Using Essential Oils with Your Pets

Essential oils have gone to the dog….and cat!

You could also add horse, cow, rabbit, donkey, goat….you get the idea! ;)

Before I started using pure therapeutic essential oils medicinally, I made up a recipe for a spray to use to keep my cats off our outdoor furniture. Learning that cats do not like the smell of rosemary and many do not like the smell of peppermint, I used my basic room spray recipe but blended those two essential oils as a repellent spray for my cats.

Does it work? Yep! It does for our cats. The only problem is that is does have to be reapplied weekly and when it rains, I have found you need to reapply. (Recipe further down.)

As my knowledge of using essential oils for my family grew, I began researching and learning about using them for our pets. You know the phrase, “There’s an oil for that!”? Well, it applies with pets as well.

There is much to learn but today I am only going to get started. I want give you more information in the future. I have a few books and several online sources where I have learned from holistic veterinarians.

First things first.

Safety Precautions.

• Cats are very sensitive to oils because of the way they metabolize and excrete substances from their bodies. This is because they lack glucuronyl transferase. This is important for the Cytochrome p450 liver metabolism pathway. This makes cats very susceptible to ALL kinds of toxicity, including plant, NSAIDS (like aspirin, ibuprofen and Tylenol), chocolate and caffeine (methylxanthines), lead, zinc, and many, many types of pesticides.

They are sensitive to oils high in the chemicals phenol and eugenol. One of my trusted reference books shows that the oils high in phenols are basil, birch, cinnamon, clove, fennel, melaleuca, oregano, peppermint, thyme, and wintergreen. Do not apply these essential oils topically or internally to cats.

• NEVER put essential oils directly in the eyes or ears of your dog or cat (or any animal or human). If an essential oil enters the eyes, immediately apply fractionated coconut oil or organic olive oil directly to the eyes. Do NOT rinse or flush the eyes with water as this will not remove the essential oil.

• Some oils are considered “hot” oils because they produce a warming sensation to the body that may cause sensitivity. Hot oils include cassia, cinnamon, clove, melaleuca, oregano, and thyme. Dilute these oils at first when applying them to dogs and with repeated use, the amount of dilution may decrease gradually. Do not use hot oils with cats unless it is an extreme situation or under the supervision of a veterinarian.

• Epileptic and seizure-prone pets are of special concern as are pets who have a bleeding disorder or difficulty with their blood clotting. Just like people, every animal is different and you should consult your veterinarian if you are concerned and get some bloodwork to ensure no underlying liver disease.

Basic Guidelines.

• Always use the highest quality essential oils when using them medicinally for your pet or yourself. After much research I decided to go with an oil company for my family (including furbabies) and am confident that I am getting 100% pure therapeutic grade essential oils. You do not want to put an oil on your pet (or yourself or child) that has synthetic additives or preservatives or any other unknown ingredients. Adulteration of essential oils is rampant. One of the main objectives of using essential oils is to treat health issues naturally. If you are interested in ordering essential oils, then please email me for more information.

• Dilute, dilute, dilute! 100% pure therapeutic grade essential oils are very concentrated. It is better to apply small amounts several times over a period of time rather than a lot of oil all at once.

It’s especially important to dilute essential oils for puppies and kittens just like you would with young children. The same goes with aging dogs and cats as well as pregnant pets. The essential oils that are safe during pregnancy with humans goes along with the ones safe for your pregnant pets. Also, you would not give a small breed dog the same amount of oil that you would with a large breed dog.

Good carrier oils to dilute include fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, and organic olive oil. Basically, any natural vegetable oil (this means single ingredient oils).

• Just like humans, there are three ways to use essential oils with your pets: topically, aromatically, and internally.

Apply to the fur after rubbing your hands together by petting your dog or cat. Let most of the oil absorb in your skin before using it on your cat. If you can smell it on them, then they received a sufficient dose. The back of the neck or back is the best place to put it topically.

Use a diffuser in the area your pet sleeps or lives to benefit them aromatically. The diffuser breaks the essential oil into very small particles, which enter the air and are inhaled. When diffusing for the first time, only do it for a short period (10-20 minutes) and observe your pet. If they show signs of discomfort or out of the ordinary, turn off the diffuser and air out the space.

