Natural Aromatherapy Services for Your Business

 

In our recent posts, we’ve discussed ways for those who operate, own or work at spas, salons, wellness centers, massage practices and physical rehabilitation clinics to easily incorporate different types of aromatherapy treatments into the list of services or products they can offer.

 

 

In our post on Aromatherapy Oil Massage, we mention that  incorporating aromatherapy essential oil massage into your business model only requires three things to get started:

 

1. A trained/licensed masseuse or massage therapist
2. Our Top 11 Spa Aromatherapy Oils 
3. Some time for the masseuse/massage therapist to familiarize themselves with the essential oils, their uses and benefits

 

That’s it!

 

For those unfamiliar with our top 11 spa aromatherapy oils, here’s the quick list! These 11 essential oils are perfect to begin your collection with, whether using for personal or professional reasons.

 

 

Top 11 Spa Aromatherapy Oils

1. Peppermint Essential Oil
2. Rosemary Essential Oil
3. Eucalyptus Essential Oil
4. Lavender Essential Oil
5. Chamomile Essential Oil
6. Ylang-Ylang Essential Oil
7. Lemon Essential Oil
8. Orange Essential Oil
9. Grapefruit Essential Oil
10. Cinnamon Essential Oil
11. Ginger Essential Oil

 

Later on this page, we’ll share a list of the safest aromatherapy oils for your collection when using aromatherapy for dogs.

 

More Natural Aromatherapy Products

 

In addition to the three requirements to start delivering Aromatherapy Oil Massages, to begin providing Natural Aromatherapy Skin Care, owners, operators or managers will only require a slight increase of inventory in natural skin care products and ingredients. As we said in that post, luckily we know somewhere you can stock up on 100%-natural products at a great price!

 

 

The same was true for adding Natural Aromatherapy Baths to your business. Just a small investment in high-quality, natural bath salts, combined with essential oil knowledge, could lead to great customization options for your customers, interesting DIY recipes for you or your staff and great opportunities for upsells!

 

• If you have incorporated all three of these previous aromatherapy treatments and you’re looking for the next step for your essential oil services, this may be for you!
• Or, if you own, operate or work at a high-end dog grooming business, day care, dog spa or some other type of upscale pet-based business, this article is definitely for you!
• And if you are a pet owner curious about aromatherapy for dogs, then you won’t be disappointed!

 

 

Aromatherapy for Dogs – It Works!

Unlike the previous aromatherapy services to consider adding to your business, aromatherapy for dogs might be a larger undertaking. Depending on the country your business is located in and even the state, county or district your business operates in, there are a variety of different rules and laws about when and where pets are allowed.

If you operate a spa, salon, massage practice, wellness center or physical rehabilitation clinic and you know aromatherapy for pets is in high demand with your clients and you’re willing to do the research to see what that would require, then by all means keep reading!

 

But the rest of this page will probably be suited for those looking to expand the services of their upscale pet care business to include natural ingredients and remedies, or those looking for more information on aromatherapy for dogs and which essential oils are best to be using for their pets.

 

 

For our pet care business owners that may have not read our previous pages on Natural Aromatherapy Skin Care or Using Aromatherapy Baths to Boost Your Business, here are our main 3 reasons to consider using aromatherapy and essential oil products in your business:

 

Top 3 Reasons to Consider Pet Aromatherapy for Your Business

 

1. Essential oils and aromatherapy can be used to treat a wide range of conditions.
2. Essential oils and aromatherapy can also be used in a variety of ways.
3. Essential oils and aromatherapy are natural, proven cost-effective alternatives to chemical-based products.

 

For a quick summary, each essential oil can be used in different ways to receive different benefits and treat numerous conditions. This means that one essential oil can be used in different treatments (i.e. general diffusing, aromatherapy oil massage, or essential oil-infused baths) to treat different things. Essential Oils are also heavily researched, chemical-free and cost-effective, making them fantastic for a business like yours that is looking to gain a competitive edge by promoting products and treatments with natural ingredients.

 

 

We’ll get into more pet aromatherapy specifics soon, but for an example: Lavender Essential Oil can be diffused to help people with calming, stress-relief and sleeplessness. It can be mixed with a carrier oil (or without) and massaged or applied to the skin to stimulate circulation, nourish the skin with vitamins and antioxidants, and fight wrinkles. Or Lavender Essential Oil could be added to a bath to potentially deliver that full range of benefits.

