Dogs are man’s best friend. Some of you probably think more of your dogs than you do of your fellow humans (and no one can judge you for that. Humans can be a pretty rotten lot). Dogs are also animals that tend to have a whole lot of issues just like little children or elderly people, and taking care of these precious pets has to be a priority for all pet owners. Many of us do know the benefits of coconut oil but do you know it can benefit the health of your beloved dog?
Coconut oil has been touted as a universal cure or remedy for most health issues that plague humans, and it seems this can be said for dogs as well. Coconut oil is a great natural source of fats and other acids that have antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic, and antimicrobial benefits for dogs. Coconut oil is also so great for its health benefits because it does not have any side effects what so ever.
What Kind Of Coconut Oil?
When sourcing for coconut oil for your pets, go for organic virgin coconut oil, as this is completely natural and organic coconut oil without any additives or chemicals in it. However, you should note that some manufacturers use hexane to extract their coconut oil. Hexane is a chemical that is a product of petroleum, which is very toxic to animals and humans alike, and evaporates as the oil is being processed. Most food and drug regulatory bodies do not require that elements used during the processing stage be listed on food labels, and as such hexane may not be listed on the label one of the ingredients. Be careful when buying organic virgin coconut oil, and go for oil whose extraction process can be verified, or make some yourself!
Why Coconut Oil?
There are plenty of reasons why you ought to include coconut oil in your dog’s diet, the most important one being they will stay healthier longer. Having more time to enjoy your pet’s company is always a blessing, and using coconut oil in their diet will do this for you. Here are 14 more reasons you should use coconut oil in your dog’s diet:
- Coconut oil helps to kill yeast on, and in, dogs. Yeast is a naturally occurring bacterium in dogs that may get out of hand due to any number of reasons, causing them a lot of discomforts, and even pain. Coconut oil aids in destroying this yeast (which could be in the form of candida), helping them feel better in no time.
- Coconut oil makes digestion better for dogs. It helps them digest their food properly, and also aids in nutrient absorption into the cells and the blood. Some nutrients cannot be absorbed by cells unless there is some other acid present for them to be absorbed properly, and coconut oil provides these acids to aid in nutrient absorption.
- Coconut oil in your dog’s diet aids in the treatment of digestive problems such as colitis or inflammatory bowel syndrome. Digestive problems in dogs can prevent them from getting the full amount of nutrition they need or can prevent them from passing out waste as well as they should. Coconut oil helps to smooth out their digestive systems so that they can have normal bowel movements and feel good about themselves. However, coconut oil can make dogs’ stool a bit loose, but this shouldn’t be a problem: just add some pumpkin to their diet.
- Coconut oil greatly reduces doggy breath. Every dog owner knows that dogs tend to have pretty bad breath! Using coconut oil in their diet (or even brushing their teeth with it) will greatly improve their breath.
- Not only cats have hairballs. Dogs can have these too, and coconut oil is a great remedy for removing hairballs.
- Coconut oil is a great prescription for diabetes. Dogs do tend to get diabetic, and with coconut oil, you can balance out and regulate their insulin levels, thus controlling diabetes, and ensuring your dog’s continued good health.
- Coconut oil helps the thyroid gland and thyroid hormones to function better.
- Coconut oil is touted as a great natural way to lose weight, and dogs also have the tendency to get a little bit overweight (feeding them too many doggy treats, perhaps?). With coconut oil and a proper meal plan for your dog, including an exercise regimen, you can get your dog’s weight in check, and also increase its energy for more fetching and longer walks.
- Coconut oil is great for the bone health of your dog. It strengthens their bones and helps older dogs with arthritis, helping them to walk better and ease the stiffness in their joints.
- Studies have shown that coconut oil in your dog’s diet is a good naturally way to reduce clot formation in the blood, a condition that is very dangerous to dogs’ health. Coconut oil may contain fat, but it is healthy fat, as compared to mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are a cause for those deadly clot formations in the blood.
- Coconut oil helps in the prevention of certain infections, as well as the prevention of heart disease.
- Coconut oil in your dog’s diet is beneficial to brain health, keeping older dogs more alert and active for longer.
- Coconut oil, when rubbed directly on their skin, improves the overall skin health of your dog, clearing up skin conditions like eczema, itchy skin, and the like. They also heal wounds, bites, stings, and other skin injuries when applied directly to the skin.
- The anti-viral effects of coconut oil help your dogs to recover more quickly from a kennel cough.
Studies have confirmed that coconut oil has no adverse effect on your dog’s health or its diet when it is fed as much as 10% or less of the oil in its diet. It is recommended that you should give your dogs at least half a teaspoon of coconut oil daily, for every 101 pounds of their body weight. Fido will thank you for caring for its health.
Check out 5 more health tips for your dog and also check out our mobile dog grooming services