Aromatherapy, Essential Oils and Some Cautions
By Kristen Leigh Bell

Kristen Bell is one of the very few Wellpetters who is certified in Aromatherapy. Here is one of her first posts to us a couple years back:

There is so much to share- but I can give a brief overview... There is a lot more info at my web-site below.
I have noticed that the flower remedies are often mentioned in several of the holistic pet care books I have, while Aromatherapy is not. I find this ironic, because I see the flower remedies as a "cosmic" vibrational type of therapy, while Aromatherapy deals with physical and chemical characteristics of a substance-and of course, the sense of smell. Yet many people I know who often use Bach Rescue Remedy are totally skeptic about Aromatherapy!
I think in many ways, marketing & advertising to the human world has led us all to believe that Aromatherapy is just about buying a tube of Freesia bath gel and smelling nice... or lighting a candle to relieve stress. (these mainstream products we find in markets, bath store chains, etc- most often are SYNTHETIC fragrances yet are labeled "Aromatherapy") Aromatherapy is healing with essential oils (EO's). These substances are the soul/essence of the plant. They act as an immune system for the plant in many ways- antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory. They have complex chemical constituents, and on top of it all, many of them have pleasing aromas.

Aromatherapy is excellent for dog care because so many common canine health problems are microbe-related. I know in my 2 GRs, ear infections are a common problem. No problem! I use oils with a chemical makeup which is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-yeast to clear up the problem.

My older GR just had surgery for laryngeal paralysis and has a 8 inch long incision. I made a blend of oils to apply to his neck based on what was needed: anti-inflammatory, skin regenerating, antibacterial, antiviral, and with a touch of anti-itch/analgesic effect thrown in. It smelled awful!!! In this case, I can assure you, aromatherapy was not about smelling nice---thus the term "Aromamedicine" has been born... There is a lot more about aromatherapy at my web-site below... a basic intro, how & why it works, safety issues (*very important*).

If you want to get started in aromatherapy, I would say the best oils for you to start with (and the safest) would be the "typicals" Lavender, Tea Tree, Roman Chamomile, Peppermint, Lemon or Citronella, Bergamot. EO's are very expensive, and there are over 100 of them available. They should all be used diluted in a base oil. (a vegetable oil such as sweet almond, sesame, grapeseed, coconut, etc- even olive or canola oil!)

Of course, I do not recommend just buying EO's at a drugstore or health food store. Adulteration runs rampant in EO production. Most oils are food or industrial grade. The key word you want is "therapeutic" grade. I know of many suppliers where excellent quality oils can be gotten. I also do blending/remedies with these oils- on my web-site. If anyone wants to discuss this more, I would love to. Right now my main goal is to get the word out about aromatherapy to dog owners and remove the "silly" mystique it has developed. Most people giggle and say "yeah-right!" when I tell them what I do. I want to help people understand what Aromatherapy has to offer therapeutically and make it accessible and safe for people to use.

Thanks for listening!

Kristen Leigh Bell, PIA-Certified Aromatherapist,
Member National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy Featuring Aromaleigh natural products, remedies and grooming products for canines, felines and humans based on essential oils and
Aromatherapy: www.aromaleigh.com
Never mass-manufactured...only safe, natural, botanical ingredients

Here is some recommended reading for those of you who would like to brush up on the principles of Aromatherapy and safety.

For use in dogs, cut dilutions for humans back 50-75%. (For those of you who have not read further, oils are not to be used on cats at all.)

Tisserand, Robert: "The Art of Aromatherapy", Destiny Books, New York, 1983

Valnet, Jean: "The Practice of Aromatherapy", Destiny Books, New York, 1983

***Lavabre, Marcel: "Aromatherapy Workbook", Healing Arts Press, Vermont, 1990

***Lawless, Julia: "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils", Element Books, 1995

Gattefosse, Rene-Maurice: "Gattefosse's Aromatherapy", C.W. Daniel Co, 1937

***Phillipe Malhebian: "Portraits in Oils"

***Schnaubelt, Kurt: "Advanced Aromatherapy", 1998

Schnaubelt, Kurt: "Medical Aromatherapy", 1998 (not yet released, but sure to be excellent if it is by Dr. Schnaubelt)

Grosjean, Nelly: "Veterinary Aromatherapy", 1993 (Nelly suggests the use of some essential oils which can be possible irritants. I recommend her book because it shows that the field of Aromatherapy does in fact encompass animals-it has info about the use of hydrosols for cats and why NOT to use EO's for cats)

Valerie Worwood also has a new book out- I hear it is excellent, but have not seen it yet myself.