>Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca Alternifolia)-
>Tea tree oil is good for acne, cold sores, warts and burns, and is ideal
>for vaporising to kill germs.  Current medical research involves uses of
>Melaleuca in treating AIDS-related illnesses.
>
>Traditional Use:  Insect repellant, antiseptic
>Main Constituents:  Terminene-4-ol, cineol, pinene, terpines, cymene
 
While it seems likely that Australian tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil
may have several uses in human herbal medicine, I would recommend extreme
caution when using it with non-human animals.  I just finished a course in
Pharmacology and Toxicology at vet school and we discussed the fact that
there have been a few poisonings (might be many more unreported) and at
least one known death associated with the use of tea tree oil in the
biochemical oddity known as the cat (see reference below).  Other references
have indicated poisonings in rats, cats, dogs, infant and adult humans.
While ferrets are none of the above, they are small animals whose tolerance
(by dose, not on a weight basis) is probably much lower than ours (large,
lumbering, adult humans).  As indicated above, tea tree oil contains
terpenes and hydrocarbons.  It is also highly lipophilic and easily absorbed
through the skin.  "Dogs and cats will appear weak ... uncoordinated ...
muscular tremors ... elevated liver enzymes in cats ... suggest ...
hepatoxic [liver]." **Bischoff, K.  and Guale, F.  Australian tea tree
(Melaleuca alternifolia) oil poisoning in three purebred cats.  J.  Vet.
Diagn.  Invest.  10:208-210 (1998).
 
While I didn't learn anything specific about lavender oil, other herbal
remedies associated with animal poisonings have included: aloe, camphor,
eucalyptus oil, garlic, ginger, ginseng, Nux vomica, oil of wintergreen,
pennyroyal, and sassafras (**Poppenga, R.H. Risks Associated with Herbal
Remedies. in Toxicologic Disorders, UPenn School Vet. Medicine Toxicology
notes, Spring 1998).  I would put money on the fact that there were many
more.
 
I guess my point is that even compounds labelled safe and non-toxic can be
toxic if used improperly (ie. in a non-human animal; animal licks off a
lotion that is only to be used topically; topical dose is higher because
need enough to get through thick fur; etc.). I recommend asking your vet
about specific remedies, hopefully they will be reading the appropriate
journals and books to advise you.  Just be careful.
 
******************************
Sean Sawyer V'00
University of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine
 
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[Posted in FML issue 2328]