Quite possibly if there were no other oils available on earth, and I had to select only ONE that I could have… Copaiba would rank right up there in my decision making process. Possibly only tied with Helichrysum. Copaiba remains one of the most valuable oils in my eyes – and you will see it in almost every blend I create. Quality is of the utmost importance, as we have seen lesser oils yield no results at all for some animals.

From Brazil – Copaiba is actually tapped from a tree – much like maple syrup. It has been used widely in South America for its special health properties – for hundreds and hundreds of years. Much research is being completed on Copaiba essential oil from a variety of species – and it confirms the responses we have been aware of, resulting from its use. There are several species names used for the same essential oil at times – so occasionally it can become confusing. Renaming is common in the scientific field – however, you can trust that animalEO Copaiba is always evaluated to be the correct essential oils desired for use with animals, to yield the results we expect, and to be safe and effective.

Read Research Articles on Copaiba by clicking on the name. Or search at www.pubmed.gov for more publications on essential oil research. New research is published all the time!

Copaiba Oil Suppresses Inflammatory Cytokines in Splenocytes
of C57Bl/6 Mice Induced with Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE)
The influence of topic and systemic administration of copaiba oil on the alveolar wound healing after tooth extraction in rats
Effects of the topical administration of copaiba oil ointment (Copaifera langsdorffii) in skin flaps viability of rats
Effect of copaiba oil in hepatic damage induced by acetaminophen in rats
Copaiba oil effect in rats aminotrasnferases submitted to hepatic ischemic and reperfusion with and without preconditioning
Copaiba oil effect on urea and creatinine serum levels in rats submitted to kidney ischemia and reperfusion syndrome
Effect of copaiba oil on correction of abdominal wall defect treated with the use of polypropylene/polyglecaprone mesh
Chemopreventive effect of Copaifera langsdorffii leaves hydroalcoholic extract on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced DNA damage and preneoplastic lesions in rat colon
Genotoxicity assessment of Copaiba oil and its fractions in Swiss mice
Chemistry and Biological Activities of Terpenoids from Copaiba (Copaifera spp.) Oleoresins
Bacteriostatic Effect of Copaiba Oil (Copaifera officinalis) against Streptococcus mutans
As you can see from the available research, Copaiba has a wealth of benefits – and that is why you will see it routinely in animalEO blends. Inflammation lives within every disease state. The elimination of inflammation, is a great help towards healing and comfort. But, many of our traditional anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s or Steroids) have draw backs and side effects. None of these items help to protect the body, and bolster health. They merely suppress the immune system from response, and decrease inflammation. Essential oils such as Copaiba – are showing that not only can they decrease inflammation – but they can actually be gastroprotective at the same time (protecting the gut from ulcers and such) and as another study showed – Liver protective. You can read more about the natural replacement of these medications in this PAST NEWSLETTER HERE.

There are situations where I feel that the use of Copaiba essential oil as a single – is warranted. Often times with Female Urinary Incontinence in dogs – I will use Copaiba orally in food, twice a day instead of a blend. Male dogs can be quite different in their responses to incontinence medications – whether traditional or not – but for females – we find a great help within Copaiba essential oil.

With arthritis and joint pains – I do usually find that our Any-Itis blend is much more effective than Copaiba alone. However, when we needed to treat very large animals such as elephants – we will use Copaiba along with Any-Itis. And as Copaiba has very little scent or taste – it can be a wonderful item to use when animals are very sensitive or picky.

Copaiba is wonderful for use with many conditions; arthritis, gastric ulcers, skin conditions, inflammation, gastro-intestinal disorders, pain, cystitis, urinary incontinence, urinary disorders, and more. Copaiba also appears to magnify the effects of other essential oils that it is used with. This could be a direct synergistic effect, but also since all dis-ease contains inflammation, the act of the Copaiba to reduce the inflammation is a considerable contribution to healing. You will find Copaiba in nearly all animalEO blends – whether for topical use, ingestion, or diffusion.

Birds & Exotics: Copaiba is added to many animalEO blends – and in my opinion, is best within these blends for these species. Copaiba essential oil can be used in many, many ways. Water diffusion can be used in open rooms, small rooms, in caging, and tented – and so you will find Copaiba within Open-Air. Alone, generally 3-4 drops are added to a water-based diffuser to start. Copaiba can also be added to drinking water, starting with 1 drop in 1 liter of water, and gradually increasing as needed. Copaiba is also added to foods quite easily – and is also within Any-Itis RTU for these species. Beginning with a “toothpick dip” of the essential oil added to a tablespoon of food, the amount can gradually be increased based on response. Copaiba has also been used topically – 1 drop mixed into a tablespoon of carrier oil or natural ointment/balm – or you can find it within CritterBoost or KittyBoost. 4-5 drops can be added to 4 ounces (120 mL) of distilled water and misted onto the bird or animal, added to soaking water for reptiles, as well as added to fish tanks – blends such as Feathered Blend NEAT, Feathered Plus, and Aqua-Add conveniently provide Copaiba to these species. Application by Petting (often diluted) and transfer from perches or hands is also used.

Cats: The most effective way to use Copaiba for cats remains within blends such as KittyBoost or our Litteroma blends. Cats will ingest small amounts of the Copaiba through normal grooming, as well as absorb it topically. These protocols are suggested first, however, occasionally a cat may be selected for use of Copaiba added to food or water. Some cats may not drink Copaiba in their water – so this option may not work for everyone. Also, when adding Copaiba to the food of a cat, this may also be rejected. Starting with very small “toothpick” amounts, and gradually increasing the amounts they are exposed to, seems to work well for most cats, effectively getting them used to the flavor or smell that surely they detect.

Dogs & Larger: Again, my preference is to use Copaiba within blends – such as Boost in a Bottle, Skin Spray Base, G.I. Goe, and more. For cases such as Female Urinary Incontinence in dogs (males seem to respond somewhat differently) – Copaiba as a single essential oil is “king”. I will use it as a single by preference in these cases. However, for arthritis discomfort and other sources of inflammation – I will prefer blends containing Copaiba such as Any-Itis or New Mobility. Blends, again, provide a much broader spectrum of support – and I find are far more effective overall.

The following are recommendations for the oral use of Copaiba. Remember that some individuals may require more or less:

For dogs up to 20 pounds (9kg): 1 part Copaiba can be mixed with 3 parts Fractionated Coconut Oil (FCO) – and 1-2 drops of this dilution can be given twice a day, generally mixed into a meal.

For dogs 20-50 pounds (9-22kg): 1 part Copaiba can be mixed with 1 part FCO, and 1-2 drops of this dilution can be given twice a day.

For dogs over 50 pounds (23kg) generally 1 drop of undiluted Copaiba can be given twice a day. You may still wish to dilute this within food or FCO in order to disperse it easily into a meal.

For Horses and other Large Animals: Copaiba can be used orally either directly or mixed with foods or water. Approximately 1 drop of Copaiba can be used per 100-200 pounds (45-90kg) of animal body weight. With horses, starting with approximately 5 drops twice a day is typical.