog shows a clear preference for. A study published in 2022 found that dogs have scent preferences just like people do, and they enjoy some scents more than others. It’s important to introduce each essential oil to your dog slowly and watch how they react. If the dog moves away from the scent and shows a clear dislike, don’t use that oil for aromatherapy. But if the dog sniffs the oil with interest and shows a positive attitude, that’s a good sign that you found the right oil.

SKIN AND EAR INFECTIONS

• Lithuanian researchers found that essential oils are highly effective at stopping drug-resistant bacteria that cause common skin infections in dogs. Almost 91% of tested bacterial species were inhibited by essential oils (thyme, cinnamon, and oregano), even at low concentrations such as 2%. These results show that essential oils are very effective for dogs, even within the safe-range dose. 

• A study published in Veterinary Dermatology showed that oregano and thyme essential oils have strong antibacterial activity that can aid in the treatment of outer ear infections in dogs. Another study that looked into the same subject (ear infections in pets) also highlighted clary sage as beneficial for fungal ear infections, in addition to oregano.

FLEA AND TICK PREVENTION

The most studied area of using essential oils is their potential as natural flea and tick repellents. We’ve looked into numerous studies and created a detailed guide that tells you exactly which specific oils are safe AND effective. You can get our Ultimate Guide to Natural, Safe, and Science-Backed Ways to Prevent Ticks and Fleas on Your Dog FOR FREE at the bottom of this article. 

NATURAL ANTIBIOTICS

Because essential oils have proven antibacterial properties, even against bacteria that are resistant to multiple strains of antibiotics, they can be used as natural antibiotics when given internally under the guidance of a holistic veterinarian. We highlighted the 7 science-backed essential oils that can act as natural antibiotics right here. 

OTHER CONDITIONS

While there is an abundance of research on the conditions listed above, other canine health issues are still waiting for science to catch up. Holistic veterinarians have been using essential oils with other conditions as well, such as dental health and hygiene, joint and muscle health, pain relief, car sickness, allergies, immune system support, wound care, urinary tract infections, and more. 

How to Safely Use Essential Oils 

Just like all plants and foods aren’t safe for dogs, neither are essential oils. Some can genuinely be toxic to dogs and are best avoided altogether. The safe oils are still highly concentrated and very potent, so it’s important not to use them carelessly. Here are some safety tips for using essential oils with dogs: 

1. Always research every individual oil you’re planning on using with your dog to get a good picture on how exactly it should be used and whether holistic veterinarians recommend it for dogs. The main essential oils that are largely considered unsafe for dogs are: wintergreen, tea tree, clove, eucalyptus, lemon eucalyptus, juniper, myrtle, carnation, citronella, cassia, and birch. 

• The essential oils you’re using should be 100% pure. The fragrant oils sold at grocery stores have other ingredients mixed in and are therefore unsafe. 

• Never apply undiluted oils directly to the dog’s skin. Monitor the site of the application. Your dog shouldn’t lick the place where you’ve applied the oil.

• There is a special category of essential oils called hot oils, some of which are considered safe for dogs but should still be used sparingly because (as the name suggests) they cause a warming sensation. For example, cinnamon, oregano, and garden thyme are all hot oils. When using hot oils, opt for a higher % dilution.

• When using the oils for aromatherapy, remember that dogs have a significantly more powerful sense of smell than humans do. Dogs can smell scents that humans can’t even sense, so there’s no need to put more than 1-3 drops of essential oil into your diffuser at first. Our nose is not a good judge of how much is too much. Your dog should also have the option to leave the space where the oil is being diffused. 

• Using essential oils internally should never be done on your own without the guidance of an expert holistic vet. There is a lot more room for error than with aromatic and topical uses, not to mention the conditions being treated with internal use are much more serious and require close monitoring.

• Many dog owners have other pets at home too. Keep in mind that different animal species have different levels of sensitivity to oils, so what goes for dogs cannot be generalized to other pets. 

Final Thoughts on Essential Oils for Dogs 

There’s no denying that essential oils come with a bit of a learning curve, especially since the area is so well-researched. I’ve been using essential oils aromatically with my own dogs for several years now, and my best advice is to choose ONE condition you want to start with, one single problem you want to solve — for me, it was my dog’s reactivity to loud noises, particularly fireworks on New Year’s Eve. Then, choose one reputable source you want to learn from; I warmly recommend Dr. Janet Roark. Finally, choose one oil you want to start with and slowly introduce it to your dog. From that point on, the learning and growing process will unfold naturally. 

I’m happy to report that my pup sleeps through most of New Year’s Eve now, a stark contrast to her previous panicked barking. She’s supported by her favorite essential oil, clary sage. We initially started with lavender (which is truly a good starting point), but she showed such a strong preference for clary sage that we eventually switched. We also use an essential oil-based flea and tick repellent that works a thousand times better than the Frontline I used to buy. All this to say — essential oils are not a fluke. They really do work. 

Sources 

Roark, Janet. “Essential Oils & Safety for Pets.” Essential Oil Vet, 2020. 

Pal, Meera. “Pet Safe Essential Oils For Cats And Dogs.” Forbes, 26/06/2023. 

Ruiz-Cano, Domingo. Sánchez-Carrasco, Ginés. Et. al. “Essential Oils and Melatonin as Functional Ingredients in Dogs.” PubMed, 16/08/2022.

Komiya, Migiwa. Sugiyama, Akihiko. Et. al. “Evaluation of the effect of topical application of lavender oil on autonomic nerve activity in dogs.” AVMA, 01/06/2009.

Wells L. Deborah. “Aromatherapy for travel-induced excitement in dogs.” AVMA, 15/09/2006. 

Terentjeva, Arina. Ruzauskas, Modestas. “Essential Oils as a Treatment Possibility Alternative in Dogs with Skin Infections.” Research Gate, 02/2022. 

Scott, Susan. “Essential Oils For Pets, A Complete Practical Guide of Natural Remedies and Ailments.” 06/03/2015. 

Sim, Jowenna Xiao Feng. Khazandi, Manouchehr. Et. al. “Antimicrobial activity of thyme oil, oregano oil, thymol and carvacrol against sensitive and resistant microbial isolates from dogs with otitis externa.” PubMed, 30/09/2019. 

Kokocińska, Agata. Woszczyło, Martyna. Et. al. “Canine Smell Preferences—Do Dogs Have Their Favorite Scents?” PubMed, 08/06/2022. 

Ebani, V. Valentina. Nardoni, Simona. Et. al. “Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity of Essential Oils against Pathogens Responsible for Otitis Externa in Dogs and Cats.” PubMed, 21/04/2021.

Uccheddu, Stefania. Mariti, Chiara. Et. al. “Behavioural and cortisol responses of shelter dogs to a cognitive bias test after olfactory enrichment with essential oils.” Universiteit Gent, 2018. 

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Luna’s passion for learning about canine psychology and behavior began when she adopted a severely reactive puppy from a local shelter. She is now a big advocate for positive reinforcement and compassionate training. As a writer, she strives to spotlight the topics that fly under the radar and be the voice for all who cannot speak for themselves.