Whether you live in a swampy or dry environment, you should be familiar with the word mosquitoes and they can really be a nightmare. In order to get rid of this bloodsucking pests, you will need this citrus-fresh scent called citronella candles. I know you love to protect yourself and your cute pups from mosquitoes and the likes but always be careful with what you are using. Before you start using citronella you need to ask yourself questions like, Is burning citronella candle safe for dogs? You did right, don’t worry you will get the answers right away.
Although citronella has been a well known product for curbing mosquitoes, but it can be very harmful to dogs. The oil can cause symptoms like nausea, hyperthermia and rashes, when inhaled or ingested in large quantities so I guess it is better to stay away from it.
What Is Citronella?
Citronella is an essential oil gotten from a grass-like kind of plant called citronella plant. It can come inform of candles, spray, lotion, for dogs and it is used for destroying pests with its citrus flavored smell, certainly not a good product for dogs.
It is better to be careful while using essential oil because some of them can cause liver failure, tremors, skin irritation, damage to the nervous system and lungs. It is super important not to give your dog anything without putting its health into consideration.
Citronella Candles
This candles according to studies are said to have a low concentration of citronella oil and are not very effective in killing mosquitoes, although they have been widely promoted as an everlasting solution to this bloodsucking pests.
Whether it is effective in killing mosquitoes or not don’t use it anywhere close to your dogs because it can cause vomiting and severe diarrhea, and If your dog has any breath related issue, inhaling the fume alone can cause serious damage to the body system.
But if by any chance your pets are there and the mosquitoes are disturbing too much that you must burn the citronella candle, make sure the place is well ventilated to let in fresh air in the process to avoid issues in their respiratory organs.
What Are The Medicinal Benefits Of Citronella Candle?
This candle is widely referred to as effective and affordable, the best choice for anyone looking for homemade pests deterrents.
This candle offer numerous benefits to its users, such as:
• Providing a pleasant aroma
• It is used to keep bugs away effortlessly
• It is affordable, doesn’t cost much
• It is not harmful to human beings
• It is an all natural deterrent
• It is easy to use
• It is not scarce, you can get it easily
• It prevents the growth and spread of harmful airborne bacteria
• It helps relax the body and mind, and bringing in a sense of cheerfulness
• It helps to refresh the atmosphere with its citrus scents
• It relieves one of cough
All this and more are the benefits you will enjoy using citronella candle, but don’t forget it is still not to be enjoyed by pets around.
What Is Citronella Candles Used For?
This is a natural product unlike the chemical repellents out there, they are candles made of citronella oil from citronella plants, it fights off mosquitoes and other insects without killing or harming them.
The candle light releases an odour that acts as a smoke screen to disguise the human scent to the insect, this makes it difficult for some mosquitoes to locate a host, just burn it around that particular area you want those mosquitoes to stay clear.
Some people use citronella candles to create a beautiful ambience to their events by lighting up candles and placing them all around the event space. The light produced and the citrus-fresh scents spice up the beauty of the environment.
Dangers Of Using Citronella Candles
Being one of the trusted product designed to repel mosquitoes, citronella candles still have its positive and negative effects to be considered before usage especially on our pets.
Citronella candles can cause breathing issues when inhaled, and the fire produced by the candle also poses a threat of fire hazards when used indoors especially when placed on flammable surfaces.
The American society for the prevention of cruelty to animals stated that citronella candles are poisonous to dogs, because it can cause numerous health issues to them when inhaled or ingested which can also lead to death.
Is It Ok If Dog Smell Citronella Candles?
No, it is not ok for dogs to smell citronella candles because of the harm it can cause them if inhaled in a large quantity. The smoke from the burning candle can irritate a dog’s eyes and lungs. Also burning the candle in an enclosed space helps in releasing toxic fumes which can be toxic for your pets.
How To Safely Use Citronella Candles With Dogs
Citronella candles can be toxic to dogs but you can use it if you are careful and can follow these guidelines below.
Use Only In Open Area:
A well ventilated space will be preferable as this will ensure that the smokes from the candle will be circulating and that will make it nearly impossible for your dogs to inhale them in a large quantity.
Place Candle On A Solid Surface:
Placing the candle on a solid surface will help it not to fall on a flammable surface where it can create a fire outbreak, rather it will stand firm. Keeping it out of the reach of your dogs will be necessary too.
Be Mindful Of The Flame Direction:
Watching the flame direction and height will help you to prevent any form of fire hazard, off it entirely if the fire is becoming too much.
Keep Candle Away From Your Pets And Children:
Make sure to keep the candle in a safe place that your children cannot reach to avoid pushing it to the ground, this will also ensure that your pets will be safe from the harms the fumes can cause them if inhaled.
Stop Using If Inflammation Occurs:
Discontinue use if you notice any physical condition in which a part of your dog’s body becomes swollen, reddened, painful or hot. Take the candle away immediately and take care of your dog as soon as possible to avoid further damage.
As you can see, everything mentioned here is with no guarantee that your dog won’t be affected in the least way possible, so it is best to keep citronella candles away from them entirely.
Does Citronella Calm Dogs?
Yes it does. When a dog barks excessively it becomes a problem thereby creating nuisance to yourself and the whole neighborhood at large. This is mostly annoying when you feel like it is barking unnecessarily, so in this case you need to stop them from barking, but how then do you do that?
Make sure you get close to them, take every necessary approach to know why they won’t stop barking because most times this might be as a result of fear, anxiety, boredom or may be they are just seeking for attention. But at the end of you trying every possible means to calm the situation and the barking still persist, you will need an anti-bark collar.
Citronella anti-bark collar is a highly effective control device that has been in use for more than 2 decades, highly compassionate and can work on most dogs. The fact that dogs do not like the smell of citrus makes it possible for this spray to work effectively, It distracts them instantly giving you a relief and an overall peace of mind.
Final Thought
Citronella are overall toxic to dogs and should be avoided. The oil can harm them if ingested and the fumes from the candle flame can as well be toxic if inhaled. So the best solution is to avoid using it anywhere near your dogs.
