Aromatherapy Certification Complete!

I have completed my aromatherapy training and am now a Certified Animal Aromatherapy 
Practitioner (CAAP).  It was hard and a lot of work (310 hours of instruction, 30 case studies, numerous papers and assignments and tests, and 27 months of work) but I learned so much that has helped me help Chance and the other animals I see.

As an aromatherapist, I don't just use essential oils.  In fact, I usually start with a different aromatherapy "tool" (hydrosol, carrier oil, Aloe Vera gel, Witch Hazel, Apple Cider Vinegar, botanical clay, etc.) and switch to an essential oil if warranted though, in certain cases, I do go with a diluted essential oil first.  Hydrosols are a favorite of mine, even for using on myself and my husband, because they are much gentler than essential oils and I have seen numerous issues, physical and mental, benefit from their use.

Aromatherapy can be useful for many issues but it can also be harmful for others, and not all essential oils and other aromatherapy tools are safe for animals.  When cats come into the picture, it gets even more complicated.

Before using any aromatherapy product with your companion, please consult with a Certified Animal Aromatherapy Practitioner on the safety of that product for your companion. 
Some essential oils can interact with certain medications in harmful ways or make a medical condition worse.  At the very least, look up the individual ingredients in a blend/product to see if they have any medication or medical condition warnings or are poisonous to animals.

Do not automatically trust an aromatherapy product that is marketed as being made for animals. 
I decided to start pursuing an aromatherapy education after using a diluted, "ready to use" essential oil product made for animals on Chance and suffering a serious injury on the exposed skin of my wrist where it contacted her fur during application. 
I had a raised welt that went about 2/3 of the way across my wrist, was about 1/2 inch wide, and ended up bleeding. 
I had even done the "safe" thing of further diluting this already diluted product by around 80%. 
The person who formulated this particular product had no formal training in essential oils and would no disclose at what dilution the product was after being contacted about the injury and blamed my injury on having "sensitive skin."