Tea Tree Oil is a natural antiseptic, germicide, antibacterial, fungicide. Many people use tea tree oil for acne, athlete's foot, eczema, psoriasis, and many types of infestations such as lice, mites, mosquitoes, etc.
Recently a friend of mine applied Tea Tree Oil on his dog. His dog had a slight rash and he thought that Tea Tree Oil would soothe and help cure the rash. However, what happened was that his dog fell into a state of paralysis (he became uncoordinated and unable to stand up). He rushed his dog to the vet and was informed that Tea Tree Oil can cause toxicosis on pets!
I did some reasearch on the web and found some interesting facts (see list below). I came across a lot of websites that recommend using Tea Tree Oil on your pets to treat flea infestastions, to cleanse ear wax, skin rashes, etc. But I would highly recommend against it after the incident my friend had with his dog and reading the following facts:
- Tea tree oil contains 50-60% terpenes, toxicity is "similar to other essential oils such as eucalyptus oil.
- Toxicosis in humans has resulted from ingestion of 0.5 to 1 cc tea tree oil per kg of body weight.
- Dogs and cats with tea tree oil toxicosis will appear weak, obtunded, uncoordinated, ataxic, and usually have muscular tremors.
- There is no antidote. Treatment involves general detoxification, supportive care, bathing with mild detergents, using activated charcoal if ingested.
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