 

The same is true for pet aromatherapy too!

 

Aromatherapy for Animals

 

We all want natural, high-quality, cost-effective solutions to our pets’ health problems. And although aromatherapy for animals might seem like a bit of a stretch, it could also be exactly what you’re looking for.

 

 

Like we said above, essential oils and aromatherapy are very versatile and provide a wide range of effects and benefits. What if you and your pet were both able to benefit from and enjoy the same natural, healing essential oil remedies(link to shop)?

 

Sound too good to be true?

 

In our next section, we’ll answer some commonly asked questions about using aromatherapy for animals!

 

Questions People Also Ask About Aromatherapy Oils for Dogs

 

Is aromatherapy safe for dogs?

“Is Aromatherapy Safe For Your Dog? … Dogs have 40 times more scent receptors than humans, allowing them to identify smells up to 100,000 times better than us. With their remarkable olfactory memory, and because their world revolves around scent, aromatherapy is ideal for use with dogs.”¹

 

So the first general answer to this question is yes, aromatherapy is safe for dogs. However, as we answer more questions, we’ll get into the specifics about which essential oils are safe for dogs and which aren’t.

 

 

The author, Vicki Rae Thorne,  who is a certified aromatherapist & herbalist and founder of Earth Heart® Inc, which specializes in aromatherapy for dogs, goes on to say “When aromatherapy is used responsibly, it can be a simple natural solution to help dogs have healthier happier lives. Proper use of essential oils can safely and effectively help create a calm environment, soothe itchy or irritated skin, quiet digestive upsets, repel insects and heal infections. They can support the human-animal bond, facilitate behavior modification and improve health.”¹

 

Just like for humans, using the right essential oils in the right aromatherapy mediums can help treat a wide variety of conditions and provide a bunch of benefits. The main difference between humans and dogs is that dogs experience scent much more intensely than humans, so they have more potential for adverse reactions when it comes to essential oils. That’s why it’s important to take note later on of the unsafe aromatherapy oils for dogs.

 

Later on the page they discuss the two ways you should use aromatherapy oils for dogs.

 

 

“There are two methods of using essential oils safely and effectively: topical application and inhalation. Internal use is not advised unless recommended by a health care practitioner trained in clinical animal aromatherapy.”¹

 

This is a great rule to follow. While some essential oils are perfectly safe for human ingestion, not all of them are. And the digestive systems for dogs are definitely geared towards eating different things than us, so it might be best to leave the essential oils out of their food and water. When it comes to topical application-

 

“Vegetable and nuts oils, gels, lotions and butters are good carriers for essential oils. Once applied, try to keep the area lick-free for 10-30 minutes to optimize absorption. If the animal experiences nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, depression, lethargy, weakness, drooling, mouth sores, seizures or tremors, discontinue use and seek immediate veterinary attention. For itching or rashes, wipe the area with a cool wet cloth, rinse and repeat as needed.”¹

 

 

We like to recommend Virgin Coconut Oil as our favorite carrier oil. As the page states, pay extra attention to your pet the first time you apply essential oils topically to make sure they don’t have a negative reaction, but coconut oil is generally safe and has a wide range of benefits for the skin.

 

“Are essential oil diffusers safe for dogs?”

“Essential Oil Diffusers and Pets. Pets generally experience higher levels of essential oil toxicity through ingestion or direct contact on the skin, but that doesn’t mean infusers are inherently safe to use around pets. … Do not use a diffuser if your pet has a history of breathing problems.”²

 

As we said in the previous answer, since dogs experience scent at a much more intense level, they also experience the effects of essential oils at an increased level, so using essential oils around a dog or animal with previous respiratory issues might only exacerbate the issue. This answer also seems to agree that ingestion and direct application to the skin are safe.

 

To reiterate, when topically applying essential oils for your pet, always mix with a carrier oil! When using the oils for the first time, apply to an unaffected area of skin first to test for any allergies or reactions.  

 

Which Oils are Safe and Which Oils are Unsafe for Dog Aromatherapy?

 

“What oils are safe to diffuse around dogs?”

