Is Citronella Oil Safe for Dogs, Cats, and Other Animals? (2023)

FAQs

Is citronella oil toxic to animals? ›

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In studies using laboratory animals, Oil of Citronella shows little or no toxicity. The only concern is skin irritation. Because some products are applied to human skin, EPA requires proper precautionary labeling to help assure safe use.

Matejka recommends refraining from using citronella-based sprays on your dog because they have the potential to cause harmful side effects. "Since citronella sprays are applied topically, they can cause skin irritation or rash, especially in high concentrations," she says.

Another concern? Simply breathing in a candle's fumes—citronella-scented or not—can be harmful to your dog, especially if your pup has asthma or any other breathing issues. "It is best to keep your pet away from citronella candles," Matejka says.

Citronella Dangers for Dogs

If a dog ingests citronella, stomach irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, and neurological abnormalities may occur. Sprays and oils can cause skin irritation if they touch your pet's skin or paws for an extended period of time, and they may cause eye irritation if contact occurs.

Like citrus and other essential oils, citronella oil has an extremely strong odour that repels cats. It is also effective in keeping insects away.

Dangers to Cats

The fumes of citronella candles can cause breathing difficulties and nervous system damage to a cat. If ingested, citronella candles, insect coils and oils can result in digestive distress. Oils can be absorbed through the skin and cause liver or nervous system damage.

Citronella is toxic to pets

Citronella candles and oils are a popular mosquito repellent, but the citronella plant is toxic to pets. Use caution when using citronella products around your pet, and make sure they don't have access to any citronella plants in your garden.

When applied topically, it can also cause skin irritation or rash." So, although citronella essential oils may help rid your backyard or home of mosquitoes, it's best to avoid diffusing this essential oil near your dog.

CITRONELLA. Yes, citronella essential oil is safe for dogs. It is one of the most effective oils for repelling fleas, ticks, and other bugs!

5. Make a natural flea repellent by adding six or seven drops of the essential oils of rosemary, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, and citronella to a cup of water and shaking well. Use a spray bottle to apply the solution to your dog's coat every other day.

What essential oils repel mosquitoes and are safe for dogs? ›

Essential Oils – Just like humans, dogs can benefit from essential oils in a variety of ways. One of which is keeping the bugs off their coats. Thyme, soybean, and lemon eucalyptus oil are all great essential oil mosquito repellents for dogs.

It might cause skin reactions or irritation in some people. When inhaled: Citronella oil is likely unsafe. Lung damage has been reported.

Citronella candles are used to keep bugs away from you, but they will have the same effect on your dog. The reason your dog hates the smell of citronella is that the smell is so close to citrus. Wag explains that lemongrass is the primary ingredient in citronella candles.

Citronella is best known as a mosquito deterrent, but it also repels fleas.

Citronella Oil

Dogs hate the smell of citronella, and trainers often use the oil in both collar and spray form to break aggressive behavior and persistent barking habits. In fact, just a whiff of citronella could very well keep your dog away from your garden.

Some smells that are non-harmful and potentially effective at repelling dogs are citrus, vinegar, and citronella. Every dog is different, but many dogs find these scents to be overpoweringly pungent.

According to the ASPCA, eating the plants could cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting. Cats and dogs also could experience muscle weakness, loss of muscle coordination, depression, or even hypothermia if enough of the plant is ingested. Cats are most susceptible.

The best essential oils that are safe for cats are rosemary, copaiba, helichrysum, oregano, frankincense and cedarwood essential oil. Cats can also tolerate chamomile, lavender, thyme and valerian essential oils at very diluted concentrations.

Mosquitoes are repelled by citrus fruits. A good way to keep mosquitoes away from your cat or dog is to slice a lemon and rub the juice into the fur, keeping it away from the eyes. You can purchase lemon grass and citronella sprays that are also effective.

Does citronella stop cats peeing? ›

Spray Citronella

Did you know its fragrant smell can also be used to get rid of the cat pee smell? This method is so easy to do, you just need to spray Citronella on the area that is often peed on by your cats. Its strong fragrant smell will prevent cats from peeing everywhere.

Many essential oils, such as eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, cinnamon, citrus, peppermint, pine, wintergreen, and ylang ylang are straight up toxic to pets. These are toxic whether they are applied to the skin, used in diffusers or licked up in the case of a spill.

