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Is Clove Oil Safe for Dogs, Cats & Other Animals? (Answered)

Essential oils come in various kinds. Among the types available, clove oil is a kind of such essential oil. People usually use it for multiple purposes.

You may ask if clove oil is safe for dogs, cats and other animals. Let us answer that question and provide you with some necessary information regarding that. 

Is clove oil safe for dogs?

Clove oil is not safe for dogs. There are multiple essential oils that are not safe for dogs. Among those essential oils, clove oil is one of them. Clove oil causes various kinds of health problems for dogs and those problems may cause severe issues in the long run for the animal itself.

Clove oil is an essential oil. It is made using essential oil extracts mixed with clove extract. This essential oil is helpful for human beings for various purposes. But it may cause problems if used in large amounts and may cause health related issues.

But for dogs, cloves are not safe. It is said that dogs are sensitive to some essential oils. Among those oils, clove oil is one of them. Clove oil causes various kinds of skin irritation in dogs. Therefore, dogs face skin related issues if clove oil is used on them.

If dogs consume clove oil by mouth, it may cause severe problems to them as well. Dogs may face nausea, stomach upset and many more problems. These problems may grow more and cause deeper health related issues. So it is better to keep clove oil as far as possible from dogs.

You can use clove oil diffusers around dogs, but you should not. Clove oil diffusers usually diffuse a small amount of oil in the air. This amount of oil can be safe for most dogs. 

But it is not recommended to keep using diffusers around dogs as it may create long term issues for dogs due to continuously inhaling clove oil.

Eugenol clove oil is considered safe for dogs. This essential oil is made based on an element found in clove and combining it with other ingredients. It is found in various pet products and the appropriate amount of it can be helpful for dogs.

Can dogs smell clove oil? Are dogs allergic to clove oil?

Dogs can smell clove oil but you should not let them. Dogs can smell anything 6 million times better than human beings. This proves that dogs can smell any kind of scent. This includes any kind of essential oil like clove oil.

Whenever dogs can smell something, they usually provide some indication that they have identified a scent. They will wiggle their nose and tail whenever they catch a scent. If the smell is too strong, they might sneeze. You need to be careful about that.

Yes, dogs are allergic to clove oil. Dogs are found to be allergic to any kind of essential oil. This includes clove oil as well. If dogs take a certain amount of clove oil by inhaling, it might cause an allergic reaction. This may lead to more allergic related problems afterwards.

Dogs may accidentally eat clove oil. Although it may seem to be nothing to worry about, this may cause various health related issues. You may ask what happens if your dog eats clove oil. Let us discuss some important incidents that may occur if your dog eats clove oil.

Vomiting:

If dogs eat clove oil, they may start vomiting. This happens as their stomach gets upset from the presence of clove oil. To be precise, this occurs due to the natural extracts of clove oil and it causes stomach related issues in dogs which lead to vomiting.

Less hungry:

Dogs will be less hungry after eating clove oil. This will cause them various stomach related issues. As a result, they will not want to have food. They will try to avoid it as much as possible.

Seizures:

Dogs may also face seizures due to eating clove oil. If dogs eat any kind of essential oil, it causes instability in the body of the dogs. This leads to seizures. Clove oil is a kind of essential oil. So, the same may happen for this as well for dogs.

What to do if your dog eats clove oil?

Your dog may eat clove oil by mistake. The dog is an animal and it cannot distinguish what is good and bad for them unless they are taught. But you may ask what you should do if your dog eats clove oil accidentally.

First, you need to get the source of clove oil away from them. Immediately try to rinse their mouth. It will help clear the dog’s mouth and remove any kind of clove oil remaining in their mouth.

After that, you need to induce your dog to vomit. It will help to get the clove oil that it consumes out of its system. You can do this by giving some hydrogen peroxide to your dog. This medicine can be found in your dog’s first aid kit.

Consult with a veterinarian if the condition of your dog worsens.

Is clove oil safe for cats?

Clove oil is not safe for cats. Clove oil is considered to be a kind of essential oil. Cats are highly sensitive to most of the essential oils that are available on the market and may cause severe toxicity related issues. Clove oil may cause problems inside and outside of a cat’s body.

Cats are usually sensitive to almost all kinds of essential oil. They are also sensitive to clove oil as well. It causes skin irritation if it is used on the skin. But if it is consumed, it may damage the liver and other organs as well. But a small amount of clove oil may not cause any issue.

Cats are allergic to clove oil. Like dogs, cats are also sensitive to clove oil. If clove oil gets in contact with the cat’s skin, it may cause an instant allergic reaction. This may result in a minor response or sometimes may cause complicated problems.

You should not use a clove oil diffuser around cats. Diffusers are used primarily to spread essential oils in the area where it is used. If any cat gets into that room, it may not cause any issue at most times. But some cats may instantly face allergic reactions. 

Moreover, if your cat stays in the room where the clove oil diffuser is around, it may cause the cat to get sick.

Can you use clove oil for fleas and ticks on dogs & cats?

You can use clove oil for fleas and ticks on dogs & cats. Clove oil is considered to be effective against fleas and ticks. The main natural ingredient of clove oil is usually a strong flea and tick repellent. This keeps them away from the place where clove oil is generally used.

But you need to use clove oil in a particular manner. You need to dilute the clove oil with other ingredients. You cannot use it directly as it is strong. After diluting, you may spray it on the bed or around the area where your cats usually move around. 

Keep your cats away when spraying diluted clove oil. Direct contact may result in an allergic reaction and other health problems afterwards.

Is clove oil safe for other animals or pets?

Clove oil is usually not safe for almost all other animals or pets. There are certain reasons why most animals and pets do not like essential oils. Clove oil is also one of the essential oils.

In terms of cats, clove oil is considered toxic for them. They face liver damage if they come in contact with clove oil. Cats lack an enzyme called liver enzyme in their body. Due to the lack of this enzyme, the body of cats cannot break down the compounds of clove oil.

This causes toxic compounds to build up in the cat’s body. As a result, the liver of the cat gets damaged. This is why clove oil is not safe for cats and almost all other animals or pets.

You may want to know if clove oil is safe for birds and rabbits or not. Let us provide you with the information regarding this matter.

Birds:

Clove oil is safe for birds. It is considered to be the safest scent for birds. This is recommended for aromatherapy for birds.

Rabbits:

Clove oil is not safe for rabbits. Any essential oil is considered not safe for rabbits. As clove oil is a kind of essential oil, it is not safe as well.

Final thoughts

Clove oil is not safe for almost all animals & pets. It is not safe for dogs and cats as it is an essential oil. This hampers their usual lifestyle and causes various health issues. Although it is not safe for rabbits as well, this oil is safe for birds and is used for aromatherapy.