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Aromatherapy For DogsEssential oils using in aromatherapy work on several different levels. Physically, essential oils can help alleviate medical conditions and traumas such as bruises, infections, motion sickness and fatigue, and offer antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties. Emotionally, they can help center an animal suffering from stress, anxiety, irritability and compulsive behavior. When inhaled, they affect the most primitive part of the brain - the limbic system, which controls feelings and emotions. While essential oils can be inhaled that isn't the only way they can be administered. Using an electronic glass diffuser is particularly effective, as it will disperse the ionized oil into the air in a mist of suspended droplets that can then be absorbed through the nasal passages. When topical application is appropriate, practitioners often recommend dabbing the diluted oil behind the ears, where the dog cannot lick it. Some oils are safe to apply topically on larger areas of the skin to help treat everything from wounds to mange to skin irritations. And a handful of others, such as peppermint, can be taken internally -with appropriate care and supervision. Essential oils, like any natural remedy, should be used with understanding, and always in moderation. Some animals handle essential oils better than others. Cats, for example, have different metabolic processes, and the oils can so easily approach toxic levels in their bodies that they are to be used with extreme caution, if at all. While most dogs are not as sensitive, caveats still apply. When it comes to the safety of essential oils opinions vary, in particular along cultural lines. The French, for example, tend to use essential oils "neat," or undiluted, and are more comfortable with using them internally. The British, by comparison, are more conservative, using the oils for massage and topical application, and stressing the importance of diluting them in a carrier oil such as sweet almond or hazelnut. Another huge area of concern with essential oils is quality. Since there is no association or body that governs essential oil standards, "buyer beware" is an understatement. Essential oil labels can be information-challenged at best, and misleading at worst. The word "pure" on a label is meaningless, and it is difficult to tell if a particular oil has been adulterated with a cheaper oil or a nature-identical chemical, which is a synthetic version of a naturally occurring component of the oil. Rose oil, for example, is very expensive, and a manufacturer might cut it with rose geranium or rosewood oil because they smell very similar. While an experienced aromatherapist might be able to tell the difference at first sniff, you won't. There are many grades of essential oils, and the vast majority of those sold commercially are too adulterated for therapeutic use. The very best essential oils often are handmade by quality-conscious small-scale producers.
Essential oils are as diverse as the plants from which they come. Here are some individual essential oils and ways in which they can be used. As with any holistic modality, seek out a professional before trying any of these oils on your dog.
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