Oils can be added to a dog’s drinking water to be taken orally but is discouraged for cats. Topical and aromatic uses are just as effective and is preferred.

Recipes.
Now to the part many of you may be scrolling down to find. ;) Today, I am sharing four recipes that we have tried. Two are my own and two are from a book I highly recommend, SpOil Your Pet, A Practical Guide to Using Essential Oils in Dogs and Cats by Mia K. Frezzo, DVM and Jan C. Jeremias, MSc.

The following two recipes are variations of my Room Spray Alternative post.

Do you have outdoor cats? Do you have outdoor furniture? Did you know owning both is a faux pas? They don’t mix.

Oh, I have tried the things that are supposed to help keep those outdoor cushion-loving cats off of said cushions. Like the X mat? Not happening….my cats think it is their very own Chinese reflexology mat.

My husband loves our animals. He really does. But he seems to love his outdoor furniture and yard and flowerbeds more. In his frustration of wanting to sit on the sofa on our porch and having to first remove hair, he wanted to know if I could find a way to keep the cats off.

So I did what I always do when I don’t know the answer. I Google.

In my research I found that cats do not like rosemary. Often people plant rosemary in their flowerbeds to keep the cats from using them as litter boxes. I also learned most do not like peppermint.

Therefore the Cat Repellent Spray was invented!! Look what happens when the furniture has been sprayed.

BEFORE Cat Repellent Spray. "I love this mat, Mom!"

After: "Really, Mom?"

But after applying my cat deterrent spray....does Gaby look happy now? Ha ha. No way!

Cat Repellent Spray

1 cup water
1-2 teaspoons witch hazel (or rubbing alcohol but remember while this is diluted, it will be touching fabric)
15 drops rosemary essential oil
15 drops peppermint essential oil

In a glass spray bottle, mix water and witch hazel. Add essential oils. Shake to blend.

The Cat Repellent Spray has a higher concentration of essential oils than my usual Room Alternative Spray for more oomph! Remember what I said at the first of this post how you will need to spray this once a week or after a rain for it to work.

There are things marketed for dog owners that I never knew existed or was sold until we got Jax. Having a dog for the first time is like having a baby for the first time in the respect that there are things you need and there are things you think you need.

One such thing is dog deodorizing spray sold as dog perfume/cologne, freshening spray, or odor spray. Now why would you NEED such a thing? We have all heard the expression, “smell like a dog.” No one wants their dog to smell like a dog (which usually happens when they get wet or haven’t been bathed in a couple of weeks or both).

With Jax having weekly training classes, a weekly bath is not in my schedule so in between his every two or three week baths, I have been using my own “Doggie Deodorizer Spray.” All natural. Of course.

Dog Deodorizer Spray

10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
10 drops peppermint essential oil
5 drops lemongrass essential oil
5 drops wild orange essential oil
5 drops lemon essential oil
2 cups distilled water
¼ cup witch hazel

Mix essential oils with witch hazel in a 24 ounce spray bottle. Add water. Spritz a few times on your stinky pooch or to freshen him/her up before running errands.

The following two recipes are from the book I mentioned above. The first is a simple litter box powder which is a great way to treat your cat if it has a health issue or just to freshen the litter box. Try adding SAFE essential oils that will help any health issue it is having. They will benefit aromatically when they use their litter box and they will also will benefit topically as their little paws touch the powder infused with essential oils.

Litter Box Powder

1-2 drops essential oil (digestive blend, lavender, lemongrass, orange, etc.)
1 cup baking soda

Add the essential oils to the baking soda and allow the mixture to rest overnight in a glass jar. Daily add 1 tablespoon of the mixture to the litter box.

Soothing Skin Shampoo

3 ounces Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap (unscented is best like this)
2 ounces Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother (organic, unfiltered, and unpasteurized like this)
1 ounce vegetable glycerin
2 ounces distilled water
3 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops Roman chamomile essential oil

Mix all ingredients together and use to bathe your dog (and cat if it lets you!) routinely.

PRINTABLE WITH ALL THE RECIPES FROM TODAY'S POST HERE!

There is so much more to share on using essential oils with your pets just as there is with us humans. Use the guidelines above to get started!

Spring Garden Prep

Shew.... I ALMOST feel like we've survived winter. I know we will still have some cold snaps, but I'm hoping the worst of it is behind us. We've had some beautiful days in the past week and it has given me Spring fever!

I am in the process of beginning a brand new hobby, because apparently six hundred hobbies is not enough for me. I have an intense desire to be a beekeeper. How strange is that? I know! I've enlisted the help of my grandfather, who knows slightly more than I do about bees, but not much. We spent part of this evening watching youtube videos on how to install a package of bees into a hive. I think we know what to expect when they arrive one week from today! It is a weird thing to be excited about, but my brain won't stop being excited about it.

Even though I have bees on the brain this week, all this beautiful weather has me thinking about my garden too. Today I want to share some ideas for some things we can do now to get ready for a successful gardening season.

I'm sure many of you are a billion times more experienced than I am, but maybe some of you have never tried to grow anything. I'd like to encourage you to give it a try. You can start small. That's what I did. Two years ago we built two 4'X8' frames using saw mill lumber and started a couple of raised bed gardens. I read THIS book on Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew who pioneered the whole concept. This is an updated version of his original book which sold over two million copies.

Last year in our two raised beds we planted 4 tomato plants, 3 peppers, onions, okra, beans, some herbs, carrots, eggplant, lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, squash, zucchini, and cucumbers. The cost outweighs your savings the first year, but in following years you can really make a dent in your weekly grocery bill by growing your own produce.

Maybe a raised bed is too much to take on right now. That's okay. You can also try container gardening. The internet is full of resources to help you whether you live in a subdivision with a small yard like we do, in a condo with a postage stamp sized yard, or in an apartment with NO yard. I've learned that where there is a will, there is a way. We are fortunate to have so many great resources available to us. The internet is full of wonderful articles and videos that can be accessed for free. You can have free access to hundreds of books at your local library. I find myself wanting to own the best books available on any subject so I can access the information anytime.

Okay, enough blabbing... Lets talk about some things we can do NOW to get our gardens ready.

1. Make a plan for what plants you want to grow this year. Consider how much space you have. Last year I planted a couple squash and zucchini in my small beds and they took over! I might plant them somewhere else this year. However, if you want something that is easy to grow, plant squash and zucchini. Take my word for it when I say you will only need 2-3 of each at MOST! Even then, you will still be giving it away.

2. Look up when is the best time to plant those particular plants in your area. You have two options. You can buy plants from a nursery or farmer's market or plant seeds. It is usually less expensive to plant seeds. It also gives you the ability to get the exact variety of plant you want. Seed catalogs have many different varieties of each plant. If you plan to plant tomatoes, you might have ten different options if you buy plants at a nursery, but if you order seeds you might have fifty different options. It is fun to browse through the seed catalogs and see all the different plants available.

Some of the seed catalogs I use are Johnny's seeds, Baker's Creek, and Seed Savers. They all specialize in heirloom varieties that are non-GMO.

If you choose to plant from seed, on the back of the packet it will tell you how many days before planting you should start the seeds indoors. This way you start with a plant that is a couple inches tall and will have fruit much sooner than by planting the seeds directly into the soil.Click HERE to see a sampling of ways you can start your seeds indoors.

Be sure to check the last frost date for your area to help you determine when to plant. You can look it up here.

3. Try container gardening. There are many things you can grow in pots. Lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, just about anything really. Just make sure you have good soil and proper spacing. Herbs are easy to grow in pots and you can bring them inside in the fall to extend their growing season. It is really fun to cook with fresh herbs, especially if you grew them in your own garden. Look at just a few of the ways you can grow plants in containers. Don't allow yourself to be limited by space. There are so many creative options, anyone can find a way to grow at least some of their own produce.

4. Prepare your soil. Good dirt is the key to successful gardening. This is true whether you are planting a traditional garden, doing raised beds, or container gardening. This is where your plants get the nutrition they need to produce nutritious vegetables. In our raised beds we use composted leaves from the trees behind our house along with Black Kow manure and mushroom compost. It is a pretty equal mix of the three with a bag of vermiculite mixed in. Vermiculite is a natural substance that is mined from all over the world. It expands with heat and holds a lot of moisture. This makes it an ideal soil amendment for your garden. It makes your soil light and holds moisture. Peat moss is also a good thing to add from time to time as it also makes your soil hold moisture better, which is particularly useful during the hottest days of summer.

The time to add these amendments to your soil is now, before you plant, for what I hope are obvious reasons. Last year I tried my hand at composting and pretty much failed. I was inconsistent about turning it and adding to it regularly, but we did add what we made to the garden bed this year and mixed it in with the other. I can't stress the importance of getting a good base.

This year I plan to do more container gardening than I have done in the past. I will use the manure, mushroom compost, peat moss, and vermiculite for the containers. The advantage of having a light soil is that the roots can grow freely and quickly. You can also plant much closer than you can in a traditional bed, so if space is a factor, definitely look into this.

5. Clean out your beds from last year if you have them, or begin preparing them for this year. It only took about an hour for me and my youngest to pull the weeds that had started growing since fall. The advantage to this soil mix, is that it is so loose that weeds pull out easily and bring their whole root system with them. It is oddly satisfying. Here are before and after pics of our beds.

If you are starting from scratch, allow a full weekend to get it done. You can purchase raised bed kits at garden centers. When we built ours in 2013 we used saw mill lumber and made 4'X8' beds, which is a common size. You can make them any size you like, to fit your space. It is not recommended to go more than 4' deep because you want to be able to access every area without having to step into the dirt. Soil compaction is to be avoided at all costs. It is the loose soil that allows you to be able to plant in 32 square feet what would normally take 3-5 times the space.

6. Plant. There are some plants that prefer cooler weather, and now is the time to get them in the ground. Lettuce, kale, spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower are examples of cold loving plants. I planted two kinds of leaf lettuce, spinach and kale this past weekend by direct sowing into the newly spiffed up beds.

The idea of growing your own vegetables can be intimidating if you don't have any experience. Pick a couple of things you would like to grow and read up on the best way to get started. Remember, start small so you don't get over whelmed. You can build slowly by adding some new things each year. That is what we are doing. Have fun and happy gardening!

Kristy

Gluten Free Waffles

How many gluten free peeps do we have reading this today? Being gluten free can be quite unfortunate but for most of us we have started the lifestyle because of how it improves our health. I made the switch a little over a year ago after being told several months prior I needed to because of food allergy testing. (It showed I was allergic to both gluten and wheat.) 

Several months later, I finally decided I was ready to make the lifestyle change. After a week and a half of being gluten free, I was already seeing a difference in my health. I had increased energy, decreased headaches, and my stomach was not bloated like it usually was. I had lost five pounds in two weeks time even though I was indeed still eating (just not gluten!).

Granted, there were things I missed and even though there are gluten free alternatives, even a year ago the options were not as open and they did not taste as good as the glutinous version. ;) Plus, gluten free options tend to cost sometimes 50% more.

Many of you are probably saying that I could BAKE gluten free versions which are cheaper and tastier than what you can buy in the store. True. I LOVE to cook. I mean, I do. I LOVE to cook. But here's the problem....I don’t like baking. Maybe it is because when I went through a bread baking stint years ago, the flour would make me go into a sneezing fit and often my nose would start bleeding afterwards. (Or maybe it's all the measuring and with cooking, I can do my own thing more easily.)

However, today I am sharing a very simple (as is most things in my life) gluten free recipe for waffles. Waffles were one thing I missed when I started eating gluten free. My family loved having them for supper with bacon and fruit.

Several months ago, I wanted to bake some waffles and realized my overly expensive gluten free baking mix had less than a half cup. I did a quick online search and came across a recipe I changed up a bit. If you are gluten free and do any kind of baking, then chances are you already have the flours required for this simple recipe. Check it out!

Gluten Free Waffles
Get your ingredients out. Preheat your waffle iron.

I get my flours at a local Mennonite bulk food stores.

In a large bowl with a whisk, mix together 1 cup rice flour (brown or white), 1/2 cup potato starch (NOT potato flour), 1/4 cup tapioca flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup oil, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups milk or buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

If you don't have buttermilk (I don't!), you can make your own with milk and vinegar!

For my waffle iron I use a 1 cup measuring cup and fill it about 3/4 full. I have found it's the perfect measurement to fill both sections. If you have a larger waffle iron then it'll take more, obviously, but learning how much your waffle iron holds makes it easier and less messier to cook your waffles.

Add any additional fillings. Our favorites are semi-sweet chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and butterscotch chips. Close the waffle iron and let it bake.

Lookin' good already with that chocolate added!

Make sure you have the REAL stuff to top these delicious waffles.

Top with a pat of butter, maple syrup, and/or any other additional toppings. Other favorites are fruit, whipped cream, confectioner's sugar, chocolate or caramel syrup, and more chocolate chips. Enjoy your dessert breakfast!

Yields 5 servings (10 waffles for my waffle iron)

Notes: This recipe doubles easily. They also freeze well. To freeze waffles, bake just until golden. Let cool and stack in a freezer bag with parchment paper in between waffles. Reheat in a toaster oven where they will brown and cook the rest of the way (about 5-10 minutes at 300 degrees) or simply toast in a toaster.

Gluten Free Waffles - PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE!

My waffle iron works great and I paid $20 or less many years ago. When it goes out one of these days, I have my eye on something this or this one.. They both have great reviews!

Do you have other toppings or fillings you like to add to your waffles? I'd love to hear what you and your family enjoys.

Story Blocks

Today's post will show you a fun little project you can do for your own kids or to make as gifts. They're called story blocks. I first learned about them about four years ago when I was part of a busy bag swap. A busy bag swap is when a group of six to eight moms get together and swap out craft projects designed to keep toddlers occupied. They range from matching games using paint swatches, to things to sort or stack, things with magnets. The idea is when you need to buy a little time with your little one you give them one of these little projects. It will keep them occupied on their own for some time because it is new and different. You can see ideas for them HERE. If you happen to be the mom of a preschooler, I recommend getting together with some of your mommy friends to do this.

I received a set of story blocks at my swap. They are small wooden blocks about the size of dice that have pictures on them. The idea is that you roll the dice and make up a story based on the pictures that come up. You get to make up your own rules for the game. We usually roll all six blocks at once and make up a story with all the elements in it. Sometimes we will roll the blocks one at a time and the story has to evolve. These stories are the funniest because you never know what will come up next.

The neat thing about these blocks is that they are fun for a lot of different ages. When we first started playing, I had four, nine, and eleven year old kids who all enjoyed it equally. They're small enough to carry in your purse. You can play whether you have five minutes or thirty minutes.

To make them, start by purchasing your blocks. You can find these blocks at Michael's and Hobby Lobby in the section where they sell plain wooden items. Amazon has them HERE. This 5/8 size works best.

Then you have to put your images on the blocks. There are many options here. You can simply use a black sharpie to draw images. They don't have to be fancy. The ones I received were like this and had very simple stick figure drawings on them. Or, you can cut out clip art or magazine pictures and Mod Podge them on. I used stamps because I already had them. It wouldn't be very economical to buy them just for this project, but if you wanted to get them, I used THESE stamps from Papertrey Ink. I colored them using colored pencils. Any will do, but I LOVE the Prismacolor pencils. I was required to get them for a design class in college. I am still using them, and they are fifteen years old! When one gets used up, you can buy individual replacements at Hobby Lobby, Michael's and art supply stores. They are pricey, but worth the investment if you do a lot of crafts. There is no comparison on color selection with other brands and they have a nice, soft lead. Sorry to get off on a tangent about colored pencils. I can't help myself.

Here is a picture of the hand drawn ones that were given to us.

Be sure to include lots of images that would make a good story. People and animals are good as well as objects like umbrellas, a sun, a tree, boats, airplanes, musical instruments, and food. There are so many fun ideas. Use your imagination! Sports images would be good too. Maybe you could even use a favorite team logo. Don't limit yourself to trying to recreate what I have done. I gave away many sets of these one year for Valentine's day and had a lot of people contact me to buy more to give for gifts.

If you like the idea, but would never bother to take the time to make them, you can buy commercially made ones on Amazon, or you can get some from my Etsy shop.

Have fun making this simple project! If you do make them, comment below to let me know how they turned out.

Kristy