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Can dogs have Juniper essential oil?

can dogs have juniper essential oilNo

Overview

dog-food-safety-information

No, juniper essential oil should not be administered orally to dogs since it increases the risk of toxicosis due to high concentrations of alpha-pinene, a toxic compound. However, in the right dose and dilution, juniper essential oil can be used externally for tick control. More research is needed to determine the therapeutic effects and safe use of juniper essential oil in dogs.

Benefits

health-benefits
  • Juniper essential oil is extracted from the juniper berry. Medicinal preparations of juniper essential oil are typically used to treat digestion problems, gastrointestinal infections, intestinal worms, and skin wounds in humans. However, it's not clear if these therapeutic effects extend to dogs.
  • Information on its application on dogs is limited, but research studies and documented experiments suggest that juniper essential oil has antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. This means that juniper essential oil has high therapeutic potential for the treatment of various diseases, not just in humans but in animals as well. However, more research is needed to determine the safe application of juniper essential oil in dogs.
  • Anecdotal evidence suggests that juniper essential oil can be used externally, as long as it's appropriately diluted, to help repel ticks in dogs.

Risks

health-risks
  • Juniper essential oil contains alpha-pinene (a-pinene), a compound that has been reported to cause toxicity when misused or ingested in high doses. It can potentially irritate the nose and throat and cause respiratory problems in dogs.
  • The concentration of a-pinene in Juniper essential oil was found to be 67% to 80%, which is toxic to dogs when ingested, especially if the oil is not properly diluted.
  • Juniper essential oil should not be confused with cade oil, which is derived from juniper wood (not berry). Cade oil has different properties and uses but it's toxic to kidneys when ingested.
health-risks-dog

Servings

serving-suggestions
  • Consult a holistic veterinarian on the proper dosing and dilution of juniper essential oil for external application on dogs.

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