Would lavender water soothe my dog on firework night?

Question:

I read that during the fireworks season one of your readers calmed her dog with a drop of lavender water on each of its ear tips. My question is: would it be detrimental to my dog who has sensitive skin? I keep his skin sensitivity (occasional mild, isolated eczema) under control with cotton bedding, hypo-allergenic complete food and mild baby shampoo. This keeps him 100 per cent itch-free, so I am reluctant to try the lavender water without advice.

Finally, I have seen references to plug-in, dog-appeasing pheromone diffusers and would like to know where I can buy one.

Answer:
Lavender has a relaxing and calming effect but it won't override extreme anxiety and agitation. There are stronger herbs available for severe anxiety such as valerian, skullcap and passion flower. If you use lavender essential oil you must dilute it as essential oils are too strong to use neat on a dog's skin.

Good-quality lavender water or aromatic water may be used undiluted. I sometimes use lavender aromatic water in topical preparations for dogs with allergic skin disease. If you are going to try lavender make sure that it is a good-quality product that doesn't contain synthetic perfumes, artificial flavors or colorings as many lavender products do. I suggest that you test a tiny amount of the lavender preparation on your dog's skin to make sure that he isn't sensitive to it. Dog-appeasing pheremone (DAP) diffusers can be bought from your vet.

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