Shampoo

Shampoo Essential Oil Application

We’re teaming up with 4-Legger® Organic Dog Shampoo (YES! it’s for other animals too!) – to combine the best of both worlds! Non-toxic, organic and totally safe shampoo – with animalEO Essential Oil blends. Now you can have the only ALL-NATURAL, veterinary recommended, veterinary inspired, therapeutic shampoo – that will support every part of the body – emotional and physical!

As a holistic vet, I cringe every time someone lists off all of the toxic shampoos their vet has prescribed their precious pet. Filled with synthetic, toxic chemicals – it is no wonder why dogs have “chronic” skin issues that never resolve. In my world, I can not only help eliminate yeast and bacterial infections from the skin – but also support the immune system to be healthier – and to keep away secondary infections in the future! This is what essential oils add to a non-toxic shampoo base! The ability to contribute antibacterial and antifungal actions – but to also SUPPORT the normal function of the immune system, instead of suppress it. And, essential oils also carry anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, anti-tumoral, anti-viral, anti-microbial, and anti-insect actions as well! What!? A flea shampoo that not only helps eliminate fleas – but is HEALTHY for the animal??? Or even a shampoo for a senior dog – that supports comfort from achy joints or muscles? Could it be? Or instead of toxic chemicals that contribute to the harm of animals with seizures – a shampoo that can support nerve function and repair? YES – it is not a fairy tale! This is my life as a specialist in Veterinary Aromatic Medicine! These DIY Therapeutic Shampoos will change your animals life!

With therapeutic shampoo, there are several levels of concentrations we can create. This again is the beauty in some of the DIY Therapeutic Shampoos – you can make it as mild or as strong as you need or desire. If you add an entire 2mL bottle of a “neat” animalEO Essential Oil to 2oz of shampoo – you will create a 3% concentration of essential oil – which is just about perfect for almost any need. Make sure you “tap” the bottom of the 2mL bottles to get the oil out – they don’t “drip” like other sized bottles!

There are a few situations in which I might make the shampoo stronger, or less concentrated – but 3% is a perfect start for almost any animal! For other cases, such as small critters, cats, or sensitive dogs – we might add only 1mL to 2oz of shampoo. And for a really stubborn flea or lice issue, I might add 2mL of Away to 1oz of shampoo. In general – the rule of “start with less, and you can always add more” – will always apply.

There are many different batch sizes you can make with essential oils and shampoo. And YES – you can use an RTU formula in your shampoo as well. The RTU formulas, however, are already diluted in Fractionated Coconut Oil. So this means that you may encounter a few situations by using them as an addition to your shampoo. First, you are adding a bit of fatty oil to the shampoo. This is really no big deal, as they mix together well – but you may change the shampoo’s ability to lather or the “chemistry” of a shampoo a little bit, depending on how much you end up adding. But, I have added RTU formulations into shampoos (and even my lotion) – and it can work out just fine. The bigger problem with adding RTU formulations into shampoo – is that they are just much “weaker” in concentration in the final result.

So if you are bathing a cat (and let’s just admit it, there are few situations in which regular bathing of a cat is going to be recommended) – I see no reason to not include essential oils in the event. Say it is a 100% normal cat (they would argue…then WHY are you bathing me!) – if I am going to go through the trouble of bathing them in the first place – I might as well get my “oils on” and add KittyBoost to the shampoo! Why not! It is just one more beneficial layer of help that I can provide to my kitty! So – adding 1mL of KittyBoost to 1oz of Shampoo is likely way more than enough shampoo for a cat. Sometimes I like to make up “single shampoo” amounts. A Tablespoon of shampoo is technically 15mL or 1/2 oz of liquid. Let’s give you a little chart of amounts and additions.

Obviously – you will not be using the entire “recipe” amount to bathe your animal! These concentrations take into account that you may shampoo twice, or that you may need more or less shampoo for certain coats, breeds, etc. Please follow the shampoo manufacturers recommendations on how much shampoo is used, and how it is used. Some shampoos are concentrated, and can be further diluted during the wash. For most of our calculations – we are basing them off of adding to the 4-Legger Unscented Organic Dog Shampoo – and using according to their instructions and recommendations.

With all Therapeutic Shampoos – contact time can play an important factor in the benefits you will see. Once your animal is lathered, allow the lather to remain for approximately 10 minutes. Yes, this can be the longest 10 minutes of your life! You may only get 5 minutes. But the main point being, don’t just lather up and rinse right away. We want to allow the essential oils to contact all of the creepy crawly critters, nasty microbes, and inflammed skin cells – before you rinse it down the drain!

