Home Aromatherapy Treatment versus Consulting an Aromatherapist

After exploring the various topics on canine aromatherapy, the next step would to put it into practice. This should be easy since you already know the numerous benefits (i.e. boost immune system, healing agents) your dog gain through aromatherapy. Your next task is deciding which alternative to take; either consulting an aromatherapist or administer the essential oils to your dog yourself—home aromatherapy.

Consulting an Aromatherapist

Pros:

• Availability & Experience: Although the number of holistic veterinarian has increase tremendously over the last few years but to locate an aromatherapist who has experience of using essential oils for animals is still a challenging task.
• Expensive Consultation: As with all conventional veterinarian services, consulting an aromatherapist is no exception. Price varies greatly; depending on the aromatherapist’s experience, its location, and facility.

Cons:

• Correct Diagnosis: There is no guessing game. You can be certain that an experienced aromatherapist is able to give you the correct diagnosis on your dog’s illness, disease, or injury on the first visit.
• Correct Treatment: Both you and the aromatherapist know exactly what condition is being treated, in this way you can be certain that the essential oil used will be just right for your dog.

Home Aromatherapy

Pros:

• Consultation Fees: The thing about Do-It-Yourself is that there is no labor or consultation charges. And of course, no waiting time is needed too!
• Bonding: Just like any canine massages, you will develop a closer relationship with your dog when you use the massage or bath technique. This is not including an obvious fact that you will also be benefited during the process—de-stressing after a long day at work.

Cons:

• Cost: Pure essential oils are expensive. 1000 pounds of plant are needed to produce one pound of essence. This process involves labor to cultivate and harvest the plant and the energy cost for distillation. While pure, natural essential oils may seem expensive, one or two drops will go far. This makes them cost effective. On the flipside, it would be prohibitively expensive to keep a stock of all the essential oils; my advice is to buy those oils you need most often.
• Limited Shelves Life: Because of the variations in the manufacturing process, the prices of essential oil can differ. This is particularly so to those diluted ones. The effectiveness of lower grade oils, or oils that are diluted, drastically diminishes over time due to a loss of their essential properties.
• Knowledge: Typically, problems are caused by excessive use of potentially irritating or allergic oils such as cloves, cinnamon, oregano, or savory but with proper knowledge, these pitfalls are easily avoided. Another common mistake is that owner tends to project human reactions onto canine. A scent that appeals to you may leave your dog flat! On the other hand, a scent that turns you off could delight a sickly dog. For example, Valerian has a very strong fecal smell to humans, may actually help your dog to relax.
• Suitability: There are some essential oils that seems to be sedating and are antiseptic may not work in exactly the same ways on dogs as they do on humans. One example is the lavender oil, which has a calming effect on people but doesn’t seem to soothe some dogs as much.
• Troublesome: As I’d mentioned previously, oral dosing is not normally advisable especially under inexperience hands. While diffusers are straightforward to use, but can be messy and are time-consuming. As for bath technique, not many dogs fancy submerging themselves half way in the water and will less likely to stay in the tub for long while you “sponge” them. Leaving you with only one option—the massage technique.
• Novelty Wears Off: This is extremely rare case but I’ve clients telling to me that their dogs no longer enjoy the aromatherapy massage as they used to. So getting the dog to stay still during the treatment is a challenging feat. From my years of experience dealing with dogs, I have yet to meet one dog who would turn down any therapeutic massages. If I may be forward here, novelty will wear off when owners view the process as a chore. Dogs are great sensors and if they sense any unpleasant tension from you, they are not likely to stay at one position for long.

Canine aromatherapy, in my opinion, is still ideally suited for home use despite the disadvantages I listed above outnumbered the advantages. Although it is also true that irresponsible use of essential oils may pose certain risks but these risks are small compared to the potential gain. As with all skills, this can be easily overcome through knowledge (extensive research) and practice.

Nevertheless, if you feel much comfortable entrusting it to your holistic veterinarian (which you should especially serious problems, illness, disease, or injuries), just be informed that they don’t use aromatherapy as a primary treatment modality, but as an adjunct. Aromatherapy is often requested by dog owners.

The Complete Series on Canine Aromatherapy

1. What is Canine Aromatherapy? Does It Work?
2. What Are The Benefits Of Using Aromatherapy On Dogs?
3. Canine Aromatherapy: Tips On Buying Essential Oils
4. How Should Aromatherapy Treatments Be Used On Dogs?
5. Home Aromatherapy Treatment versus Consulting an Aromatherapist