Does Aromatherapy Calm Your Pets? Pet-friendly Incense & Essential Oils

Using natural fragrances for pets, such as essential oils and incense sticks, may be unfamiliar territory for many of us. Do they genuinely help our pets be calm and relaxed? It's important to understand how essential oils and natural aromatherapy might benefit our pets' emotional wellness.

Having a pet in the house provides us joy and love. They help us become more responsible and disciplined, as well as improve our physical and mental health. Communicating with pets such as dogs, cats, and birds relieves tension and anxiety while also restoring one's peace of mind. Playing with, training, and caring for your dogs is therapeutic in and of itself. If your pets feel anxious, restless or stressful, there could be an underlying issue.

What is causing your dog’s anxiety and restlessness?

Like humans, dogs also tend to have anxiety which manifests in the form of aggression, destructive behavior, barking, depression, restlessness, pacing and more. Anxiety in dogs is common due to the following reasons:

• Fear of loud noises, unusual people, being stuck inside all day, or being in a new place.
• Separation anxiety develops when dogs are left alone for an extended period of time or are separated from their family members. As a result, the dog destroys the furniture, gnaws on the shoes, barks, and urinates in the house.
• Age-related anxiety is shown in older dogs as a result of memory, learning, and sensory loss, which is similar to Alzheimer's disease in humans. This causes confusion, fear, and anxiety.

The best method to deal with your pet's emotional outburst is to consult with your veterinarian. They can assist you in dealing with the situation more effectively. If the cause of their worry is not health related, you can spend some quality time with them, keeping them busy and active. You can also create a relaxing and pleasant environment. There are natural essential oils and incense sticks that are specifically designed for pets considering their sensitivity to smell. These natural remedies can help to soothe your pets, stabilize their mood and enhance their overall health along with your tender, loving care. 

Pet Aromatherapy For Dogs and Cats

Dogs have 40 times more smell receptors than humans, allowing them to detect fragrances better than humans. Studies conducted in the mid 1900s in France and Germany found that essential oils have therapeutic properties in pet animals, so it is not a new concept. Their life revolves around the sense of smell, and they are more sensitive, so it is important to use natural essential oils that are designed for pets, such as the pet friendly essential oils offered by IncenseSticks brand.

Using aromatherapy to make your dog happier

We often wonder how fragrances extracted from flowers and natural herbs can help to soothe and stabilize our pets. The science behind aromatherapy is quite simple. When pets inhale essential oil fragrances, the scent molecules enter the bloodstream through the lungs and go to the olfactory bulb (the part of the brain that receives neural input about odor). This bulb is directly linked to the limbic system, which is in charge of emotional responses, memory, and learning. This is why we can associate some of our happy memories with smell.

The fragrance from essential oil can calm and relax your dog’s mind, thereby regulating its emotional responses. Essential oil fragrance also fosters happy feelings in your dog and improves sleep. This is similar to how we smell something nice that makes us feel good. Aside from that, essential oils promote immunological health and have other therapeutic effects on pets.

How to safely use Essential oils for cats and dogs

Pet essential oils must be applied correctly. You can blend the essential oil with a carrier oil and apply it topically to your pet, or you can use a few drops in a water-based diffuser and allow the smell to spread to where your pet rests.

Essential Oil Topical Application

1. Before using essential oils for massage, they should always be diluted with carrier oils. Mix 2-3 drops of essential oil with 1 tbsp of pure carrier oil, such as coconut or almond oil.
2. You can test how your pet reacts to it by lightly rubbing it on its body. Wait for sometime and then massage the dog's ear flaps, chest, and back. A little goes a long way with essential oils, so use sparingly.
3. While you're massaging the oil, try having a bonding session with your pets to make them feel at ease. Use it for dogs and cats that are over 5-6 months old. 

Diluting the essential oil is safe because it prevents your pet's sense of smell from being overwhelmed. Aromatherapy, when used responsibly, can be a simple and natural way to help your pets feel comfortable and overcome restlessness. It is always a good idea to consult with your veterinarian before using essential oils on your dogs.

1. Choose pet essential oils that are 100% pure and made from natural ingredients. The quality of essential oils used in aromatherapy plays an important role. 
2. You can use an electronic diffuser to evenly distribute the fragrance across the space. Many water-based diffusers come with additional functions such as noise cancellation, timed settings, and may diffuse for up to an hour.
3. Fill the diffuser with water, then add a few drops of pet essential oil and turn it on. Allow the fragrance to permeate the entire space. Keep the door open so that if the aroma becomes too strong, the pets can exit the room.
4. When using it for the first time, try it for 15 minutes and observe how it goes before extending the diffusion time.

• Which Essential Oils Are Safe For Pets?
  

If used correctly, the essential oils listed below are completely safe for pets. They are suitable for both diffusion and topical application.

1. Pet Lavender - It is known to calm the nerves, relieves stress, anxiety, fear, shyness and agitation.
2. Pet Marjoram - It provides relief from overactive emotions, nervousness, while also repelling fleas and ticks.
3. Pet Chamomile - It has antiseptic, anti inflammatory and analgesic properties. It promotes tranquility, peace, and physical and emotional well-being. 
4. Pet Clary Sage - Can be added to baths for healthy and clean-smelling fur.  It soothes rashes and helps to relieve stress.
5. Pet Frankincense -  Beneficial for dogs suffering from separation anxiety, fear of abandonment, or distrust. It can also be used to treat itching rashes.
6. Pet Valerian - Aside from its various benefits, Valerian is the best choice for enhancing the quality of your pet's sleep.

Is burning incense safe for pets?

Incense sticks made from pure and natural ingredients have soothing effects on pets. They are mild compared to essential oils. Pet incense is 100% natural and free of charcoal, making it completely safe. The natural oils used in the incense sticks are extracted from flowers, plants, and herbs.  They deodorize the air and mask unpleasant pet odors, repel mosquitos, ticks, and fleas, soothe and improve sleep, and create a pleasant atmosphere.

How to use pet incense sticks?

1. Light a single incense stick. Allow the flame to burn for a few seconds before extinguishing it.
2. Blow the flame gently and place it in an incense holder.
3. Allow the smell to fill the room where the pets are relaxing. Keep it in an open area so that if the aroma becomes too strong, the pet can leave the room.
4. Keep the incense away from the pet. The smoke produced by the burning incense may suffocate the pet, if it is too close. Incense should be kept at least 5 feet away from your dogs.

It will be a relief to you as a pet parent when your pet is happy and healthy. When used correctly, pet essential oils and pet incense are natural remedies for your four-legged pals. More importantly, our dogs require our love and care, which is the best treatment in the world. Spending time with our pets also provides us comfort.