“To be the best human that you can be for your pet, please absolutely avoid diffusing the following oils around your canine friend:

• Citrus oils such as lemon, orange, or tangerine.
• Tea tree Essential Oil.
• Ylang ylang Essential Oil.
• Cinnamon Essential Oil.
• Pennyroyal Essential Oil.
• Pine Essential Oil.
• Sweet Birch Essential Oil.
• Wintergreen Essential Oil.”³

 

As promised, there’s the list of essential oils NOT to diffuse for your dog!

 

 

And next, the list of essential oils that are SAFE to diffuse for your dog!

 

“What essential oils are safe to diffuse for dogs?”

Below is a short list of essential oils that experts say are safe to use on dogs:

• Lavender Oil.
• Peppermint Oil.
• Chamomile Oil.
• Frankincense Oil.
• Cedarwood Oil.
• Cardamom Oil.
• Helichrysum Oil.
• Fennel Oil.”⁴

As you can see, some of the essential oils that are best and safest for dogs are a little different than the ones we generally recommend. But as you can also see, the first three on the list in the top 5 on our list of must-have essential oils to start your collection with. So while all the essential oils that we recommend for humans aren’t always the best for your pet, there is still plenty of overlap!

 

“What essential oils are good to calm dogs?”

“Essential Oils for Old Dog Anxiety

• Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
• Roman Chamomile Essential Oil (Chamaemelum nobile)
• Geranium Essential Oil (Pelargonium x asperum)
• Sweet Marjoram Essential Oil (Origanum majorana)
• Petitgrain Essential Oil (Citrus aurantium var. amara)
• Sweet Orange Essential Oil (Citrus sinensis)
• Clary Sage* Essential Oil (Salvia sclarea)
• Bergamot Essential Oil ** (Citrus bergamia)”⁵

 

Lavender Essential Oil and Chamomile Essential Oil are two of our favorite essential oils for treating anxiety. We even have a recent post on Spa Aromatherapy Oils for Calming & Relaxation featuring Lavender and Chamomile Oils in the Top 5.

 

 

However, we generally recommend citrus essential oils for energizing humans and the previous list of unsafe aromatherapy oils for dogs also included citrus oils, so we would recommend staying away from Petitgrain Oil, Sweet Orange Oil and Bergamot Oil to be safe. Many sources seem to agree that lavender essential oil is safe for dogs and can help with calming and stress relief.

 

“Can peppermint oil be diffused around dogs?”

“Using Peppermint Essential Oil around your pets is not recommended, and if you do have Peppermint Essential Oil around your pet, be sure to keep an eye on your pet for any adverse reactions (excessive scratching, sneezing, etc.) Just remember that the type of oil you use is only one factor to consider.”⁶

 

While Peppermint Essential Oil didn’t make the original unsafe list we saw earlier, it’s probably better to err on the side of caution when it comes to aromatherapy oils for dogs. Add Peppermint Oil to your DO NOT diffuse list!

 

 

“Is Lavender bad for dogs?”

“While lavender and other essential oils are safe for use around dogs, they should not be used around cats. However, dogs can have negative or allergic reactions to lavender, so be sure to try lavender out in small amounts initially. … Lavender essential oil should be heavily diluted before using with pets.”⁷

 

So while Lavender Essential Oil is on the generally safe list and the list for good calming aromatherapy oils for dogs, it seems like no matter what, it’s always best to proceed with caution when starting to use aromatherapy oils for dogs.

 

So in summary, if you are careful, take the time to learn which oils to use and pay attention, aromatherapy can be a great, cost-effective, natural solution to many of your pet’s potential health problems.

 

 

Are there any pet aromatherapy secrets we should know about? Tell us! Comment, Like, Share and Follow Us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!

 

Sources

 

1. https://www.dogisgood.com/aromatherapy-safe-dog/
2. https://www.chahvets.com/blog/diffusers-and-pets/
3. https://www.essentialoilhaven.com/essential-oils-for-dogs/
4. https://draxe.com/essential-oils-for-pets/
5. https://www.pawsomeoldies.com/essential-oils-for-old-dog-anxiety/
6. https://www.gurunanda.com/blogs/essential-oils/best-worst-essential-oils-for-pets
7. https://www.beaglesandbargains.com/lavender-safe-dogs/