A dog owner has penned a warning on social media after discovering her pooch was being poisoned by her oil diffuser.
Marianne Whyte, from Christchurch, New Zealand, took to Facebook to urge pet owners to be careful what essential oils they used in their homes, after noticing the negative effects they were having on her pup.
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She wrote: "Saturday night I got home late and my dog didn't recognize me. Being a nanny I thought I woke him up and he was having a night terror. Sunday, he was still acting weird.
"I realized that I had been running my new diffuser and decided to turn it off. Sunday afternoon, he was feeling better.
"Today at work, my dog sitter said that he wouldn't come out from under the bed. It was very odd as he is a happy dog," she continued.
"I came from work early and again, he was very confused about who I was. So I took him to emergency vet."
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It was here that Marianne was told the tea tree oil was actually toxic for her dog - a fact that she, like many dog owners, was unaware of.
Thankfully, tests at the vets showed that the dog's liver was okay, but they had to administer fluids under his skin to cleanse him of all the toxins he'd ingested.
"The vet and the poison control are saying that they see these cases often now that the popularity of essential oil is growing," she added.
"Please make sure that the essential oils you are burning are not toxic for your pets."
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She went on to list a whole string of oils you shouldn't be using if you've got a dog.
Confirming Marianne's warning, Vet Zoe Costigan from pet wellbeing specialist firm Itchpet.com told Tyla: "Some essential oils are poisonous to dogs. They are especially toxic when ingested and can be potentially harmful if inhaled as well"
"We need to be cautious when it comes to keeping these in our homes as dogs are very susceptible to the environment around them.
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"The most common effects dogs experience when exposed to these oils include ataxia, depression, tremors, vomiting and hypersalivation," she shared.
"Oils that are harmful to dogs include (but not limited to) tea-tree oil, peppermint, pine, cinnamon, citrus, lavender and thyme."
She added that it's not just dogs who are affected, as cats are "even more vulnerable" to many of the oils.
How To Keep Your Pet Safe When Using Essential Oils
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If your pet developed any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should take them to your vet immediately and cease the use of any potentially dangerous essential oils in your home.
Plus, if you're not sure whether the specific oil you've got is dangerous, always check with your vet first.
It doesn't mean you can't use the oils altogether, though. Just make sure you've got a passive diffuser rather than an active diffuser.
A passive diffuser simply puts the natural scent into the air but eliminates the oils, rather than letting micro-droplets of the oil into the air, meaning it's a lot safer for both cats and dogs. Just make sure you keep your oils near a ventilation system or a window to avoid them becoming too powerful.
And whatever you do, never apply any essential oils to your pet's fur, in case they attempt to lick it off.
This is so important for all pet owners to note.
Topics: Dog, Pets, Cat, Animals