CHENNAI: Lavender, vanilla, chamomile, citrus, cranberry, and whatnot. Sitting pretty and colourful in little glass jars or all by themselves, most cannot resist the look, feel, and aromas of scented candles. And while it is quite alright to want to adorn your home with these trendy symbols of opulence, you might want to think twice if a troubled ‘woof-woof’ echoes through your house. That’s right — because scented candles are not your dog’s best friends.
Behind the beauty lies…
“Pure danger,” cautions Dr K Ramakrishna, a consultant veterinary physician and surgeon. “Scented candles have essential oils, which I’m sure most of us have heard of. Oils such as peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, and tea tree oil are especially dangerous for your dog’s lungs,” he explains, adding that these oils have alkaloids, which irritate the windpipe and mucus membrane in the lungs.
“This can lead to inflammation, respiratory distress, and suffocation. In short, these essential oils are carcinogenic in nature, which means they have the potential to cause cancer in the long run,” warns the veterinarian.
The paraffin problem
Scented candles are made of paraffin wax. Every time the candle burns, it releases toxic chemicals such as benzene, toluene, naphthalene and volatile organic compounds, informs Dr Ramakrishna. “All these irritate the mucus membrane and again, they also cause respiratory issues,” he says.
The fumes released can also irritate a dog’s eyes, nose, and throat, which can cause coughing and sneezing. Coming in contact with such candles can also cause rashes, itching, contact dermatitis and bacterial infection, shares the veterinarian.
“We used to have a couple of scented candles around the house. Our golden retriever Bobo would sneeze and I didn’t think anything of it. But when the veterinarian told me the candles were the reason behind Bobo’s reactions, I immediately threw them out,” expresses Vani, a homemaker.
More than ‘tummy troubles’
The veterinarian says that dogs may also ingest candles and that can be terribly detrimental to their intestines. “Unknowingly, they may get excited, touch the candle, and bite it. Apart from severe tummy upsets and vomiting, your dog may get loose motions, gastritis, bloody diarrhoea and internal bleeding in intestines. Just imagine how painful all this will be for your dog,” expresses Dr Ramakrishna. He goes on to caution that in the absence of timely treatment, the loss of blood can lead to anaemia and death.
Don’t dump candles
The solution is not to give up on using candles altogether; there are eco-friendly alternatives to scented candles that can ensure your dog is safe from harm. “Use candles made from soy, coconut, vegetable-based wax or beeswax. The fumes released from these are not dangerous for your pet. In a worst case scenario where your dog ingests these, she or he will only get loose motions,” explains Dr Ramakrishna, adding that it is best to keep pets away from stores and restaurants that use scented candles.
To paw parents
Although there is no information yet about the effects of scented candles on different breeds of dogs, the veterinarian says that it is best to avoid these if you have a furry friend at home.
Dr Ramakrishna advises, “When you adopt a dog, it is akin to bringing a child into your home — you have the important responsibility of taking care of his or her health. Get regular checkups done even if your dog seems ‘completely fine’. Dogs cannot explain or express the way we do. So, if your dog goes into isolation, hides or sits in a corner, stops playing or stops eating, please realise that there is a problem and consult a veterinarian.”