Is Lavender Safe For Dogs? [Research Finally Comes To An End]

Lavender is known to serve a lot of useful purposes to humans and pets as well; however, is lavender safe for dogs? Being a useful product, it would be strange to think it is unsafe for dogs, right? wrong!

Whether lavender is safe for dogs or unsafe depends on 2 factors, which we will be coming to find out in the informative article below.

Let’s go!

 

What Does Lavender Look Like?

Lavender is sometimes referred to as Lavandula latifolia or Lavandula angustifolia. This plant can be found on sunny, rocky hillsides.

What is fascinating about this plant is not the shrubby leaves, but the purple flowers that it produces. The flower is known to be a source of medicine and also serves other useful purposes, making it quite versatile and important.

In this article, we are referring to dogs, but you must know that lavender has a lot of benefits, not just for dogs but for humans as well. These benefits include the following:

• It aids sleep.
• It reduces pain.
• It can be used to make medicines that fight off harmful viruses and bacteria.
• It is often used in various human products, including the following:
  • Soaps
  • Lotions
  • Supplements
  • Sprays, etc.
• Lavender can be used to promote hair growth.
• It calms stress and anxiety, etc.

From the above information, you would find out that lavender oil does not only relate to dogs but to humans as well. However, is lavender safe for dogs?

 

Read also: Are Almonds Bad For Dogs? | Safe/Unsafe

 

Is Lavender Safe For Dogs?

Now to the important question: is lavender safe for dogs? It is an acceptable fact that we all now agree (after reading the above information) that lavender oil is very beneficial to humans; however, is it as safe for dogs?

The answer to this question is yes and no. Yes, lavender is safe if used the right way; however, when used wrongly, it can be very unsafe for dogs.

It would interest you to know that the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has already bookmarked lavender to be very unsafe for dogs, and this is because of the consequences involved if it is used wrongly or ingested by your pet.

If your dog should ingest lavender, it may lead to any or all of the following symptoms:

• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Lack of appetite

Linalool is a floral and spicy terpene alcohol found in lavender and other plants and is mostly responsible for the above symptoms that may be experienced by your dog after ingestion.

Although your dog would need to ingest a large amount of lavender (or linalool) for the symptoms to become visible, it is still unsafe to allow them around it.

Is lavender safe for dogs? Yes, it is, and the safest way to use it is referred to as aromatherapy. 

According to Wikipedia, aromatherapy is a practice based on the use of aromatic materials, including essential oils and other aroma compounds, with claims to improve psychological well-being.

When used for dogs, lavender has proven to help your dogs relax and ease tension and anxiety. Even though the safety of dogs against lavender does not have a certain answer, it is still wise to be careful to avoid accidents.

 

Is Lavender Safe For Dogs to Smell?

Yes, lavender is safe for dogs to smell, but not often. The smell would not be a problem if the dog’s sense of smell was not very strong.

Yes, the sense of smell of your pet dog is 1000 times stronger than yours; hence, it makes lavender kind of unsafe for them, as they would get easily overwhelmed.

 

Read also: How Safe is the Dog Pumpkin Pie? Thrilling Revelations

 

Is Lavender Safe For Dogs Skin?

Is lavender safe for dogs skin? Yes, lavender is safe for dogs skin, but only when used on purpose, that is, for aromatherapy, and not that it mistakenly got on your pet’s skin.

You will often see lavender in certain dog products, including the following:

• Shampoo
• Oils
• Sprays

The lavender in these products is responsible for giving your dog a soothing feeling that calms their anxiety and releases stress and tension.

Aromatherapy involves placing drops of lavender oil in places where your dog is likely to frequent or visit regularly. However, you must avoid keeping the lavender in places where your dogs are likely to ingest them.

 

Is Lavender Safe For Dogs to Eat?

What makes lavender unsafe for dogs is the effect it may have if ingested by your pet. As I had earlier mentioned, the entire lavender is not the problem, but the specific compound it contains linalool.

When ingested by dogs, linalool can lead to the following symptoms:

• Vomiting
• Lack of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Nausea

It will interest you to know though that lavender does not naturally contain a high amount of linalool, however, the essential oil does.

Dried (Fresh) Lavender	Lavender Essential Oil
Dried (fresh) lavender may provide safe aromatic relaxation benefits for your dogs.	Lavender essential oil can end up creating stomach problems for your dogs that may last for days when ingested.

 

Read also: How To Safely Use Mirtazapine Dogs?

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Happens if My Dog Eats Lavender?

What makes lavender unsafe for dogs is the effect it may have if ingested by your pet. Like earlier mentioned, the entire lavender is not the problem, but the specific compound it contains, linalool.

Is Lavender Pillow Spray Safe For Dogs?

Lavender pillow spray is safe for dogs, but it depends on the amount used and your dog’s reaction to it. Initially apply the spray in small quantities and observe your dog’s reaction. If it is negative, then you should readjust.

How much lavender can I give my dog?

Your dog would need to ingest a large amount of lavender (or linalool) for the symptoms to become visible;  it is still unsafe to allow them around it. You should not even give lavender to your dog in the first place, as this would cause stomach upset and other symptoms that may last for days.

How Do You Make Lavender Spray For Dogs?

Fill an empty spray bottle with 2 cups of distilled water. Add 2 tablespoons of glycerin and 1 tablespoon of fractioned coconut oil. Add 13 drops of purchased lavender and 13 drops of orange essential oil to the spray bottle. Shake well to combine the ingredients.

 

Conclusion

As we have read, the main issue with lavender is the effects it has when ingested by our pet dogs. If your dog ingests a large portion of the linalool, it may cause certain symptoms that may last for days if not weeks.

It is important to monitor your pet dogs to ensure that they do not mistakenly ingest lavender essential oil or any product that may contain it.

Thank you for reading, and please feel free to ask your questions via the comments section below!

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