You can add essential oils to any other rinse or conditioner that you may be using as well – just follow the same guidelines. For an item that may not be rinsed off after application – start with the 1.5% concentration.

Away™ – this blend just screams to be added to shampoo! Not only is it odor eliminating (think GREAT for skunk smell!), but it contains some of the most researched essential oils for anti-bug actions! Fleas, ticks, mites, lice, and any other creepy crawly or flying pest will go “Away”. And if your animal also has skin issues – the essential oils will also provide anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antimicrobial actions – all while supporting proper immune function. This shampoo can be used with dogs, cats, rats, mice, ferrets, rabbits, horses, cows, goats….you name it!

Calm-a-Mile™ NEAT – you may not have considered this blend being added to shampoo before – but Calm-a-Mile NEAT is not limited to diffusion or emotions. German (blue) Chamomile, is well respected as an anti-inflammatory as well as being super beneficial for skin. Actually – all of the oils within Calm-a-Mile have wonderful support benefits for skin and health, while also being calming and emotionally supportive. Try this shampoo combination especially for dogs with anxiety or high stress levels – but don’t forget about it’s wonderful skin calming actions as well! This shampoo combination can be a bit “strong” so for cats, smaller critters, or even super sensitive dogs – so I recommend starting with only 1/2 of your 2mL bottle (1mL or approximately 20-30 “taps” added to the 2oz Shampoo). You can always add more later!

Dump-a-Lump™ – you must be CRAZY! Nope – we’re not crazy! The gals at 4-Legger added Dump-a-Lump to their shampoo – and LOVED it! And my wheels started turning! While I do not think you are going to bathe your dog, and all of its lumps will disappear – there is a HUGE benefit to using this shampoo combination for dogs that have all sorts of lumps and bumps on them. No matter what, any lump that is to “go away” needs a healthy immune system, in an animal that is able to eliminate these “rogue” cells from its body. Essential oils help to support cell death (apoptosis), decrease inflammation, support normal cell metabolism (think not depositing fat abnormally), and can get rid of excess sebaceous discharge, accumulation, and infections that often plague skin tumors, warts, and a variety of lumps. If your dog has to be bathed – WHY NOT include oils that will help to support the clearance of lumps, bumps, and tumors! YES, YES, YES! And – the Melissa essential oil within this blend makes it so much more powerful. Not only is it anti-histamine in actions, but it is known to support the most difficult and odd situations in veterinary medicine – including refractory tumors, seizures, anxiety, and more!

New Mobility™ NEAT – along those same lines of – “Every bath should bring a benefit” – we can totally support musculoskeletal health and comfort by adding this blend to shampoo! Imagine those old dogs, standing in the grooming tub for their day of beauty. They curl over their toes to grip the tub floor, or the table. All in all – a bit of a different day for them in their day to day routine – which could result in some soreness. If you are a groomer – you can add benefits to your normal shampoo routine. If you are bathing an animal athlete, search and rescue dog, dog with an injury, or a senior – why not support their health and comfort with their shampoo! Win, win!

NeuroBalance™ – this diffusion blend is no longer limited to diffusion! Adding NeuroBalance to a shampoo can support nerve health, and give all of the same benefits that diffusion can bring, to your bathing event! Perfect for dogs with seizures, or with any sort of nerve degeneration condition. Bathing a dog with Megaesophagus, Cognitive Dysfunction, or even a Lick Granuloma (yes this can be nerve pain)? Guess what!? We can support the body to provide more normal nerve function and repair! That’s just awesome – and we only thought we were washing a dog!

Skin Spray Base™ – this blend is so soothing to the skin. A gentle way to reduce greasy accumulations and excretions, provide gentle antimicrobial actions, promote healing and reduce inflammation of the skin. The lavender and frankincense within this blend, also lend their emotional calming actions. A great all purpose, and “everyday” shampoo option – as well as for itchy, irritated, weepy, or wounded skin. This is a perfect blend for cats who “over-groom” – if you are so inclined to bathe your cat!

YeastyBeasty™ NEAT – likely to be the most needed shampoo of the century! Yeast infections are so common in “allergy” dogs – and so commonly misdiagnosed, and mistreated! One of my biggest pet peeves on this earth! This would be the shampoo I’d pick for MRSA and bacterial infections, yeasty dogs, chronic allergy dogs, rain rot horses, horses with scratches, animals with ringworm, and other conditions that require some “big guns” to handle the problem. If your dog is a chronic licker or chewer – this is the shampoo combination to try out.