Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals: A Comprehensive Guide to the Use of Essential Oils & Hydrosols with Animals [Paperback]

Kristen Leigh Bell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002

This resource provides effective aromatherapy information and treatments that improve and maintain animal health, as well as prevent common ailments in dogs, cats, and other animals.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kristen Leigh Bell is a master aromatherapist certified by the Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy, and has been working with aromatherapy and essential oils for more than 10 years.

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Findhorn Press (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1899171592
• ISBN-13: 978-1899171590
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,137 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 74 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book for your holistic animal care library March 15, 2003

By Sharon Stefan

Format:Paperback

This is an awesome book, that is well written and researched, easy and fun to read and full of recipes that are easy to make (I can't believe I read a review here that said the recipes were hard to make, they are not- very clearly annotated and with simple instructions). I have made numerous recipes- and the canine ear cleaning, tick spray, calming spray and the ointment for cuts and bruises are my favorites. These formulations are very effective and smell wonderful. I am so happy that I can make safe, all natural and effective products at home for my dog instead of spending a lot of money on synthetic products with chemicals.

I like how this book talks about how aromatherapy works with herbs, flower essences, homeopathy and other natural healing. After reading this book I have a real respect for aromatherapy as a way to care for my dog. This book is in my top ten, right up there with "Herbs for Pets" by Tilford and "Natural Health for Dogs and Cats" by Pitcairn.

104 of 110 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars from a cat-loving aromatherapist March 7, 2003

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

As an aromatherapist owned by 5 cats, it is hard for me to enjoy my work and keep the cats out of harm's way. Why, you wonder? Because essential oils can be very unsafe for use around cats. I had briefly read about this but did not realize just how important it was until I had the pleasure of my holistic vet recommending this new book.

Through a series of case studies, toxicology reports and veterinary research, Ms. Bell unravels the mystery of essential oil and hydrosol use with cats, presenting information that is both informative and engaging. After reading the cat section of this book, I felt fully capable of making informed and intelligent decisions about the use of aromatherapy with cats. I found Ms Bell's viewpoint refreshingly candid and well researched- allowing the reader the opportunity to form their own opinion on the topic or to explore it further through more detailed methods of toxicology and bloodwork. Safety is the key message here. I have Ms. Bell to thank for the livelihood of my cats. Before purchasing her book, I bought a Young Living video about using essential oils with animals. The video suggested putting essential oils undiluted on cat's paws, ear tips or stomach. Thank the Lord that I did not do this! I could have caused irreparable harm to my cats.

If you are owned by cats, and love aromatherapy, you must purchase this book- you won't be sorry, and your cats will thank you.

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read ... May 1, 2004

By Diane

Format:Paperback

This is a great book ... very well written and very thoughtfully written. I enjoyed reading it and Kristen Leigh Bell is obviously knowledgeable; I also appreciate that she takes a cautious and conservative approach to usage of EOs in animals. That being said, I bought this book specifically to learn how to use EOs with cats, and learned that you really can not use straight EOs for cats - hydrosols only. So, while that is great to know, had I know that in advance I likely would not have purchased the book. Still a great read.

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece! February 21, 2003

By CJ Puotinen

Format:Paperback

In the last five years, I have studied with and interviewed aromatherapists from around the world for books and magazine articles. Since our first phone interview, Kristen Leigh Bell has been my favorite authority on the use of essential oils and hydrosols for dogs, cats, and other animals. It was my pleasure to write this book's foreword, which gives me an intellectual (not financial) interest in its success.
I expected this book to be user-friendly, comprehensive, and helpful -- but Kristen's work is a masterpiece. She makes important technical information easy to understand, helping aromatherapy newcomers understand how essential oils are made, how to judge their quality, and how identical sounding oils can have different chemical signatures and very different effects. With her constant emphasis on safety, Kristen's book does more to protect animals from the inappropriate use of aromatherapy products than any other publication. In addition, Kristen generously shares her formulas and recipes, something few manufacturers would consider doing.
The result is a well-organized reference, "how to" guide, and resource -- in short, an aromatherapy crash course devoted to companion animals.<BR Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals by Kristen Leigh Bell is the world's first major book on a subject that is rapidly gaining attention but is poorly understood. Thanks to Kristen Leigh Bell and Findhorn Press, caretakers, groomers, trainers, veterinarians, and pet lovers everywhere finally have an authoritative guide to help them make informed decisions about what aromatherapy products to make or buy and how to use them. The health of our dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, and other animals can only improve as a result.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars New Veterinary Information on Aromatherapy December 19, 2011

By Melissa Shelton

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

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 the best 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 Young Living Essential Oil users would tell me of their stories of using Young Living 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 medical 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 Read more ›