animalEO-logo
animalEO-logo

The Best for Your Best Friend

animalEO Strives For

stives1

Delivering High Quality, Veterinary Grade Essential Oils

Providing High Quality Education on Essential Oil Usage with Animals 

Making You and Your Pets Life Better

shape dividershape divider

How Dr. Shelton was introduced to essential oils

I knew about essential oils for many years really. However, sometimes life does not present the right circumstances to initiate the desire to fully use something you know is a good thing. Many of us may recognize that regular exercise is a really good thing for our health, but dedicating the time and commitment to doing it – well, that can take some years before we get wise enough to truly enact it as a regular habit. I turned 40 before realizing that I really did need to work out on a regular basis. Once I committed to that, it took a few months before it became a habit for me. And now, I can’t imagine not keeping fit and healthy, and recognize the time (and even financial commitment) required to do so.

So, it took a little “kick in the butt” for me to recognize that essential oils were pretty darn amazing, and I really needed to use them more often. My kick in the butt happened to be my human children. Naturally, I will do anything for my children. When my children were born, it became clear that I would have to keep diets in tip top shape, avoid artificial food dyes, chemicals, artificial sweeteners, and basically most things that are added to processed foods, over-the-counter medications (kid cough syrup), and even chewing gum. We would see clear responses to these “unhealthy chemicals” in the forms of skin eruptions and behavioral concerns. Some might call it ADD or ADHD, or even Autism – but to me – it was a clear response to the items that were going into my kids’ mouths. Even the overload of white sugars in Jelly – would affect my kids.

In 2008, I saw an advertisement for a community education class featuring some natural remedies for coughs, colds, flus, etc… I love learning, so paid my $10 for the hour long class – which turned out to be on essential oils….and the rest, as they say, is history. When I walked into the classroom, it smelled fabulous. A diffuser was running, and the essential oils in the air did not smell “perfumey” nor did they give me a headache or sore throat. At first, I only thought of using the essential oils as a replacement for the toxic air fresheners used in many homes. We had started to document clear problems in animals coming from homes using plug-in air fresheners, spray air fresheners, odor eliminating sprays, perfumes, fabric softeners, and toxic cleaners. Seizures, kidney value elevations, liver value elevations, feather picking, skin problems, and even ear infections resolved as the use of these products was eliminated. By seeing this, we had stopped using any sort of odor control in our veterinary clinic as well – however, this can result in one stinky clinic! Our vet clinic is located within our home, so odor control can be a bit more on your mind when you are hospitalizing a Parvo puppy with insanely stinky diarrhea!

I had to make sure that the essential oils would also be safe for use in animal homes. Especially if my intent was to replace these toxic products with a healthier alternative. There was not a lot of great information out there. Most of what you read on the internet, and even in the veterinary community is a huge warning about using essential oils around animals. Danger, danger, danger…was the theme. Especially where cats and birds were concerned. However, I am not one to just “believe blindly” – as the very odor-eliminating sprays that I KNEW were causing some of my patients problems, were “guaranteed” by the vet community to be safe and non-toxic as well. So, a guarantee that essential oils were toxic, without much scientific data behind it, did not satisfy my cause and effect brain.

Meanwhile, in our human life, I started using essential oils first for everything from a scraped knee, upset stomach, or headache before reaching for any sort of “traditional” treatment. I was seeing pretty great results, and wanted to learn more. As I went to every class that I could find on the use of essential oils, it was inevitable that people would find out that I was a veterinarian. And, as typical when someone finds out you are a vet…they MUST share an animal story with you! Since we were at essential oil classes, naturally the story of the animal would usually include essential oils! I became a little bit intrigued. How were hundreds of these people that I had met, using essential oils on their animals (some quite aggressively), and not killing them? Especially if the internet reports were true?

This is really what set me down my road of exploration. I could not understand why there could be so much bad press out there on essential oil use and animals, however there were still some people who clearly had some pretty amazing results. I started to diffuse for my own animals in our home. I drew blood and urine samples prior to introducing essential oils into our home, and continued to monitor them afterward. I watched their behaviors, respiratory rates, and even responses when they had a health concern. Everything that I could document, indicated that the essential oils were helpful, not harmful.

Read More

Melissa Shelton DVM, CA, CEMT

Holistic Veterinarian, Founder animalEO Essential Oils For Animals

Dr. Melissa Shelton  CA
shape dividershape divider
woman-holds-spitz-dog-near-face-has-happy-mood-likes-loyal-devoted-domestic-animals

Our Mission for Animals

Dr. Melissa Shelton has been involved with Essential Oils for animals for many years. Even before her introduction into the aromatherapy world, there has been a level of controversy regarding the use of essential oils with animals, especially cats. It became Dr. Shelton's passion and mission to truly figure out if essential oils were harmful or helpful. Through work in her holistic veterinary clinic, she collected any data possible on toxicity reports, and also on cases that had proven, beneficial results. To Dr. Shelton, the results could and should not be ignored. Truly wonderful things could come by the proper use of high-quality essential oils.

Message from Dr. Melissa Shelton, "I have always felt protective of my patients. Only wanting the best for them. When I would recommend the use of essential oils for an animal, it always came with a level of caution. What if the animal caregiver used a poor quality oil along with my recommendation? What if an animal was harmed? Over the years, I felt comfortable with just recommending one brand of essential oils, in an attempt to remedy this potential situation. But, the honest truth is, I could never monitor every essential oil released by any company. And, there would always be essential oil singles and blends, that being created with humans in mind, were just not appropriate to use with animals, unless strict instructions and guidelines were followed."

 

animalEO remedies all of these issues. Every essential oil single that goes into an animalEO product is personally evaluated by Dr. Shelton, to ensure that every property is as perfect as it can be. Year to year, essential oils are harvested and distilled. Have you ever made a loaf of bread, and then made it again but it was slightly different? This is natural variation. However, it can mean that with essential oils, one distillation and harvest can yield a beautiful result – while the following year – the next harvest results in “a loaf of bread destined for the garbage…”


"I have evolved to feeling the most reassured when people use my recommendations for animals – with the fact that I have evaluated the very essential oil they are going to use! Once the oil has been in my hands – held, smelled, used, and approved – This just feels right!"  Melissa Shelton DVM, CA, CEMT

Read More

Words from our Customers

Explore 2000+ Reviews
*DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is not to replace proper medical care and guidance. The statements have not been evaluated by the FDA - and any recommendation is not intended to cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent a disease or condition. Please work with your veterinarian with any health concern.
cross