Take care with essential oils around pets

With the touch of a button and a couple drops of oil, a large space can quickly be infused with the refreshing scents of citrus or soothing herbs — a steady stream of fresh, clean fragrance to shift the feel of a room.

Aroma diffusers are quickly becoming a staple in places where people spend time — living rooms, bedrooms, infant nurseries, offices, vehicles and even portable diffusers for on-the-go scent therapy — pretty much anywhere a person goes, scent diffusers can be found.

And their popularity is growing around the world.

With an estimated $1.2 billion global market in 2016, demand for aroma diffusers is projected to grow annually through 2025, according to data from Grand View Research, a marketing research company.

What that means is that aroma diffusers, and the associated essential oils responsible for their scents, may soon be in a majority of homes around the world — a wonderful thing for the human olfactory experience, but unfortunately a potentially dangerous thing for domestic pets.

Essential oils are commonly used for everything from cosmetic fragrance to more medicinal type uses such as respiratory applications, mental/mood enhancements and topical treatments.

More than just pretty smells, essential oils are made from plant extracts which, strongly concentrated, can really pack a punch, especially for animals who have heightened sensitivity to smells and adverse reactions to plants that humans don’t.

While the problem isn’t new, the growing popularity of essential oils — most commonly through diffusers, but also in specialty jewelry and directly on the skin — means more toxins are around pets and animal health professionals are increasingly concerned about poisonings.

The risk is compounded by the fact many of the most popular and widely available essential oils are the most dangerous ones.

That’s not to say all essential oils are bad for animals, and in fact aromatherapy for pets is being explored widely in the pet industry. Scents such as lavender, used for calming, cardamom, fennel, helichrysum, frankincense and spearmint are some that are used for some pets.

However, something as common as tea tree oil, often used to treat skin conditions and fungal infections in humans, is toxic to dogs.

On the other hand, cinnamon, clove, oregano, wintergreen, thyme and birch and sometimes lavender are considered highly dangerous for cats, who are significantly more sensitive to essential oils than dogs.

Birds are also at risk with extremely sensitive respiratory systems and the results — often death — can be almost immediate when something toxic is present in the air they breathe.

None of this means you can’t enjoy the aroma diffuser you got for Christmas, but experts do advise that if an aroma diffuser is used in a home with pets, pet owners should research or talk to their veterinarian about which oils are safe for their critters.

Diffusers should also only be used in open spaces where the concentration is not too strong and pets can leave the area if it bothers them.

Additionally, bottles of essential oils should be stored out of reach and the oils should never be applied to an animal’s skin or coat without research for potential issues.

Ultimately, if a pet begins to behave differently or show signs of illness, the best bet is to pack up any essential oils they may have been exposed to and head to the vet.

Though they are our companions and members of the family, what’s good for humans isn’t always good for our critters, even if does smell good.

Sharna Johnson is always searching for ponies. Contact her at: [email protected]