Tea Tree Shampoo and Pregnant Pets?

by My Girls World
(Canada)

Is Tea Tree Oil Shampoo Harmful to Pregnant Animals?

My daughters got a hold of tea tree oil at my sisters house. After they mixed it with their shampoo and poured the tea tree oil shampoo on my pregnant dog, I wondered "Will tea tree oil shampoo hurt my pregnant dog or her unborn puppies?"

Editors Reply:

Thanks for the question. Personally, I think you are right to be concerned. I really can't tell you if there is a danger to the puppies and mother or not because you fail to provide any information on how much tea tree oil you've mixed into the shampoo, the size of the animal involved, and how much shampoo you've used.

Further, even with all of that info, since I'm not an animal health professional, I'd be unable to diagnose anything.

If you used a a drop or two of tea tree oil in a handful of your favorite shampoo to wash a large dog, pregnant or not, there is probably little risk of trouble.

If you have dumped a half ounce of tea tree oil into a small bottle of shampoo and washed your dog, you may already have seen a reaction.

The most common reaction in dogs is lethargy, stupor, convulsions, and in extreme cases death. The symptoms usually pass after several hours or a day.

If you read the pages on tea tree oil toxicity, and on using it with pets, you'll see that I do not recommend using tea tree oil on pets in most cases. Small dogs and cats in particular may not be able to process the oil by way of their central nervous system.

There is an increased risk of poisoning with dogs and cats as well, because they like to groom themselves with licking their fur, and so ingest small amounts of the oil. Tea tree oil should never be purposely ingested by humans or pets.


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There are other safer and better options to use on your pets, especially professionally formulated pet shampoos, some of which may contain appropriate amounts of essential oils, including at times, tea tree oil.

Good luck with your dog, I hope she and her pups thrive under your love, your affection, and your care for them.