Is Castor Oil Safe for Dogs + Benefits

Wondering is castor oil safe for dogs? It shouldn’t be used internally but it can do wonders for dog’s skin. Learn everything about it here!

Castor oil is a wonderful remedy for humans as it offers plenty of health benefits. Be it skin, hair, face problems or muscles, proper application of castor oil on a regular basis and you’re good to go! But can we use it for our cute dog? Is castor oil safe for dogs?

In this article, we’ll be talking about using castor oil for dogs. If yes, then how and what’re the advantages of it. Today we’ll cover:

Is Castor Oil Safe for Dogs?

Often, one of the questions that trouble our readers is whether using castor oil for dogs is safe or not?

Well, the answer is yes! You can harmlessly use castor oil for dogs. It’s completely safe, easy to use, and comes with plenty of benefits. But, do make sure to use it for the external use only and avoid to provide it orally.

Just like humans, the digestive system of dogs is complex. It can’t digest everything, especially a powerful laxative like castor oil. It can seriously harm and damage the dog’s internal body mechanism.

Benefits of Using Castor Oil for Dogs

Castor oil is an amazing remedy to treat a dog’s health and skin related problems. It can even cure uneven skin growth and cure tumors.

Following are the benefits of using castor oil for dogs:

  • Makes the dog skin smooth
  • Treats the fungal infection
  • Cures uneven skin growth by neutralizing the tumors
  • Anti-bacterial properties of castor oil help in treating a variety of skin and ear infections

Note: Some dogs are sensitive towards castor oil and it might do more harm than good. So observe the one-week behavior of dogs after using castor oil on them and consult a doctor in case of medical emergencies.

How to Use Castor Oil for Dogs?

You can apply castor oil directly on the skin. For better results, take a large cotton ball, dip it in a mixture made from half parts of castor and olive oil and apply it to the dog’s skin. Wash it after 5 minutes. You can also use castor oil in the bathing solution!

We highly recommend you to avoid giving castor oil orally to the dogs. It’s risky, can damage the digestive system and lead to severe health issues.

Also, do make sure never to use castor oil near the eyes as it may lead to blindness.

Precautions you should consider

Before including castor oil in your dog’s grooming routine, take care of the following precautions:

  • Always use natural, hexane-free, cold-pressed and organic castor oil instead of chemical-induced one.
  • Keep the castor oil away from the children.
  • Never use the castor oil in treating digestion and eye problems as direct consumption may lead to health consequences.
  • Make sure the castor oil is from a trusted organic brand.
  • Examine the behavior of your dog after a one-week application of castor oil as some dogs are allergic to castor oil.
  • Wash your dog’s skin after applying the castor oil.

Final Thoughts

So coming to the conclusion, castor oil is safe for dogs but only when used externally. It’ll help your dog’s fur to stay healthy and prevent his skin from harmful bacteria and fungus.

Ingesting or applying castor oil drops can be a problem as the castor oil is a powerful laxative. That’s why stay away from its internal application and always consult your vet before taking any relevant measures.

That’s all!

Thanks for reading!

Dr Helen Smith
Dr. Helen Smith provides food and nutrition consultation and treatment for obese as well as health-conscious patients. She holds B.S in psychology and completed her M.S in nutrition sciences from California State University. She has over five years of experience in advising and helping patients with the right nutrition and diet. Her mission is to make nutrition information accessible to everyone and help people follow a healthy lifestyle.

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Comments

  1. You say don’t use castor oil in pets eyes but I’ve read to add 1 drop into the eye can help/prevent cataracts ?

  2. Using it externally can cause the pets to lick it. Coconut oil is a better choice as base oil and you can add mild quantity of diluted tea tree oil. This combination will help dogs skin and acts as anti fungal solution. Thanks

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