Oregano Essential Oil Acute Dosage Guidelines
This quick reference details the dosages amounts and frequencies for using oregano essential oil in a herbal goat care practice.
When To Use This Protocol
This protocol is for use in acute situations where infection, pneumonia or other significant immune stress is present. In my own practice, this protocol replaces conventional antibiotics.
Basic Dosing Guidelines
- Oregano essential oil is potent and can cause blisters to soft tissues if undiluted.
- The younger the animal, the higher the dilution rate.
- When dosing essential oils, frequency of dosing is important; more so than amount of dosing.
- This EO has a powerful antibiotic effect. Treat it with the same respect you would conventional antibiotics.
How to Dose
Oregano essential oil needs to be diluted with a carrier. If you are giving herbs, teas, molasses water, a bottle or any other liquid medium, you can add the EO directly to what you’re already giving. Be sure to dilute to a minimum of:
- Newborn/young kids: 1 drop oregano diluted with 2ml liquid
- Older kids/adults: 1 drop oregano diluted with 1ml liquid
More liquid is fine, but consider the state of the animal when adding much orally. A sick animal may have trouble handling more volume of liquid.
You can use a drench gun if you have one, but I find a 3ml needle-less syringe is the easiest to manage and use so I keep many of these on hand. Be sure to administer toward the side of the mouth so the animal can swallow without aspiration.
Dosing Charts
IMPORTANT: The number of daily doses steps down each day only as long as symptoms are improving. This varies by condition, but you should see a general returning to life improvement – less discharge, better appetite, more activity, etc. If symptoms do not improve but do not worsen, dose the same number of doses tomorrow as you did today. If symptoms worsen, this usually means another approach is needed. If symptoms improve, continue the step down format in the charts below.
NEWBORN-8 WEEKS MINIATURE SIZED GOAT OREGANO EO DOSING
| Number of Drops | 8a | 12p | 2p | 4p | 8p |
| Day 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Day 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Day 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Day 4 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Day 5 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Day 6 | 1 |
NEWBORN-8 WEEKS STANDARD SIZED GOAT OREGANO EO DOSING
| Number of Drops | 8a | 12p | 2p | 4p | 8p |
| Day 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Day 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| Day 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| Day 4 | 2 | 2 | |||
| Day 5 | 2 | 2 | |||
| Day 6 | 2 |
WEANED TO ADULT MINIATURE SIZED GOAT OREGANO EO DOSING
| Number of Drops | 8a | 12p | 2p | 4p | 8p |
| Day 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Day 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| Day 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| Day 4 | 2 | 2 | |||
| Day 5 | 2 | 2 | |||
| Day 6 | 2 |
WEANED TO ADULT STANDARD SIZED GOAT OREGANO EO DOSING
| Number of Drops | 8a | 12p | 2p | 4p | 8p |
| Day 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Day 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Day 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Day 4 | 4 | 4 | |||
| Day 5 | 4 | 4 | |||
| Day 6 | 4 |
Continue the discussion in the Essential Oil forum.
Thank you so much for getting this put up! I had my last baby get diarrhea this morning and I knew exactly where to go and you laid it out so beautifully. It made my day a whole lot better not having to stress over what to do! Thank you again for all the work you do!
So glad it could help you!
This is so helpful, thank you! We are struggling with something with my sheep. The vet can’t tell me what but wants to worm them and give them antibiotic shots.
What do you recommend for rebuilding the gut?
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