Is Cedarwood Oil Safe For Dogs?

According to Statista, the global essential oil market stood at approximately $17 billion dollars in 2017.

The figure is expected to go up to $27 billion in 2022. When you look at the trends, it is relatively easy to believe these figures.

From aromatherapy to cleaning to repelling bugs, more people utilize essential oils with every passing day.

 With all the benefits you can get from these products, you must wonder if you can use them on your dog.

While most people can handle the effects of essential oils pretty well, pets are on the opposite end of the spectrum.

There are special types that do more harm than good to our four-legged friends.

Before you use anything on your dog, you should conduct thorough research on its effect on your sweet pooch.

In this post, we have explained whether Cedarwood oil is safe for your doggie or not.

Cedarwood Benefits for Dogs

As the name suggests, Cedarwood essential oil is derived from the popular cedar tree.

It is extracted from the leaves, needles, berries, and bark of the softwood through steam distillation, cold pressing, and carbon dioxide distillation.

 The oil has antiseptic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, insecticidal, and diuretic properties.

If this Healthline article is anything to go by, it helps with alopecia, reduces an itchy, flaky scalp, alleviates breakouts, improves sleep, and has a soothing effect on mood thus helping with anxiety.

Cedarwood oil also has benefits for your lovable dog. This is according to the Animal Wellness Magazine.

For one, it is an organic pest repellent. Thanks to its strong woody scent, bugs don’t care much for it.

The oil is also a great diuretic and an antiseptic, especially for kennel cough and other respiratory issues in dogs.

Finally, Cedarwood can be used as a growth booster, calming agent (reduces natural aggression and shyness), and dandruff enhancer.

Is Cedarwood Essential Oil Safe To Diffuse Around Dogs?

Cedarwood essential oil is on Dr. Axe’s list of safe oils to use around dogs.

The popular Wondercide website has also included it on their list of safe oils for dogs.

Both claim that the oil is an active ingredient in flea and tick control products.

It also helps to relax an anxious dog. If your pooch gets aggressive or extremely shy when they are nervous, the oil can help calm them down.

Cedarwood also has tremendous aromatherapy properties on dogs.

Although the AKC has not mentioned it as safe or not, cedarwood oil is thankfully not on the website’s toxic list.

The toxic oils mentioned here include citrus, cinnamon, pennyroyal, sweet birch, peppermint, pine, ylang-ylang, wintergreen, and tea tree. Learn more here: Which Essential Oils are Toxic to Dogs?

While cedar oil is relatively safe for your dog, you must exercise great caution when diffusing it around your Fido.

 The reason is simple – dogs have strong noses that are easily overwhelmed with the weakest of scents.

Our cute furballs possess about 300 million olfactory receptors in their little noses. Humans have up to 6 million.

 Additionally, the part of a dog’s central nervous system dedicated to smell is 40 times greater than ours.

 According to the American Kennel Club, placing a few drops of essential oil on your dog’s bedding can either help or cause further stress. It all goes back to the mega-powerful smelling organ.

What all this means is that what may smell great is probably too much for your dog – 40 times stronger.

Although some dogs can handle this, others will find the scent overbearing.

If you must use cedarwood oil at home, pay attention to the following expert tips.

I. Keep the exposure short

There’s a big difference between placing a diffuser in your dog’s chambers and placing it away from them.

If they happen to walk into a room full of diffused cedar oil, they are bound to be okay.

However, if you diffuse the oil in a room where the dog spends most of their time, they will feel the effects.

II. The Quality of the Oil Matters

 Highly concentrated essential oils are not great around a dog. 

If possible, use cedarwood with natural carrier oil in it to minimize its risks.

Stay away from oils with artificial ingredients as these can cause harm to your dog, the environment, and other members of the family.

III. Do Not Diffuse Around Sensitive Dogs

Diffusers are to be avoided around dogs with medical issues ranging from atopic allergies and asthma.

These are often the most affected with symptoms such as sneezing, tremors, red eyes, a runny nose, altered breathing, and nausea.

Related Post: 12 Most Sensitive Dog Breeds

IV. Place the Diffuser Away From the Reach of the Dog

Diffusers are great and all but they can be a health hazard if your dog knocks them over.

At best, the contents will pour on the dog’s skin. At worst, your curious dog will lick it off and get a copious amount of product on its gut.

To avoid this, keep the diffusers as far away from your pet as possible.

Can You Use Cedar Oil On Dogs For Fleas?

Fleas are a nightmare for any dog parent. For starters, they irritate your beloved pets and can cause diseases including tapeworms, anemia, bartonellosis, and flea allergy dermatitis.

As if that were not enough, fleas can spread these diseases to the entire household causing even more problems for everyone. The best thing to do is deal with them at the source.

The best way to deal with fleas is to prevent them. But if your dog already has them, you have no option but to treat the infestation.

 As a natural bug repellent, cedarwood oil is a common ingredient in dog flea and tick products.

 It provides a safer alternative to the chemically processed products sold in stores.

The oil essentially works by sucking the moisture off of the critters causing their death.

It also breaks down fat particles in the flea. If used in the early stages, the bugs will simply dissolve and die.

Cedarwood essential oil can be sprayed directly on the dog’s skin to kill the nasty bugs.

You can purchase an effective topical spray formula from a pet store and spray it all over the dog’s skin, particularly where the fleas are hiding the most.

The oil should be able to dehydrate the eggs and larvae thus interrupting the lifecycle of the fleas.

It is also designed to offer healing of specific allergies including flaky and dry skin, yeast infections, and bacterial infections.

Apart from applying cedar oil on your pet, you need to do the same for their bedding and favorite hangout spots around the home.

After diluting with water, the oil can also be sprayed on the entire house to do away with fleas once and for all.

Related Post: 50 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Fleas on Your Dog

How to Use Cedarwood Oil On Dogs

When it comes to using cedarwood on your pup, your success is pegged on the method of application used.

Your furry friend cannot tell you when things have gotten out of control. If you are unsure, consult the experts.

Some of the safest methods include the following:

A. Topical application

Yes, cedarwood oil is safe to apply to your dog’s skin. As long as you apply the product to non-sensitive areas of the body, your dog will be fine.

Stay away from the paws and legs as these make it easy for the pooch to lick it off.

Cedar is not designed for ingestion and will cause vomiting, diarrhea, and tummy upset if ingested.

Obviously, do not apply the oil on your dog’s eyes, lips, nose, and spots with open wounds lest it cause irritation.

 As mentioned before, dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil before application to minimize risks.

 If the dog shows any symptoms of poisoning, contact the vet.

B. Aromatherapy

We have covered the whole issue of diffusion in detail above. Both passive and active diffusion are safe as long as the safety tips are adhered to.

However, passive diffusers are safer because they do not release particles of cedar oil into the air as active diffusers do.

Essential oil particles in the air are bound to cause skin irritations, respiratory issues, and neurological symptoms.

Passive diffusers soak up the oil and mildly release the scent into the atmosphere.

As usual, use quality oils, keep the windows open, and if your dog displays any signs of distress, turn off the diffuser and call the vet.

Examples of passive diffusers include heat and reed diffusers.

Parting Thoughts

Cedarwood is a beneficial essential oil for humans and dogs alike.

Dog owners can utilize it around their pets either through passive diffusion or topically.

As long as you play by the safety rules, the oil will not hurt your canine friend.