Stay Away From Eucalyptus Oils If You Have Pets. Here's Why

Essential oils are tricky when it comes to pets. While some might be considered safe to use, many pose great dangers to your furry friends. Eucalyptus oil falls into the latter category, and shouldn't be used on or around your pets in any form. It contains eucalyptol, also known as cineole, which is a toxin to both dogs and cats.

Cats are especially affected by essential oils, as they struggle to metabolize them because they are missing the required enzyme in their liver. They are also sensitive to phenols, a type of compound commonly found in many cleaning products and essential oils, including eucalyptus oil. Phenols are also toxic to dogs if ingested. Due to a their strong sense of smell, they can be very sensitive to essential oils in general, which can cause breathing problems for your dog that may require treatment.

While eucalyptus oil poses the greatest danger to pets when ingested, you also shouldn't diffuse it or use it topically, especially when it comes to cats. It takes a large amount of eucalyptus oil to be inhaled or absorbed through the skin to cause toxicity, but considering that cats are constantly grooming themselves, it's highly likely that eucalyptus oil that ends up on their skin could be ingested and lead to poisoning. If a dog or cat happens to ingest eucalyptus oil, the symptoms they face will depend on how much they consumed and how highly concentrated the oil is.

If your pet only happens to ingest a small amount of a lower concentrated eucalyptus oil, they may only experience gastrointestinal issues, such as vomiting or diarrhea. However, eucalyptus oils with higher concentrations can cause more severe symptoms, such as seizures, tremors, and kidney damage. Other signs of potential eucalyptus poisoning include weakness, depression, and salivation.

If you suspect your dog or cat has ingested any amount of eucalyptus oil, contact a pet poison control center right away and monitor their symptoms. If your pet ate a large amount of concentrated oil or their symptoms are severe, seek veterinary help immediately. Do not induce vomiting in your dog or cat with something like salt unless directed by poison control or a vet to do so. If your pet gets eucalyptus oil on their fur or skin, wash it off immediately.

The best way to keep your dog or cat safe from eucalyptus oil poisoning is to simply avoid using it altogether. Along with refraining from diffusing or applying the oil, use only pet-safe household cleaning products, and be sure to stray away from any that contain eucalyptus oil that could harm your pets if they were to lick it. If you have eucalyptus oil in the home, keep it somewhere far out of reach from your pet so there's no chance they can get into it.