GoudasMom

Many health-conscience people are constantly praising all the good things coconut oil does to their health. More and more holistic veterinarians and vets who emphasize the importance of nutrition are also tooting the benefits of coconut oil on our dogs' health.

Coconut Oil Benefits for Dogs - Internal

When taken internally, it is believed that coconut oil can prevent and help with a lot of canine health problems. For example:

• Disease Prevention: Coconut oil has strong antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal functions; therefore it can help prevent and treat infection (e.g. yeast infections) and infectious diseases (e.g. canine influenza).
• Weight Control: Coconut oil supplies fewer calories than other fats. It is beneficial for dogs who are overweight and cannot consume too much animal fat.
• Joint and Bone Health: Coconut oil can prevent and relieve symptoms of arthritis.
• Skin Health: Coconut oil benefits the skin greatly - it alleviates skin allergy symptoms (e.g. itching, dry skin and hair coat) and protects the skin against cancerous growths.
• Digestive Health: Coconut oil improves digestion and nutrient absorption, and is beneficial for dogs with digestive problems (e.g. stomach ulcers, colitis, etc.)
• Hormonal Control: It is also believed that coconut oil can help with hormonal balance and is therefore good for dogs with diabetes or thyroid problems.
• Cancer Prevention: Finally, it is believed that coconut oil reduces the risk of cancer and other degenerative conditions.

Coconut Oil Benefits for Dogs - Topical

Not only can coconut oil be taken internally, it can also be applied topically on our dogs. When used topically, coconut oil can:

• Disinfect cuts and promote wound healing.
• Improve our dogs' skin and hair condition, making the hair coat smooth and shiny. It can also eliminate the dog's body odor.
• Clear up numerous skin problems, such as warts, eczema, dandruff, precancerous lesions, ringworm, bites and stings.

Fatty Acid Composition of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil consists of more than 90% saturated fats, with traces of few unsaturated fatty acids, such as monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. When we see the words "saturated fats", most of us will think that these are "bad fats". However, most of the saturated fats in coconut oil are Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs), which are supposed to assimilate well. The main component (more than 40 of MCTs is lauric acid, followed by capric acid, caprylic acid, myristic acid and palmitic. Coconut oil also contains about 2% of linoleic acid (polyunsaturated fatty acids) and about 6% of oleic acid (monounsaturated fatty acids). Most of the coconut oil benefits come from the MCTs. For example, the lauric acid in coconut oil has anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties. Capric and caprylic acid have similar properties and are best known for their antifungal effects. In addition, MCTs are efficiently metabolized to provide an immediate source of fuel and energy, enhancing athletic performance and aiding weight loss. In dogs, the MCTs in coconut oil balance the thyroid, helping overweight dogs lose weight and helping sedentary dogs feel energetic.

Which Type of Coconut Oil Benefits Our Dogs?

There are two main types of coconut oil - refined and unrefined ("virgin" coconut oil). Refined coconut oil are usually made from low-quality coconuts and sometimes chemicals (e.g. chlorine and hexane) are used in the refining process. On the other hand, unrefined coconut oil is made from fresh, high-quality coconuts, either hand-pressed or manufactured in state-of-the-art factories. Unrefined coconut oil retains most of the nutrients found in fresh coconuts. Always give unrefined coconut oil to dogs as a dietary supplement.

How and How Much to Supplement?

Dogs usually like the taste of coconut oil, so it can be added to their food at any meal. Some dog parents just let their dogs lick the oil off from a spoon. How much coconut oil to give to a dog depends on the size and health condition of the dog, As a general guideline, give about 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight per day. However, remember not to start with the suggested amount. You need to add coconut oil to your dog's diet a little at a time in divided doses. Because coconut oil kills harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi, the burden of removing dead organisms can trigger symptoms of detoxification. Too much coconut oil at a time may also cause diarrhea and greasy stools in dogs. As a start, try giving 1/4 teaspoon/day for small dogs or puppies and 1 teaspoon for large dogs, and gradually increase the amount every few days. Reduce the amount if your dog has diarrhea.




Copied from: Coconut Oil Benefits for Dogs | Canine Supplements

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Gouda 9/6/01 - 7/19/12

Sue - Mom to Kippah rescued 8/19/12

OctanesMum

I bought some this morning! The dogs went crazy for it!

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GoudasMom

Yes most dogs love coconut oil. Im almost out so time to order more. I use it both internally and externally.

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Gouda 9/6/01 - 7/19/12

Sue - Mom to Kippah rescued 8/19/12

dawnybabe

Both my dogs love it too Rex drools for it as soon as he hears me open the lid.. Lol

As soon as I'm out I'm buying a gallon it will last forever maybe.. Hehe


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OctanesMum

I'm hoping I can find a bigger jar, I don't imagine the one I got will last long with these two. I did get the virgin coconut oil though.

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OctanesMum

Anyone who is interested, I just found a great deal on it on Amazon.

8lbs for $100. I just paid $15 for 7 oz.

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Briggs09

Great post, Sue! Thanks for sharing!

Serenity LOVES coconut oil! We've been giving her 1 teaspoon of it every morning and have noticed quite a difference in her coat and it has definitely helped with her allergies ~ the redness in between her toes and her tummy has cleared up and hasn't been bothering her like it was. It comes and goes of course due to her enviornmental allergies, but it hardly seems like it bothers her at all when it happens now.

Since she weighs 57 pounds she will eventually be able to have 5 teaspoons of coconut oil daily, correct??

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--Liz
Owned by Serenity
Female, Reverse Brindle
Born: 05/02/2009

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"A dog is a treasured member of the family ~ a four-legged blessing clothed in fur and filled with love." --Author Unknown

GoudasMom

Liz as a general guideline yes she would get 5 teaspoons but not all dogs can tolerate coconut oil at the max amount. I know Kippah cant it causes her to have loose stools. I just upped it until her stools got a bit loose then backed off one teaspoon and that worked for her anyways

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Gouda 9/6/01 - 7/19/12

Sue - Mom to Kippah rescued 8/19/12

Mom2Rocky

Rocky gets 3 tablespoons a day at the moment to help with yeasty issues. Trying to add more in, but it takes time

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Rocky NA, NAP, NJP, NCC, OJC, O-NJC, O-NAC, TG-N, TN-N, CGC - 11/07/09

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Carmensmom86

I really like reading things like this. I like to try natural remedies for Carmen's allergies. Right now I give Carmen salmon oil daily to help with her allergies, but when we are all out of salmon oil I think I am going to give coconut oil a try. I saw that wal-mart has some extra virgin coconut oil by spring valley I believe for $10. I think I'm going to give that a try. Thanks so much for the info.