What is aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils that are from distilled portions of plants, and they are used for our health and our well-being.
Dr. Goodman is an Animal Aromatherapy Specialist. This means she has received extensive training on the safe and proper use of essential oils in veterinary medicine.
What is an essential oil?
An essential oil is a volatile substance that comes from the plant. It can be from the flower, the stem, the leaves, the fruit, the root—it can be from any portion of the plant depending on what essential oil it is. What we mean by volatile is that it evaporates at room temperature. What it actually does is, when our body is not regulated, it helps bring our body back into homeostasis or back into an equilibrium.
How does aromatherapy work in the body?
With essential oil, we breathe it in, it goes into our nose into our scent cells, which is our olfactory system, and then travels up to our brain into what's called our limbic system. The limbic system is where we have our general function of living and breathing every day. Essential oils can have specific effects on the body, and there are known oils that have these specific effects, which is why it makes them so reliable and so good. They can have a direct or indirect effect on our bodies. They're used in various expanses of life and are becoming more widely accepted throughout the world.
In what areas are essential oils being used?
They're used in medicine and nursing, spiritually, for cosmetics, for reflexology, and now we're even using them for our fur babies, which is really exciting.
Are all essential oils the same?
It is really important to know that not all essential oils are created equally. What that means is you can go to the store and see a plethora or a ton of different types of lavender essential oils made by different companies. However, there's not enough lavender fields in the world to make all of that essential oil that's considered a pure essential oil of lavender. Each oil is produced at a specific time of harvest for the plant, and then they're sent to the factory, where they might be diluted out. If it's diluted out too much, it might not truly be that essential oil in that lavender bottle.
How can consumers ensure the quality of essential oils?
Companies that are reliable should be able to provide two essential things: mass spectrometry and gas chromatography on your essential oil. They should have that readily available for you.
How do we use aromatherapy in animals?
There are three ways that we can use it: they can either ingest it, have it diffused in the room, or have it used topically. Most widely, I use it topically. It's extremely important to understand that each essential oil is used differently. Not all of them can be ingested by your fur baby, and not all can be diffused so that it overwhelms the sense of your fur baby. Each one is very specific.
Are essential oils safe for pets?
It's extremely important to know that not all essential oils are safe for our pets. They can cause harm if used improperly. Animals have a much better nose than we do as humans, having more scent receptors, so essential oils can be very overwhelming if used incorrectly. Essential oils must be diluted in a certain manner so that they don't overwhelm the olfactory system of your pets.
What are the benefits of using essential oils in animals?
We use essential oils in many different ways. Some of the ways include seeing good effects on behavior and anxiety. They can be used on conditions such as skin conditions; salves can be made out of natural essential oils that can help clear up infections. We can use peppermint for internal diseases, such as irritable bowel disease. Many people understand peppermint from the human point of view—where it helps an upset stomach by causing blood vessels to dilate, increasing blood flow to that area, decreasing inflammation, and reducing aches and pains. Another good use is for arthritis. We have a vast number of ways that it can be used.
Fun Fact About Essential Oils
At our practice, animals get to choose their essential oil! By offering pets different scents, they instinctively gravitate toward the one that suits them best. This allows them to participate in their care actively and ensures a truly personalized experience for your furry family member.