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Don’t you just love it when your home smells fresh and lovely? Favorite scents can make your home smell good and give it a cheerier feel, too! Many pet parents use various types of essential oil to bring some freshness to their homes. But what happens if a dog drinks essential oi?
Has your dog drunk essential oil? Are you worried the essential oil will make your dog sick? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. We understand it can be scary when your dog drinks something like this.
In this article, we’ve put together some information about essential oil and whether or not it can make a dog sick. Let’s get started!
What is Essential Oil?
Essential oil is very often used in aromatherapy, a type of alternative medicine that uses scents to bring well-being and improve a person’s health. However, essential oils are also widely used by lots of people. For example, essential oils can be found in air fresheners such as potpourri, cleaning products foods, personal care products, food, drink flavorings, and more.
Many essential oil products are made with oil extracted from various plants and their parts. You may be familiar with essential oils made from tea tree oil, pine, cinnamon, and more.
What happens if a dog drinks essential oil? Can the essential oil make a dog sick?
Essential Oil & Dogs
Unfortunately, some essential oils are toxic for dogs. The most toxic essential oils for dogs include:
- Cinnamon
- Tea tree oil
- Wintergreen
- Citrus
- Pennyroyal
- Peppermint
- Pine
- Sweet birch
- Ylang Ylang
- And more
The problem is that essential oils contain chemicals that are toxic, whether ingested or even absorbed through the skin. Once they’ve been ingested, the oils are then metabolized by the liver. Therefore, dogs who have liver issues will be more sensitive to the effects of essential oil ingestion.
However, if a dog only has a lick or a very small amount of essential oil, he may be OK. It depends on the essential oil, how much was ingested, along with the size and weight of the dog.
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Ask a Vet Live NowSymptoms of Essential Oil Ingestion in Dogs
You may notice these symptoms if your dog has ingested essential oil:
- The smell of the essential oil on your dog’s breath, coat, or skin (including paws)
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty walking
- Excessive drooling
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Muscle tremors
- Pawing at his face/mouth
- Redness or burns on lips, gums, tongue, or skin
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog, then call the vet immediately. This is an emergency.
Your dog has a better chance of surviving if he is treated right away after drinking essential oil. The sooner he receives treatment, the better chance he has of making a full recovery.
So, don’t wait to see if your dog’s symptoms improve or worsen. Get him to the vet right away. His life depends on it!
Connect with a verified veterinarian in minutes. Licensed vets are available 24/7 to answer your questions. No need to worry about your furry family member.
Kim
Kim is a talented author, who loves animals especially dogs. She engaged in writing books and articles relating to animals a decade ago. Kim resides in Chicago with her husband and son. The family is the proud owner of a dog and a parrot (Jack and Lily). Kim wanted more than these two pets, but her husband put his foot down... She often visits elementary schools to talk to the kids about what she learned about pets and how they could learn from them.
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