Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals: A Comprehensive Guide to the Use of Essential Oils & Hydrosols with Animals (Comprehensive Guide to the Use of Essential Oils and Hydroso) Paperback – September 1, 2002

Easy to read basic aromatherapy info. I bought it for info on hydrosols, but it was more about essential oil.

This book is well written, easy to comprehend and provides detailed information. The reading is enjoyable and very educational. I particularly appreciate the care taken to describe what makes high quality products, and why and how so many product are not truly pure or of the highest quality. I also appreciated the many excellent references and the case studies that were sited.The information is science based. Cautions for use are emphasized and described for different species. The descriptions of individual essential oils and hydrosols are excellent. There are many recipes for specific problems. This a book that I highly recommend to anyone interested in the subject regardless of their level of expertise.

This is a great product when you are a beginner at aromatherapy. It has almost everything you need when wanting to know and do aromatherapy. It would be better if it also had remedies for other animals except dogs and cats. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know about aromatherapy and how to practice it.

My career in essential oils began quite by accident. I had started to use oils for my (human) children, and thankfully had "fell into" what I feel to be high quality oils - right out of the starting gates. Essential oils are incredibly controversial in the animal world, and as a holistic vet - I had encountered many people wanting to use them more and more. At first, I was incredibly cautious to use them around my household of over 13 very special cats. After reading Kristin Leigh Bell's book - I would have run the other way - and did, recommending that my clients did not use essential oils at all. Better safe than sorry... was my mantra.However, as my education in human aromatherapy progressed - and as soon as people find out you are a vet - many, many Essential Oil users would tell me of their stories of using oils for their animals. And these were success stories, not stories of toxicity. I began to question why this set of people were not "killing their cats", but everyone else was. I have a bit of an obsession with research and learning, so started to talk with other vets, research cases of toxicity reports, and of course watch my own cats' responses to our human aromatherapy usage (including checking their bloodwork and urine very often!) What I have found and actually documented with case studies and blood work - is that it is the QUALITY of the essential oil that matters most in the reports of toxicity. Yes, you can "detoxify" a patient more than what they feel comfortable with - but that can happen with many natural products. Even switching a pet to a new food must be done slowly - and "healing crisis" can be seen with homeopathy... As with any item - anything can be done in excess.So, as a holistic veterinarian, who has actually done before, during, and after blood work studies in cats, birds, and other animals... I must set the record straight. If you are using a truly veterinary grade oil - cats CAN actually use them in some amazing ways, sometimes more than you could ever imagine. Not that I use essential oils in cats in the same manner as I do a dog - but quite frankly - I don't use veterinary medicine the same for a cat as a dog either. So there is really no difference there. Drugs that dogs can take, cats cannot. It is part of being a cat - they like to be unique!However, I would hate for the cats that have truly had their lives saved - by methods that some would describe as completely impossible for a feline - not have that opportunity due to lack of the most recent and cutting edge research. I just felt I had to share this opinion as I receive many questions regarding this view point, and this book specifically. As with everything in medical fields, every year we know more and more. This "new" animal aromatherapy information is being documented from 2009 and forward. With case reports hopeful to be published for 2012. I know more in 2011, than I did in 2009. This is the way knowledge evolves.Kristin's book will certainly keep you safe in your use of essential oils with cats, and being safe and light in your approach is not wrong. But it is also not 100% correct either. It would be like saying you could only ever drive your car at 5 mph to be safe. Safety is not about never going "faster". It is about learning how to drive, the roads on which you drive, and the speeds at which you choose to take the corners!Thank you for letting me share this information with you.Melissa Shelton DVM

I am relatively new to essential oils especially with respect to pets. A friend had given me one page from this book as to what not to use! I located the book on amazon ordered it and have already referred this book to others. this book has helped me help my elderly Great Dane who has arthritis etc. The language is clear and the rationale provided for what to use and how to use I find very helpful. Additional reference material is also a plue. I keep this book handy with my other people and pet remedy information. I would read more from this author!

I recently got turned on to essence oils and was concerned about the health of animals being around EO's. This book is a gem. It has recipes for dogs ears and others. It really pushed the point of not using oils around cats also. I like this because of all the MLS's out there are saying EO's are perfectly safe for our cats and dogs. I suggest you buy this book if you have an animal and use EO,s.