Warning! Tea Tree Oil can be toxic to pets!

[Cottage Rose]

My dog had an allergic/ toxic reaction when I self treated her for a possible ear infection.
I put some full strength TTO in her ears and 4 hours later she was staggering around and had ALL of the below symptoms listed below.
We ended up taking her to an emergency animal hospital because it was after hours.
$300. and 12 hours later she fully recovered but talk about being scared!

I looked up TTO on the Internet and found this:

Symptoms of Tea Tree Oil Poisoning
Tea Tree Oil poisoning have been reported in both cats and dogs when applied to the skin at too high a dose.
If your cat is going to have a reaction to tea tree oil, you will usually see it within 2 to 8 hours following application.
Symptoms include:

loss of muscular coordination
lethargy
weakness
shaking and tremors
a change in behavior

More info:
http://www.exoticbird.com/gillian/teatree.html

Pictured my grandson Liam & Shelby my 1 yr. old Decker Terrier

[LucyGoose]

Wow......You should always go to the vet if you think something is wrong......I have never heard of the TTO for the ears.......I know once Willie had a little irritation in one ear while we were in for check up last year. He didn't have any symptoms, the vet said it as a little red .....I have drops now in case I think something might be wrong......only his ears are open so they are less likely that dogs that have ears hanging down and closed. Just looked and they are out dated drops.....in the garbage they go.....but yeah, I don't do that stuff without at least a google and/or a phone call to my vet.......mostly I call the vet......Sorry for your doggie.....Glad he is better!!

Thanks for the information!

[Ginger]

Glad everything turned out all right. I will remember this information.
Your Decker Terrier is a great looking dog! He is a giant version of my Rat Terrier

Ginger

[Cottage Rose]

Lucy TTO is a natural anti-fungal/anti-bacterial so I thought I would try it since it was the weekend
and I thought it might give her some relief until I could get her into the vet. My mistake.

Ginger, Deckers are indeed over sized Rat Terriers.
Very cool dogs! Even my non-dog lover husband loves her.
Have you ever been to the Rat Terrier forum?

http://rat-terrier.com/Home/tabid/37/Default.aspx

[kHT]

We use it here all the time and Mitzy has never had a problem with this?? Doesn't the label state external use only?

[Cottage Rose]

It can be used topically and its in many shampoo's etc. but full strength may effect some pets.
Even topically it can absorb into the system.
We figured it drained down into our dogs throat and so she got a big enough dose to adversely effect her.

[LucyGoose]

Yes, but it is very diluted in shampoos.....internal would be *in* ears.....Oh well.....live and learn, I guess.

[Cottage Rose]

I've used TTO in my mouth on canker sores with no problems
but dogs are biologically different than humans and can
obviously react differently to some things.
Yup live and learn...and thats why I posted this info here...
to warn others.

[LucyGoose]

Thanks!

[Dusty]

Good info to know. Thanks for sharing. I never would have thought to use it on my dog's. I do use the stuff in my shampoo though.. it keeps lice away.. and I am lice paranoid.

Glad your pooch made a full recovery.. what did the vet do to treat him?

[Cottage Rose]

Thank you Dusty.
They just flushed her ears out with saline solution to get any left over TTO
but they sedated her to do it and it was an emergency servive so it cost $$$