Keeping Your Fur Babies Safe
By Terri Bonin
There are so many products that we use on a daily basis that can be toxic to our fur babies. Obviously no one wants to poison their animal, but you don’t know what you don’t know right? Some things are more obvious such as using bleach or heavy cleaners that have the skull and crossbones on them, but other things are more subtle. In a world where some of the things we’re using to help ourselves get healthier are actually poisonous to our fur babies ~ sometimes we need help! For instance, did you know…
That xylitol is poisonous to dogs? Xylitol is a low-calorie sweetener that many people use in their baking to help them lose weight. If, however, you have a dog in the house then you should NOT use xylitol. Even just a little can cause your pup to go into liver failure. Xylitol is not something I recommend using for any reason as it can have a (ahem) cleansing effect.
Carpet cleaners can also be dangerous to your pets and they seem to stick in the carpet and then stick to their paws. Cats especially like to clean their paws so when chemicals get on them and they ingest it…yikes! A safer alternative is Thieves Household cleaner which is completely non-toxic and safe for pets. Double win!
Fleas and ticks can be problematic but the flea sprays you buy at pet stores can literally be lethal and ineffective at best. There are essential oils that can help with that but unless you know what’s pure and safe it’s a risky game. Cats, for instance, lack an enzyme in their liver to process certain toxins, which is why even many over the counter medications that can be given to dogs, cannot be given to cats. This is why purity is of UTMOST importance when choosing oils to use on and around your kitty friends! Their bodies cannot process the synthetic yuck in all of those cheap oils you see popping up everywhere else and they could get very sick, indeed. That missing enzyme also means that kitties need to stay away from certain oils especially high in phenol.
When using the right products on your animal friends, you can boost their immune system, soothe skin irritations, help calm them down naturally, etc. But it’s so important to know what’s safe and what isn’t.
To help you do just that we are having a FB class tonight called Fur Babies & Essential Oil Basics where we will go into more detail about how to use essential oils safely with your pets. Please join us tonight at 7:30 pm CST. Click here to join!
To order any of the products I mentioned just click here.
~ Terri
Meet Terri Bonin, the author of 31 Days to Fit, 14 Days to Ignite Your Marriage, and Live, Laugh, Love, and Laundry. Terri’s 23-year union with her favorite dentist (her husband), has been prosperous in their prolific production of 10 darling children. She also holds a degree in nutritional counseling which seems to be most frequently used to persuade her children to eat their greens. Terri’s secret pleasure is sneaking away from juggling the daily tasks, homeschooling, and dating her husband to escape to her office to write for her own enjoyment. As you can imagine she has a LOT to write about!
*Disclaimer: The information above is based on my research and personal use of Young Living Essential Oils. I am not a doctor. Statements, products, and techniques mentioned have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
