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Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Coconut Oil for Dogs

Coconutty Goodness

We know that coconut oil is good for humans but did you know that it is also good for your dogs?

- Coconut oil has antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti fungal properties.
- "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. Most of the saturated fats in coconut oil are Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT's). The main component (more than 40%) of MCT's is lauric acid, followed by capric acid, caprylic acid, myristic acid, and palmitic. Coconut ooil also contains about 2% linoleic acid (polyunsaturated fatty acids) and about 6% oleic acid (monounsaturated fatty acids)." Dogs Naturally Magazine

Whew...but what does all this mean?

"Ok mom, now explain it to me in doggy terms..."
Lauric acid - has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties.
Capric & Caprylic Acid are similar in that they also are known for their anti fungal properties.
MCT's - aid in weight loss, energy, and athletic performance by balancing thyroid issues and making your pup feel energized thus burning off those extra love handles.

The wonderful thing about it is that coconut oil is good for your dog both inside and out!

Many dogs love to also eat coconut oil so it's not too hard to introduce, you can melt it and mix it into their food for a dose of healthy fat that aids in digestion.

Regular Feedings of Coconut Oil

- Coconut oil is great for enhancing the metabolism, improving digestion/tummy upset, and helping with allergy issues.
- Helps to reduce bad breath naturally.
- Helps to prevent dental cavities.
- Weight reduction and natural energizer.
- Promotes normal thyroid function.
- Helps prevent diabetes.
- Excellent for brain health! In humans it can stave off dementia, in dogs it helps seniors to keep a clear mind.

Skin Conditions
  • Eczema, flea allergies, dermatitis, and itchy skin can all be helped by rubbing down your dog with a nice coconut oil massage or brushing it through your pet's hair.
  • Naturally Doggy Coat Deodorizer.
  • Coat Conditioner, for a nice shine and added moisture.
  • Prevents and treats doggy yeast infections.
  • Disinfects and promotes wound healing. 
  • Can also be used for cracked paws, raw paws, hot spots, wounds, bites, & stings.
  • Or raw doggy noses, etc.

Dosage - it is recommended to start with about 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of doggy body weight, or about 1 tablespoon per 30 pounds. But it is important that you start slowly or else your pup may suffer from loose stools. Start initially with about 1/4 the recommended dosage and slowly build up to the recommended level over a couple weeks. Too much too fast can upset their tummies as they are not used to it.



We love coconut oil and use it for many different things at our house.

The hubby and I love to cook with it, we use it on our own dry skin (my hands get really bad in the winter). After snowshoing with Dante last season we rubbed his feet down when we got back home just to help keep his paw pads healthy and soft, the coconut oil is great for preventing cracks!

Doggy athletes love a nice coconut body massage...
After our trip up the South Sister - that story HERE. Dante was severely cut by his doggy pack which has since been replaced. And although his feet looked great! He was still sore from the 12 mile trip.
So after a hot shower I treated him to a full body rub down, he loved his coconut massage! I worked gently on his feet to condition them, and worked on his sore muscles all over his body. Working my way across his chest, shoulders, back, legs, and ribcage. Just like a human athlete your pups get sore from exercise too, they also need recovery time, and who doesn't enjoy a nice massage?



His nose and mouth flaps were also raw from the wind and pumice dust so we also rubbed the oil on his nose to help moisturize it and heal the cracks he had developed from the rough trip.


Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Sugar the Golden Retriever and Kolchack the Puggle.


Sources

*Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian or food nutritionist. Please do your own research and consult your vet if you have any questions, if your animal has special dietary needs, or allergies.**

5 comments:

  1. Barry gets his coconut oil daily! He loves it in his food. There was a time when he didn't like it alone but that's different now. He's been much less picky lately. I also rub it on him when he gets cuts, which he loves and licks off. :)

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  2. Coconut oil is awesome! We love it!

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  3. We love coconut oil at our house too. Although when I was trying to sneak pills into it Sampson caught on and refused to eat it. Now that we've had a break from it, I need to introduce it again. :-)

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    Replies
    1. Haha! Dogs can be so stubborn! Dante is terrible when it comes to taking any form of meds, so we tend to use peanutbutter so that he can't spit it out. :-)

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