[Gpdd] [HEALTH]<essential oils>

[Cazza177]

Dear Janneke

Thanks for emailing the Digest.  I don't mind what you said at all.  What
frightens me is when people say that you can use an essential oil on a
guinea pig and then don't say what doseage or mention it needs to be put in
a carrier oil (all essential oils should be diluted).

An inexperienced owner who didn't have this information could then think
they were fine to just heap a load of neat essential oil on their pig and
then be surprised when it got sick.  (They can groom themselves when the
essential oil is applied overnight and then ingest it.)

I can even remember reading on here of someone who treated mites using
diluted bleach on their guinea pig.

You also made the very important point about not using essential oils on
baby or pregnant guinea pigs and I don't think that was mentioned by others,
so it really is important that if people are to use such treatment they are
given full info on how to use it.

That what I was trying to say in my first email on this subject.

I value what Vedra at the Cambridge Cavy Trust says and if she won't use
such treatments on guinea pigs, then experience has taught her it's not a
good idea, so I follow her lead.

It's fine to use a treatment as long as you have all the info, which is why
I invited others on the Digest who use Neem Oil to relate what dosages they
use, how often, etc., but you're the only one who has made comment so far.

Kind regards

Carole