5. Treating An Aging Brain
Nobody likes to see his or her dogs’ cognitive ability decline. Some dogs become confused, pace around the house, and start to have accidents in their home. Another benefit of coconut oil for dogs is treating the aging brain of your dog as coconut oil is said to stave off dementia in humans.
6. Weight Loss
Coconut oil is a safe way to help your dog lose weight. If they are a bit on the pudgy side, adding coconut oil to their diet will help them slim down in no time. Of course, regular exercise needs to be part of this equation and check with your vet about what’s the right plan for your dog.
7. Boosting The Immune System
Coconut oil contains two unique ingredients that make it an excellent alternative to boost immunity. Lauric acid and caprylic acid contribute to fighting off yeast overgrowth and bacterial infections. They are also antivirals, so adding coconut oil to your dog’s diet is good for their overall health.
8. Treating Diabetes
Coconut oil regulates and balances insulin. Many dog owners report that adding coconut oil to their dog’s diet controlled their dog’s diabetes. Coconut oil also increases energy and helps reduce weight, which can be beneficial for a diabetic dog. Check with your vet before using coconut oil for your diabetic dog.
9. Helping Digestion
Coconut oil helps dogs absorb nutrients easier, leading to a faster metabolism. It is also known to help with colitis and irritable bowel syndrome.
How Much Coconut Oil, And What Kind?
When feeding your dog coconut oil, the general rule of thumb is one teaspoon per 10 pounds of dog, or one tablespoon for a 30-pound dog. Always start by adding less coconut oil than the recommended dose and build up over the course of a week or two.
When using it as a topical ointment, there is no limit to the amount of coconut oil you can use. Usually, a teaspoon is plenty to apply to your dog’s skin a few times per day. Even if your dog licks off some of the coconut oil, it will not harm your dog.
The best kind of coconut oil is unrefined, virgin, organic coconut oil. Unrefined coconut oil has a light coconut taste and smell. It is typically made from fresh coconuts, and processing is very limited. It is important to study the amount of processing that goes into the coconut oil you purchase. The ideal coconut oil will have minimal processing, leading to the best benefits for your dog’s health.
Refined coconut oils are cheaper and are produced from dried copra, not fresh coconuts. Refined coconut oil undergoes various levels of processing, including being deodorized and bleached. Refined coconut oils are not a good choice for your pet or yourself.
Check with your veterinarian about adding coconut oil to your dog’s diet. As with anything else, use coconut oil in moderation for your dog. Since the safety of coconut oil is undisputed, there is no reason why your dog can’t join the packs of dogs wagging their way to better health.
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