Toxicity to pets

Tea tree oil, also known as melaleuca oil, is an essential oil produced from the Australian tea tree plant (Melaleuca alternifolia). Tea tree oil is available in variable concentrations. Pet products including shampoos that contain less than 1-2% are generally considered non-toxic when used according to labeled directions. Higher concentrations of Tea tree oil is toxic to pets and even a few concentrated drops applied topically or ingested, can result in severe poisoning. Clinical signs of Tea Tree poisoning are gastrointestinal distress (e.g., drooling), neurological signs (e.g., stumbling, weakness, tremor, coma), organ injury (e.g., liver failure – cat), low body temperature, and death.