On more than a few occasions I’ve been asked about the use of essential oils on pets, namely dogs and horses. Pet owners are definitely looking for healthy alternatives to the chemical based market.
Pets will react to essential oils in much the same way as people. I’ve used tea tree oil on my horses for a variety of treatments. Cuts, insect bites, and other minor sores respond nicely to the anti-bacterial effects of tea-tree oil.
I also make my own repellant by adding a teaspoon of neem oil and a teaspoon of tea-tree oil to a spray bottle of water. This works very well when applied every four to six hours. Sound time intensive? Perhaps, but it is a safe, non-toxic spray- unlike the chemical laden products that are available at most supply stores. (I have a sad story regarding Hartz flea and tick spray and my german shepherd, Cocoa. Ask me about it sometime.)
