I was looking into the benefits of using of Peppermint Oil for dogs

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I noticed that another bakery was using Organic Peppermint Oil in their chocolate bars, so I thought, oh, this is new, lets see what benefits if any there are for the dogs and maybe use this for some of the Bakery’s treats.  As always, you start with Google as there is lots of interesting information on Peppermint Oil on the internet, but on Google, all the information was showing that it was not quite the answers I was looking for.

I wanted to check to see which essential oils are beneficial to dogs, but actually found out that most were poisonous, eek!  and unfortunately, on a lot of the internet sites about Oils, Peppermint is listed as one of them.

According to the articles I have read, Peppermint oil can be toxic to pets, whether it is ingested by mouth or used on the skin.  Worst of all, some articles state that people are getting confused with thinking that natural is safe.

Here at the Bakery, we like to check both.  I have seen a Dog Bakery using this for making their doggie chocolate bars, and so now, that is worrying, so please be aware.

This is some of the information found so far.

Firstly, be aware of the difference between the Oil and Extract.

  • Peppermint Extract – they use a solvent for extraction and that is why it is not an Essential Oil.  Its a tincture or infusion.
  • Peppermint Oil – Highly concentrated from plants, and must be produced by steam distillation or expression.

Here is some of the evidence from different sources on the internet:

  • As soon as you Google ‘is Peppermint Oil safe for dogs, the Michelsonfoundanimals.org list shows oils harmful to dogs and the list is Cinnamon, Citrus, Pennyroyal, Peppermint, Pine, Sweet Birch, Tea Tree, Wintergreen, Ylang ylang, Anise, Clove, Thyme, Juniper, Yarrow, and Garlic.
  • They state that generally speaking, essential oils and animals do not mix and Michelson Found Animals doesn’t recommend using any essential oils on your pets.

thehappypuppysite.com has an article stating that Peppermint Oil is not as safe for dogs as it is for humans.  According to the article, there is a huge trend towards natural remedies and aromatic oils, and this trend is filtering through to Pet products.  Organic and Natural are confusing pet owners, and these supplements, oils etc are on the market with little or no way of knowing the potential side effects.

If you are using Peppermint Oil for any reason, please look out for the following symptoms of poisoning in pets, a good rule of thumb is to always be alert to changes in your pets behaviour.  You may be using the oil for Flea Treatments, but look out for the following:

  • Difficulty Breathing
  • Drooling
  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Difficulty walking or stumbling
  • Muscle tremors
  • Pawing at the mouth or face
  • Redness or burns on their lips, tongue, skin or gums
  • Vomiting