Of all things, is coconut oil good for dogs? The answer is, yes. It aids the canine’s digestion, improves its coat, and also helps prevent infections. However, proper guidelines need to be followed.
What makes coconut oil a healthy choice?
The fats present in coconut oil are beneficial to dogs. It contains 90% saturated fat and gets classified as a superfood. The oil contains MCT’s or medium chain triglycerides – the good fat, that strengthens the immune system and enhances metabolic functions that aid weight loss as also skin, coat, & thyroid health.
MCT comprises Capric Acid, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Caprylic Acid, and Palmitic along with 2% linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid and roughly 6% oleic acid – a monounsaturated fatty acid. These in their totality, have antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-fungal properties.
Moreover, MCTs get efficiently metabolized to provide instant energy that enhances the athletic performance in dogs and also aids their weight loss. Those with thyroid-induced obesity problems lose weight while sedentary dogs feel more energetic when fed coconut oil.
Other benefits
Coconut oil also elevates canine metabolism gently, protects the dog from illnesses and speeds up the healing process. Moreover, it improves the dog’s coat and also reduces allergies. It is known to work well both in dry and wet eczema caused by flea allergies, itchy skin, and contact dermatitis. This leads to substantial reduction in offensive body odor, leaving behind a glossy coat.
Coconut oil is also a proven remedy for preventing and treating fungal and yeast infections when applied externally ad soothes dry skin & hair, hot spots, and discomfort caused by stings and bites.
Digestion
Digestion also gets greatly improved as internal consumption of coconut oil enhances nutrient absorption and controls colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. This eliminates bad breath and also cures coughs and colds. Who does not want a healthy doggy? Everyone should want a healthy pooch! If you do not want your dog to be healthy and happy, then you should not be a dog owner. You do not have to spoil your dog and lay out a red carpet for them as if this is the Oscars and the people who made Hacksaw Ridge, Apollo 13, Braveheart, The Kingdom, Transformers 2, are about to show up, but you should take care of your dog in a proper way.
The Superfood
Coconut oil has been aptly called a superfood because of its multifaceted properties. It is known to balance insulin and promote thyroid function, particularly in dogs suffering from hypothyroidism. This in turn, prevents or controls diabetes. It also acts as a joint lubricant and alleviates ligament problems and arthritis. It increases energy levels instantly and boosts the body’s immunity system also.
The prescribed limit
The inevitable question that now arises is: What is the right dose of coconut oil that you should give to your dog? At the beginning, it’s absolutely imperative that you start with a small dose. This is because the dog needs to get used to it gradually as an addition to its normal diet. A large dose given suddenly could invite negative reactions like diarrhea or greasy stool.
The starting dose should be ¼ teaspoon daily for puppies and young dogs. The average dose for larger dogs is 1 teaspoon but a smaller dose may be given if it has a sensitive constitution. Once the adjustment has happened, the recommended optimal dose is 1 teaspoon daily on every 10 pounds of body weight or 1 tablespoon per every 30 pounds.