Yorkie Health

Help, My Yorkie was being Poisoned!   

Saturday night, I got home late, and my dog didn't recognize me. As a nanny, I thought I had woken him up, and he was having a night terror. On Sunday, he was still acting weird. I realized that I had been running my new diffuser and decided to turn it off. On Sunday afternoon, he was feeling better.

Today at work, my dog sitter said that he wouldn't come out from under the bed. It was very odd as he is a happy dog. I had come in early from work, and again, he was very confused about who I was. So, I took him to the emergency vet. It turns out that the tea tree oil I was using in the diffuser is toxic for dogs. Thankfully, the test showed that his liver was ok. But we weren't out of the woods yet. He was given fluids under his skin to get the toxins out.

The vet and poison control are reporting that they are seeing these cases more frequently now that the popularity of essential oils is on the rise.

Please ensure that the essential oils you are burning are non-toxic to your pets. 

Here is a list of toxic essential oils that are dangerous to your pet. Please avoid using these if you have a dog at home.

Anise (Pimpinella anisum)

Birch (Betula)

Bitter Almond (Prunus dulcis)

Boldo (Peumus boldus)

Calamus (Acorus calamus)

Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora)

Cassia (Cassia fistula)

Chenopodium (Chenopodium album)

Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum)

Garlic (Allium sativum)

Goosefoot (Chenopodium murale)

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)

Hyssop (Hyssopus sp. with the exception of Decumbens) 

Juniper (Juniperus sp. with the exception of Juniper Berry) 

Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

Mustard (Brassica juncea) 

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) 

Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) 

Red or White Thyme Rue (Ruta graveolens) 

Santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus) 

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) 

Savory (Satureja) 

Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) 

Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) 

Terebinth (Pistacia palaestina) 

Thuja (Thuja occidentalis) 

Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) 

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) 

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Please share this story, as it may save a precious furry family member's life!