Guest Post
Great Ways to Use Essential Oils for Your Dog
Here are a few simple ways to prevent health issues for your dog. Essential oils products made by Young Living are natural ways to promote health, naturally prevent pests, and help stop tooth decay. Please keep in mind the not all essential oil brands are processed to the standards of Young Living and if you use other brands you may not receive the benefits and may be causing harm to your pet.
I am a dog breeder and able to test essential oils then view the results. I have attended many classes, read numerous books, listened to countless podcasts on essential oils. I have had the pleasure to speak with a few holistic vets who use essential oils. I tried out suggested applications and discover first hand, if the remedies are good solutions.
These solutions contain many benefits without expensive vet costs or the side effects of manmade products. Here are a few of the Young Living products I have tested. The results have surpassed my expectations. One great benefit is I am no longer applying unnecessary poisons to my dogs or adsorbing the toxicants myself.
Purification is blend of essential oils made by Young Living and is wonderful for cleaning dog's ears. Put a drop of purification on the palm of your hand, rub the end of a Q-tip in the drop then clean your dog's ear. Repeat the process with a fresh end of a Q-tip for the other ear. Repeat daily till the Q-tip is free of debris. It kills ear mites instantly. Dr. Melissa Shelton, DVM has preformed tests and she witnessed the ear mites dying when she applied purification on the microscope slide. Purification diffused or sprayed on their bedding kills pests, disinfects and keeps your home free of critters without using harmful chemicals.
Lavender is a natural solution for tear staining. Once a day, put a drop in the palm of your hand then use your index finger to apply the drop by rubbing your finger across the upper bridge of your dog's nose right below its eyes. Lavender unblocks the eye ducts and kills the bacteria caused by the tearing.
I have a couple of dogs with eye injuries from hunting, interacting with other pets or other issues. Dr. Melissa Shelton, DVM told me about a dog that was a last chance candidate with an eye issue. She used lavender mixed with water and was having success resolving the eye issue. I mixed a solution of 8 drops lavender to 8 ounce steamed distilled water and a packet of sodium chloride/sodium bicarbonate usp grade. The packet is ½ of a teaspoon. Sodium chloride/sodium bicarbonate usp grade can be purchased at Walgreen's or online; it's used for the neti pot sinus rinse. It is an emulsifier and keeps the solution from separating since oil and water do not mix. The solution must be shaken each time before use if you don't use an emulsifier. The mix is similar to eye wash solutions used for humans. Put the mixture in a glass spray bottle. Spray the solution 2-3 times in the effected eye once per day and watch the healing begin.
Curly, our English Springer's eye was extremely large from a hunting accident that occurred in 2006 at the age of 8 years old. The eye was getting larger and looked like it was about to burst. I was sure he would need surgery and might lose his eye. I started using the solution and his eye returned back to normal size and the cataract is becoming smaller. That's amazing.
This solution repels pests, relieves skin issues and makes their coats soft. It also relieves sore muscles. I mix 1 drop lavender and 1 drop peppermint to 1 ounce steamed distilled water. Then add a drop of Young Living bath & shower gel base as an emulsifier to 6 ounces of the water in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on weekly or as needed then massage in with your fingers up your dog's spine. Your dog will love this routine.
Thieves, another blend made by Young Living is excellent for helping to prevent tooth decay. In a 4 ounce glass spray bottle, I mix 2 drops thieves to 1 ounce of steamed distilled water. I use the solution nightly to spray on my dog's upper gums and teeth. Lift the upper lip on each side of your dog's mouth and spray the solution on the teeth. Thieves kills the bacteria that cause the tooth decay. Thieves makes your dog's immune system stronger, it's a natural antibiotic. Antibiotics made from drugs kill both the bad and the good bacteria. You will need to build back up the good bacteria with probiotics like Life 5, yogurt, kefir, etc if you use manmade antibiotics. The thieves solution is a cheaper, easier, healthier method to daily brushing their teeth or bringing your dog in to the vet for the recommended 6 month teeth cleaning.
Start educating yourself by reading labels then looking up ingredients on your computer, in the browser search bar. I use Young Living Animal Scent shampoo for bathing my animals. It has essential oils that clean and repel pests without harmful side effects of other pet shampoos. It does not have any cancer causing ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate found in most shampoos. It can be use as needed and not only once every 30 days as stated on most pet shampoos.
Another great product by Young Living is Animal Scent Ointment. I have been using it to heal wounds. The hunting dogs get nicks and cuts when hunting. I apply to their sores and their wounds heal quicker. It wonderful to apply after dew claws removal or tails docking. It speeds up the healing process and prevents infections. I apply the ointment to my cuticles at night since I need to wash my hands often; the ointment heals my dry hands quicker over the other products I have used in the past. Plus there aren't any toxicants.
One more outstanding product is Young Living Thieves Household Cleaner. I've been using it to clean my kennels. Mix 30 oz. water to1 oz. thieves household cleaner in a spray bottle and spray on the kennel. It kills the germs, bacteria and is safe for dogs even if they lick their paws. I do not need to remove their water or food, thieves is natural product that is safe to ingest. I do not need to rinse or let it air dry. It does not burn my lungs or irritate my skin. I remove the dog while spraying the solution; it has cinnamon and can be irritating to their eyes while the mist settles which only takes seconds.
DISCLAIMER
The author offers information and opinions, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. It is advised to consult a vet educated with using essential oils before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone. Your vet can provide you with advice on what is considered safe and effective for your animal's unique needs or diagnose your animal's particular medical history.
Ardy Livermore is a Minnesota breeder of bichons, shih tzus and poodles (toy, tiny and teacup). She uses the healthier method of the grate/crate kenneling instead of the traditional kenneling. With the grate there is no need to use puppy pads or newspapers. View video on the advantages of using grate/crate method at http://www.ardyweb.com
Ardy teaches the alpha method of dog training and shows you how to have a well behaved dog. Ardy shows you how to keep your pet healthy as naturally as possible. Ardy's website has videos to show you easy methods to care for you pooch. Ardy has written several articles to help you know what to look for when purchasing a dog and they are posted on her website. Ardy is the author of Ardy's Professional Tips for Companion Dogs. The eBook shows you how to detect and avoid health issues. Her eBook is full of great information and designed to save time, effort and money. You can sign up for FREE TIPS to learn more about the secrets of training and health care for your canine. The eBook can be brought at her website.