Some essential oils are poisonous to dogs. This includes oil of cinnamon, citrus, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, tea tree (melaleuca), wintergreen, and ylang ylang. These oils are toxic whether ingested by mouth or spread on the skin.

Oil of citronella is a biopesticide (biochemical) with a non-toxic mode of action. It is registered as an insect repellent/feeding depressant and as an animal repellent.

Diffusing citronella or lemongrass oil outdoors may act as an insect repellent to keep away mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. This is perfectly pet safe.

The way citronella dog collars work is by sending a misty citronella puff near your dog's nose. The spray both distracts your dog from barking and punishes him. The punishment is simply the bad scent they smell.

Fleas don't like the smell or taste of it, so they're likely to avoid your pet if they have it on their fur. Dilute apple cider vinegar in water and add it to a spray bottle. If your pet doesn't enjoy getting sprayed, dip a brush in the mixture and distribute it into their fur with a grooming session.

For dogs, a daily dose of brewer's yeast in their kibble will help to repel fleas. You can also add brewer's yeast to your cat's food. Fleas are also known to be repelled by citrus.

What kills mosquitoes the best naturally? ›

It is effective against a wide variety of pests, including but not limited to flies, mosquitoes, and ticks. Its distinctive odor drives away some insects, while preventing others from identifying a host. Candles made of Citronella oil work effectively to repel mosquitoes and insects when burned in the immediate area.

The length of burn time expected before you are out of fuel depends on the fuel type and on the source of that particular fuel. For instance, paraffin or citronella oil will last anywhere from 6 to 16 hours depending on the capacity of the fuel chamber (larger torches usually burn longer).

“Citronella oil is repellent to mosquitoes to a degree, but the amount being put out by a candle isn't going to be very effective,” Eric Hoffer, president of Hoffer Pest, told TODAY Home. “In most cases, a citronella candle is only going to contain a 5% concentration of citronella or less."

Citrus scents top the list of smells your dog probably hates. The scent of lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits is strong and unpleasant for your dog. For this reason, you can use citrus scents as a dog repellant in off-limits parts of the house. Their noses are irritated by the strength of citrus.

The methodology of observing the dogs freely exploring the experimental area allowed us to determine the smells that were the most attractive to them (food, beaver clothing). Our study shows that dogs interacted more frequently with the scents of blueberries, blackberries, mint, rose, lavender, and linalol.

Use Repellents

Something that is generally very effective is vinegar – dogs seem to hate the pungent, acrid smell of vinegar, and its application in a few strategic locations may do the job. Another popular – although sometimes controversial – option is cayenne pepper or strong chili powder.

You want to immediately kill any fleas removed from your pup's fur by dunking them in hot, soapy water. If you try to crush or flush these sneaky insects, they might surprise you with their jumping expertise—they're amazing escape artists. Bathe your pet with warm water and mild soap.

They may also consider using it on their pets to prevent fleas. But, if you're a pet parent, you might wonder, “Is peppermint oil safe for dogs?” The answer is no. Peppermint oil is toxic to dogs. It should never be ingested or used on their fur or skin.

Create a flea spray by mixing 4 liters of vinegar, 2 liters of water, 500 ml of lemon juice and 250 ml of witch hazel in a large spray bottle. Before applying the product around your home, you should vacuum properly, emptying the contents into an outside bin, and wash any bedding/cushions that could be infested.

Where do you apply citronella oil? ›

Citronella oil is often used as an insect repellent, although research has indicated it may also have antifungal properties and help with wound healing. You can use citronella oil in a diffuser or spray bottle, or you can dilute it in an oil or lotion before applying it to your skin.

When you inhale (breathe in), air enters your lungs, and oxygen from that air moves to your blood. At the same time, carbon dioxide, a waste gas, moves from your blood to the lungs and is exhaled (breathed out). This process, called gas exchange, is essential to life.

Oil of citronella is practically non-toxic to birds. It is slightly toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms. Oil of citronella repels insects rather than killing them. Therefore, bees and other pollinators are not likely to be harmed.

Citronella-scented geraniums and citronella oil can also cause a rash or skin irritation on your dog. Many citronella products don't have much citronella in them. It's unusual for candles to be even 5 percent citronella oil.