As far as essential oils are concerned, is Cedarwood Essential Oil safe for dogs?
That’s what I had asked myself as I did some research on whether or not I could use it to help my rescue dog Wally relax.
Because here’s the thing – Cedarwood Essential Oil is known to reduce stress, but would it be safe to use for Wally as well?
Specifically for environment-based stress like the kind dogs are exposed to when people are setting off fireworks.
Yep, we’re talking 4th of July and New Year’s!
It’s on those occasions that dogs are known to get a little anxious, to put it politely.
So if we were to use Cedarwood Essential Oil to help our dogs relax, would it be safe for them?
Or to put it differently – how do I safely use Cedarwood Essential Oil for my pup to help them relax?
That’s precisely what we’re going to look at in this blog post, including which kind I use, how I use it and where I buy it.
Is Cedarwood Essential Oil Safe For Dogs?
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Can You Use Cedarwood Essential Oil For Your Dog?
So the good news is that your dog doesn’t have to feel anxious around loud noises like fireworks, or even thunder and construction work.
Because YES, you can use Cedarwood Essential Oil to help your pup stress less!
But a lot of dog owners are very hesitant about using essential oils for their pups.
It’s kind of understandable since you have to be cautious when it comes to your dog’s health.
Thankfully, Cedarwood Essential Oil is completely safe for dogs.
In fact, it’s a great option if you want to help calm your dog down on days when you suspect they’ll be anxious!
Tip: If you’re looking to use Cedarwood Essential Oil to help your dog relax the night of July 4th or December 31st, start using the oil around them about a week before the main “event”.
That’ll help them get used to it.
Benefits Of Cedarwood Essential Oil For Dogs
Cedarwood oil has as much of a calming effect on dogs than it does on us humans.
As a matter of fact, Cedarwood smells like the outdoors and has a grounding, woodsy aroma.
So that may be another reason why it can help reduce anxiety and stress in our four-legged friends.
Since Cedarwood is relaxing, it’s also good at helping your dog fall asleep.
Because if your dog is anxious, they will most likely have a hard time getting any rest.
Especially during firework and t-storm season when people are setting fireworks off at night, and thunder is rolling.
And since a lack of sleep can contribute to increased anxiety, you want to make sure your pups are resting.
Did you know?
Cedarwood Essential Oil contains cedrol, which is a component that has sedating properties.
It naturally helps your pet get tired without requiring anything aggressive like medication.
Bonus side effects: Cedarwood Essential Oil also helps repel fleas and ticks!
You can also use it to make your very own flea & tick spray: Just mix I cup of distilled water with 10 drops of Cedarwood Essential Oil in a small spray bottle, shake it and it’s ready to be used!
You can also add Peppermint Essential Oil to the mix as that’s another component that pests like fleas and ticks really dislike.
When you do, add 5 drops of each oil to the distilled water.
How to Put The Oil to Use
Here are some examples of how you can use Cedarwood Essential Oil for dogs.
I’ll lead with my favorite approach – the diffuser!
Aromatherapy For Dogs
The main way to use Cedarwood Essential Oil for your pup is with aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy is completely safe and provides a gentle option to create a peaceful environment for all of your loved ones, including your furries.
One thing you have to keep in mind is that dogs have a much stronger sense of smell than we do.
That’s why you don’t want to use too much essential oil.
Essential Oil Diffusers & Burners For Cedarwood Oil
In order to avoid sensory overload for your pup, use only 1 to 2 drops of Cedarwood Oil in your aroma diffuser setup.
That’s really all it takes to be effective, which also means that a 10 ml=0.34 fl oz bottle is going to last you quite some time.
There’s approximately 200 drops in a 0.34 fl oz bottle, and even if you were to use 2 drops per day, it’ll last you 100 days, so a little over 3 months.
You can also use an essential oil burner to heat the oil.
The way it works is you add a spoon of water and a few drops, then you light a small candle underneath.
Use Cedarwood Oil For Dogs Topically
The other option you have for using Cedarwood Oil for your dog is topically.
But in order to use Cedarwood Oil topically on dogs, you first need to dilute it with so-called carrier oils.
Dog-friendly carrier oil options include vegetables oils like:
Did you know? It’s called carrier oil because the oil carries the essential oil onto your (or in this case, your dog’s) body!
How Do You Dilute Cedarwood Oil For Dogs?
Now here’s how it works:
You can rub about a teaspoon worth of carrier oil on your hands, add 1-2 drops of Cedarwood Essential Oil, and rub it on your dog’s fur.
The hair follicles will absorb the oil without irritating your dog’s skin from direct contact.
However, make sure you do this on an area of their body where they can’t reach.
Some great places to use essential oils topically are on your dog’s neck right behind their ears where they aren’t going to be tempted to lick!
If your dog wears Thundershirts to help with their anxiety, you can also rub some of the diluted Cedarwood Oil onto it.
Of course this topical approach is not going to work if you have multiple pets who might be licking the diluted solution off their doggie friend’s neck.
You can also rub some onto your dog’s backpack or harness before you’re headed out on a walk! I started doing that and I feel like it’s been keeping ticks more at bay.
Safety Precautions
Cedarwood Essential Oil is safe for dogs, but that doesn’t mean that you should not be careful when you are using it around your pup.
No matter the essential oil, dogs should never ingest them, especially in their undiluted state.
They are far too potent and have negative health impacts when ingested, even for humans!
You also want to make sure you are not using essential oils on puppies.
Your dog should be at least a few months old before you introduce them to essential oils!
If your dog has any health concerns, speak with your vet beforehand.
They can give you the green or red light regarding the safety of essential oils for your pup.
Where I Buy Cedarwood Essential Oil For My Dog
Make sure you source your essential oils from a reputable shop that provides high-quality.
You don’t want to use an essential oil that has other oils mixed in as fillers.
That said, after reading lots of Amazon reviews on Cedarwood Essential Oils, I decided to go with the one by Gya Labs:
As I mentioned earlier, it comes in a 10 ml = 0.34 fl oz bottle and has around 200 drops of Cedarwood Oil.
Currently in 2023, it’s around $8.99 per bottle.
Is Cedarwood Essential Oil Safe For Dogs: Bottom Line
Yes, Cedarwood Essential Oil is safe for your dog.
That’s really good news if your dog struggles with anxiety, and you’d rather not shove anxiety medications down their throat.
After all, a lot of these medications have side effects like drowsiness that have a negative impact on your pup.
Now remember, you can use aromatherapy with Cedarwood Essential Oil by adding 1-2 drops to your essential oil diffuser.
Or you can apply it topically, but make sure you dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil before you rub it on your pup’s neck.
Now here’s to a relaxed fireworks season!
Related Reading:
- How to calm dogs during fireworks
- What to do if your dog is scared of thunder
- Dog car anxiety – how to travel with an anxious dog
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