My chihuahua got tea tree oil for fleas. Is it toxic? Are they okay?

You are right that tea tree oil is toxic to dogs. You need to bathe Lucy immediately. Wash her thoroughly with dog shampoo or baby shampoo, wash it out, and bathe her again. As long as you get it all off of her before it has a chance to soaking into her skin, she should be fine. I hope this helps!

Tea tree oil is toxic to dogs and should never be used on them unless significantly diluted. Tremors are a sign of poisoning, and even though Lil bit seems ok now, I would still have her seen by a vet right away for a health check.

I would wash the tea tree oil off of her immediately with dishwashing detergent (which is good removing oils from the skin) and take her to the ER or call the ASPCA poison control hotline if it was 100% tea tree oil which can be very toxic and cause seizures, vomiting, tremors. 0.1-1% tea tree oil is much less toxic but calling poison control and giving them your dog’s weight, the type and amount of tea tree oil and how long ago it was applied (there is usually a fee) 888-426-4435 is your safest bet especially as she is pregnant. Good luck!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Benson. Wash off his paws now using Dawn dish soap and warm water. If there was to be a problem, it would typically show up within 2-12 hours after exposure. If you see depression, weakness, incoordination, muscle tremors, salivation, vomiting, a skin rash, or collapse, get him into a vet immediately. I'd monitor him for the time period I mentioned above, but after that time period passes and if there are no signs, he should be ok. I hope this helps!

HI, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Honey! Tea tree oil is toxic at high concentrations. If you washed it off and she hasn't licked it and is acting fine she will be ok. Watch her for lethargy or neurologic signs. if she isn't showing symptoms there is nothing to do preventatively. I would try a triple antibiotic on the wound and an antihistamine. If it doesn't heal you should have her seen by a Vet. Good luck! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/zyrtec/

Tea tree oil is typically used to treat fungal infections, so it probably wouldn't have much effect on fleas or ticks and it can also be toxic if Holly licks the area you apply it. It would be better to use a topical designed for treating these, such as Frontline or Advantage, and would be much safer for Holly. You can also use a flea comb to remove any dead fleas after giving a bath, as well as make sure to clean the environment such as bedding, baseboards, etc to help prevent reinfestation.

HI, thanks for using Petcoach! Poor Bailey! Fleas can really wreak havoc on the skin. From the scratching animals can get secondary bacterial and yeast infections. A lot of the time they need steroids or apoquel and antibiotics and/or antifungals to get over the hump. Taking her to your Vet for medications will allow her to heal and feel better faster. Since she is so allergic to fleas I recommend aggressive year round flea medications, the oral formulations (Nexgard, Bravecto and Simparica) are great as are the Seresto collars which last 8 months and repel fleas. With that being said, I would avoid the tea tree oil and use a medicated shampoo followed by a conditioner if you do not want to take her to the Vet. Let the shampoo sit on her skin for 10 mins before rinsing. I provided links to a shampoo and conditioner I like. I hope this helps and I wish Bailey a speedy recovery! http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27307 http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=35843