Everybody is asking about coconut oil lately.
We use it. Jasmine's acupuncture vet uses it for her dogs, and believes it's awesome.
Coconut oil is a rich source of medium-chain triglycerides which are easily absorbed. They are believed to be beneficial for dogs with digestive disorders.
Lauric acid in the coconut oil is believed to have antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties.
Coconut oil is believed to be beneficial to dogs suffering with various skin and coat issues, and helpful in balancing the immune system.
Jasmine doesn't complain when I add it to her food, and neither does her body.
Some believe that coconut oil can even replace fish oil in the diet. I wouldn't go as far, since coconut oil does not contain any omega-3 fatty acids. We are worried about fish oil contamination too, that's why we use pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements.
After I've read enough material praising the benefits of coconut oil for dogs, I decided to try it.
My policy in trying anything new is easy does it. Particularly with Jasmine, I have to introduce things gradually, carefully, and one at a time. In case something didn't agree with her, I need to know what it was exactly. I think it's a good policy with any dog.
I do believe that coconut oil deserves to be considered.
It is best, though, to always consult with your veterinarian or nutritionist, before introducing new stuff.
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Dr. Becker is the resident proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian of HealthyPets.Mercola.com.
You can learn holistic ways of preventing illness in your pets by subscribing to MercolaHealthyPets.com, an online resource for animal lovers. For more pet care tips, subscribe for FREE to Mercola Healthy Pet Newsletter.
Further reading:
The Health Benefits Of Coconut Oil
We use it. Jasmine's acupuncture vet uses it for her dogs, and believes it's awesome.
Lauric acid in the coconut oil is believed to have antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties.
Coconut oil is believed to be beneficial to dogs suffering with various skin and coat issues, and helpful in balancing the immune system.
Jasmine doesn't complain when I add it to her food, and neither does her body.
Some believe that coconut oil can even replace fish oil in the diet. I wouldn't go as far, since coconut oil does not contain any omega-3 fatty acids. We are worried about fish oil contamination too, that's why we use pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements.
After I've read enough material praising the benefits of coconut oil for dogs, I decided to try it.
My policy in trying anything new is easy does it. Particularly with Jasmine, I have to introduce things gradually, carefully, and one at a time. In case something didn't agree with her, I need to know what it was exactly. I think it's a good policy with any dog.
I do believe that coconut oil deserves to be considered.
It is best, though, to always consult with your veterinarian or nutritionist, before introducing new stuff.
***
Dr. Becker is the resident proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian of HealthyPets.Mercola.com.
You can learn holistic ways of preventing illness in your pets by subscribing to MercolaHealthyPets.com, an online resource for animal lovers. For more pet care tips, subscribe for FREE to Mercola Healthy Pet Newsletter.
Further reading:
The Health Benefits Of Coconut Oil
Would that replace any other digestive aid one might be using like FortiFlora or IntelliFlora? Curious
ReplyDeleteWell, in a gut that is already in a good balance, perhaps. The oil might assist keeping the balance, I don't believe it would create one, at least in no time soon.
DeleteSo I would (well, I do, in fact) still use probiotic, prebiotic and digestive enzymes. In a sensitive system, there is always something going on which can upset the balance (which, depending on the diet your dog is on, can be even something as simple as a piece of a novel food), as well as any antibiotic treatment, too much carbohydrates in the diet, all these things don't work in your favor.
So I like to cover all my bases. The probiotic (FortiFlora) to inoculate the gut with the good bacteria, the probiotic and the oil to make a "nice home" for them. The digestive enzymes to help prevent any undigested nutrients "running rampant" (for example, the symptoms of lactose intolerance are from the undigested lactose making its way into the gut)
Thanks Jana. That's what I was wondering. Titan uses IntelliFlora and does fabulous on it. I guess if it's not broken, don't mess with it right? :) Thanks again! Still great post!
DeleteI don't think adding some coconut oil would break anything, but would not use it to replace the probiotics.
DeleteBut if your dog is doing well, no harm in leaving things alone.
We're actually trying it rubbed onto Brooks' skin to help with his itchies. Our vet said it was worth a try, unless it turns out he's allergic to coconut.
ReplyDeleteDid it help?
DeleteWe did try it topically on Jasmine's feet also, she is susceptible to fungal infections in wet weather or in the winter.
In the summer we used other things, including ear cleaning solution (our vet's idea) but in the cold, I was thinking I didn't want to dry them out too much, so I decided to give the oil a shot.
Did seem to help. Certainly made her feet smell good :-)
Wishing I'd read this just a few days ago. Our foster, Smokey, has very dry skin. We are feeding him a higher quality kibble then he had in the past and used baby oil topically. This natural choice would have been much better. Great post though, I'll keep it in mind for the next time.
ReplyDeleteSorry :-) Let me know how Smokey does.
DeleteMy dog seems to be developing lupus symptoms on his nose & all his black skin is peeling off so his nose is pink & tiny bleed patches, the vet doesn't seem to know wot is wrong or how to treat it, is coconut oil too harsh for his nose? Thanks
ReplyDeleteI don't think coconut oil would hurt anything, but I don't think it would do much for auto-immune disease either. I'd recommend visiting a TCVM or holistic vet for assessment.
Delete