tea tree oil

Question
hi there, i dont now wever this would work or not but would yousing tea tree oil keep mites and bugs awey, and is tea tree oil safe to use on animals.

Answer
Dear Mr. Kirkland,

Despite what some health food store owners might tell you, products that are "natural because they come from plants" are not always healthy for animals.  In fact, the plants make them to keep herbivores away!  Tea tree oil is exactly such a substance:  it is loaded with phenolic aromatic compounds that are able to kill bacteria and other microorganisms, and they also may repel insects.  However, they are not healthy to use on mammals in large doses, either.  Eucalyptus oils of any kind (and tea tree oil comes from the Melaleuca tree, a very close relative of Eucalyptus) are not good to use on your furry or feathery buddies.

Mites and fleas are best controlled on your bunny with a monthly application of Revolution (selamectin), which kills them by paralyzing them.  Because the substance is specific to the invertebrate nervous system, it doesn't harm bunnies.

DO NOT use Frontline (fipronil) to kill mites and fleas on a rabbit, as it can be deadly to the rabbit.  For more information on this and other bunny "skin" issues, please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/furloss.html

I hope that helps.  Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana