Lavender
CautionThe ASPCA lists lavender as toxic to dogs, with linalool and linalyl acetate as the toxic principles and nausea, vomiting and inappetence as the signs. Concentrated lavender essential oil is far more dangerous than the dried flowers. Never apply neat oil to a dog.
This food guide has not been reviewed by a veterinarian. It summarises general information from sources and should not be used to decide whether a food is suitable for an individual dog or to assess an emergency.
Check before feeding
Check the precautions before sharing
Risk depends on preparation, ingredients or amount. Read the precautions below; body weight alone cannot establish a safe portion.
Signs and health concerns
This list includes both observable signs and conditions identified through examination or testing. It cannot establish the cause or whether an exposure is safe.
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Drooling
- Lethargy
- Poor coordination or balance
- Tremors
- Low body temperature
- Skin inflammation
More about this food
Lavender gets into a house through a lot of doors: potted plants, dried bunches, sachets, diffusers, laundry detergent, even pet sprays. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center lists Lavandula angustifolia as toxic to dogs, naming linalool and linalyl acetate as the toxic principles and nausea, vomiting and inappetence as the clinical signs.
The plant and the oil are two different hazards. A dog who chews a few leaves or a couple of dried flower heads usually drools, maybe vomits once, and eats less for a day. Essential oil is another matter. It concentrates the same compounds many times over, and the Merck Veterinary Manual notes that essential oils are readily and rapidly absorbed through the GI tract, skin, lungs and mucous membranes, with risk rising as concentration rises. Signs develop within minutes to hours from any route: vomiting, lethargy, drooling, ataxia and anorexia, and in worse cases tremors, hypotension, hypothermia and seizures.
Three scenarios cause most of the trouble at home. First, applying lavender oil to a dog's back or neck as a flea or odor remedy -- it absorbs through the skin and the dog then licks the spot. Second, leaving a dog in a room with a diffuser running; Merck advises keeping pets out of the room and running diffusers only briefly, under 30 minutes. Third, a knocked-over bottle and a dog licking up neat oil.
Dried lavender has its own small hazard. A whole sachet swallowed cloth and all can obstruct the gut, and potpourri mixes contain plenty of other plants and fragrances besides lavender.
Identify the form before you decide what to do. Fresh leaves or dried flowers in a dog who is acting normally means fresh water and half a day of watching. Licked oil, oil applied to the coat, or a spilled bottle means calling your veterinarian, the ASPCA APCC at (888) 426-4435, or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 now -- have the product name and the concentration ready. Do not induce vomiting: Merck specifically says emesis should not be induced after essential oil exposure because of aspiration risk. Wash oil off the coat with a mild cleanser and ventilate the room.
Frequently asked questions
- He nibbled leaves off the lavender plant.
- A few leaves usually means drooling or one episode of vomiting and little else. Keep fresh water out and watch appetite and vomiting for half a day. If he is still refusing food a day later or keeps vomiting, have him seen.
- Can I use lavender oil on my dog for fleas?
- No. Merck advises against applying concentrated essential oils directly to pets. It absorbs through skin and the dog licks the spot afterward. Prescription flea and tick preventives from your veterinarian are both safer and far more reliable.
- Is it okay to run a lavender diffuser at home?
- If you do, Merck's guidance is to keep pets out of the room and run it only briefly, under 30 minutes, with ventilation. If your dog starts coughing, sneezing, tearing up, or drooling, shut it off and move him to another room right away.