| Aromatherapy
makes good scents
by Beth McCormack
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Wounds
Dogs
Apply 1 drop of tea tree oil, neat,
directly onto the wound with a cotton
ball. Make sure area is cleaned thoroughly.
Repeat morning and night (Your dog may
not appreciate the scent, so be gentle!)
Cats
Apply lavender or Roman chamomile hydrosol
directly to wound with a cotton ball.
Burns
Dogs
10 drops lavender oil
1 ounce aloe vera gel
Smear a little on the burn to cool and
heal the skin. Repeat a few times a day
until skin heals. Lavender also prevents
scarring and calms the animal.
Cats
Apply lavender hydrosol with a cotton
ball a few times a day until skin is healed.
Fleas
and Ticks
Dogs
20 drops citronella EO
10 drops lemongrass EO
10 drops rose geranium EO
10 drops myrrh EO
8 ounces aloe vera juice
Spritz this blend on your dog’s
coat each day. Fleas and mosquitoes hate
it, and it’s much safer for your
dog than commercial remedies. Spray around
doorways and on bedding to repel pests.
Bathe your dog weekly, adding 3 drops
of rose geranium oil to the bathwater.
For an emergency flea attack, a drop of
tea tree EO on your fingertip will kill
a flea on contact without harming your
dog. (Please don’t try this on cats.)
 Ear
Mites
Dogs and Cats
10 drops tea tree oil
1 ounce distilled water
Dampen a cotton ball in the blend and
swipe over mites. Repeat if needed after
24 hours. Be careful not to drip the liquid
into the animal’s ear.
Skin
Conditions
Dogs
10 drops rosemary EO
5 drops peppermint EO
1 ounce aloe vera gel
Apply to irritated areas. It’s great
for eczema and itchy skin caused by insect
bites, dry skin and parasites.
Cats
Lavender or rose hydrosol is great for
itchy, irritated skin.
WHY
AROMATHERAPY WORKS
Research suggests that animals are very
receptive to smell. Smell is the most
powerful and instinctual of all our senses.
The approximately 30 million olfactory
receptors in each of the nostrils send
messages to the brain’s olfactory
bulb where smell is analyzed. From here,
the message travels to the limbic system
of the brain, which is responsible for
arousal, motivation, emotions and memory.
WINTER TIP: Use lavender to help feet
irritated by snow and salty roads. Dilute
6 to 8 drops of lavender in a foot bucket
of warm water with 1/4 cup of epsom salts.
Soak each of your dog’s paws for
5 - 7 minutes, rinse in clear water and
pat to dry. Repeat procedure 2 or 3 times
per week.
Sandra Topper,
Founder, Natural Sense Aromatherapy
www.naturalsense.com
USE
WISELY AND CAUTIOUSLY
Remember that essential oils are powerful
and should be used according to the instructions
in this article. Otherwise, animals may
experience an essential oil “overdose”
and exhibit signs including whining, drooling,
lethargy, disorientation or hyperactivity
in dogs. Cats cannot tolerate pure essential
oils other than in hydrosol form. Symptoms
of toxicity may include vomiting, lethargy,
lack of appetite, and disorientation.
Seek veterinary care.
Beth McCormack
is a teacher, writer and performance artist
living in New Orleans. She has completed
her Level II Aromatherapy Certification
under the instruction of Ms. Jeanne Rose,
and is currently writing a book.
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