Lemon essential oil has become increasingly popular in recent years, as people have begun to recognize its many uses for wellness and household applications. Have you been hearing about how lemon essential oil can benefit you? Not only does lemon essential oil smell fresh and uplifting, it can also support our bodies in staying above the wellness line. Lemon essential oil works well to cleanse air and eliminate odors, its aroma can also help reduce tension, and when taken internally lemon may provide immune and circulatory support. But is lemon oil safe for your dog? Read on to learn everything you need to know about using lemon essential oil with dogs.
Lemon essential oil has a rich and ancient history and is usually made from the cold-pressed peel of the lemon citrus fruit. Limonene is a main constituent and is what gives lemons their unmistakable scent. A study found on PubMed.gov suggests that lemon essential oil can be effective in combatting various bacteria and microbes. Lemon has also been studied for cognitive function and improvement as well as mood enhancement and for skin benefits.
Lemon essential oil can be safe to use with dogs if you are using a high quality, pure, and unadulterated lemon essential oil. You also need to dilute the lemon essential oil. Diluting and using lemon essential oil is easy. My 2 favorite ways to do this are by making a spritzer or by using lemon in a diffuser. An essential oil diffuser is an electronic device that disperses essential oils into the air.
I like to use ultrasonic diffusers which use a metal or ceramic plate that vibrates and disperses the essential oil in water, making a fine mist. This keeps the oil at a low and safe concentration and allows you to breathe in deeply and enjoy the scent and properties of the essential oils. Ultrasonic diffusers don't use heat which can lessen the benefits of an essential oil.
You can check out one of my favorite ultrasonic diffusers HERE!
If your dog has a medical condition, or is unhealthy, you should speak to your holistic veterinarian before using lemon essential oil or any essential oil with them. Again, it is of the utmost importance to make sure that any product you use contains pure essential oils and not adulterated additives or other chemicals. Also it's important to dig deep when googling 'oil poisoning' or 'are essential oils bad for dogs' and not let that scare you from using essential oils. Oftentimes, the whole story is lacking important facts such as quality of oil, amount, and the way it was used. Essential oils can be safe to use with dogs if they are pure and diluted!
Dogs have an incredible sense of smell and you don't actually need to apply essential oils topically to enjoy the many benefits from using them. You can simply let your dog smell from the bottle, use an essential oil diffuser, or simply make and wear a perfume of essential oils.
Since lemon is works so well for odor, I like to make a spray solution by adding 12 drops of lemon essential oil into a 2 ounce spray bottle and then filling the bottle up halfway with vodka and halfway with distilled water. Then spritz it around your dogs bedding for a refreshing natural fragrance (for a step by step guide to making a spritzer, click here). You can also add a few drops of lemon onto a cotton ball and stash in strategic places.
For odor control with a diffuser, simply add the amount of drops your diffuser calls for or try these essential oil blends with lemon:
For some calm plus focus
2 drops lemon
2 drops lavender
To cleanse and purify
2 drops lemon
2 drops eucalyptus
For happy time
2 drops lemon
2 drops orange
For odor
2 drops lemon
2 drops cinnamon
Remember to always give your dog an out when using a diffuser. Leave the door open and allow your dog to come and go. Keep in mind that our dogs may choose to be with us even if they are uncomfortable, so watch your dogs for any signs like watery eyes, itchiness, stupor, or general uncomfortableness. Also, some dogs may be sensitive to certain smells so always start slowly with a minimal number of drops and monitor their reactions closely as you continue using the diffuser around them.
Lemon also makes a great addition to natural cleaning products. You can make an effective cleaner that is much safer than other chemical cleaners on the market, simply by mixing half vinegar, half water and adding about 10 drops of Lemon essential oil per cup.
Your dog will benefit from lemon essential oil without topical application. If you choose to apply lemon directly to your dogs skin or fur, you'll want to first dilute it in a carrier oil like coconut oil, or olive oil (for more info on carrier oils, click HERE). This ensures that the concentration of oils is low enough so as not to irritate their skin. Lemon is a citrus oil and can cause photosensitivity with application. This simply means it can cause an exaggerated response to sunlight, resulting in sunburn and skin irritation. If you do choose to apply lemon oil topically, apply at night or to areas that won't receive direct sunlight for 12-24 hours.
There are many benefits associated with using lemon essential oil for our canine companions! Lemon essential oil works so well for cleaning and odor control and the aroma is uplifting and focusing. By using a high quality, pure, and premium essential oil and by diluting it, we can safely use lemon with our dogs. Using essential oils that contain additives is dangerous for us and our canine companions and can be toxic.
I use Young Living™ Essential Oils-the world leader in essential oils. With their Seed To Seal guarantee, you know you're getting pure and premium products for you and your pets health!
Essential oils can be a safe option for our pets health. To eliminate overwhelm and fear and learn more about how to use essential oils with your dog, download my free guide "Getting Started Using Essential Oils With Your Dog" HERE
*Statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and the information in this blog is not meant to provide medical advice nor be a substitute for veterinary care.*
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