Does coconut oil put weight on dogs
Coconut Oil for Dogs
Coconut oil has become quite the craze in recent years as a popular supplement for people, touted for a wide variety of possible benefits. Coconut oil can be consumed orally, directly placed on food, applied to the skin topically, or contained in supplement form.
But is it also OK to give coconut oil to dogs?
While in very small amounts coconut oil is not likely to cause an issue for your dog, regular use in dogs is not recommended.
Key Takeaways
- Regular use of coconut oil in dogs is not recommended.
- Always consult with a veterinarian before adding coconut oil to your dogs routine.
- While coconut oil offers potential benefits for dogs, it also poses risks such as stomach upset, pancreatitis, and allergic reactions.
What Is Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil comes from the white flesh of the coconut fruit, part of the coconut palm tree. This oil is extracted and is categorized into two typesrefined coconut oil and unrefined coconut oil.
Unrefined coconut oil, sometimes called virgin coconut oil, is minimally processed and retains its flavor; the meat of the coconut is pressed to produce the oil. Refined coconut oil has only a mild flavor but can be used at high temperatures, such as when used for cooking. These oils are then made into preparations for the skin or for oral ingestion.
Is Coconut Oil Safe for Dogs?
In small quantities, coconut oil can be given to dogs for a variety of reasons, but mainly for its medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) as a source of saturated fat, also known as the good fat.
MCTs are also found in dairy products and palm oil. Coconut oil should be given under the guidance of your veterinarian and gradually introduced into your pups diet. Too much too fast can cause significant stomach upset, and a little bit goes a long way. As with any food, watch for signs of an allergic reaction such as hives or itchy skin.
Coconut oil can be given to dogs in pure form, added to the food or as an oral supplement. It can also be made into a topical preparation for skin issues.
Cold water fish oils provide an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Their propensity to cause stomach upset in dogs is also a lot lower than that of coconut oil.
Can You Use Coconut Oil for a Dogs Skin?
Veterinarians typically do not recommend using coconut oil for your dogs skin because the risk often outweighs the benefits.
Coconut oil is often used to hydrate a dogs skin, reduce inflammation, and provide both antibacterial and antifungal properties. However, this remains anecdotal in dogs.
While there are studies in people, there is no scientific evidence supporting the benefits of coconut oil for use on dog skin.
Applying anything to a dogs skin should be done with caution, as dogs tend to lick themselves often and will ingest the substances.
While coconut oil can be ingested, if too much is ingested or its in a form that is not meant to be ingested, significant stomach upset and pancreatitis will develop. Coconut oil applied to the skin can also cause an allergic reaction, making any current skin condition or itching worse.
Can You Use Coconut Oil for a Constipated Dog?
Coconut oil is not helpful for dogs with constipation, as large quantities ingested will cause painful stomach upset and pancreatitis. Even in small quantities, this painful condition can still occur, along with a possible allergic reaction.
In humans, coconut oil is used because MCTs are more easily digested than long-chain fatty acids (LCTs) to help with conditions that cause decreased absorption or maldigestion of fats. Coconut oil is rapidly absorbed by the intestinal tract; therefore, it will not be effective as a laxative in constipated dogs.
Benefits of Coconut Oil for Dogs
Some possible benefits of using coconut oil in dogs are extrapolated from its successful use in humans. They are:
Rich in fatty acids (MCTs)
Lowers cholesterol
Reduces inflammation
Exhibits antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties
Acts as an antioxidant
Aids digestion
Supports heart and brain function
Assists with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by reducing gut inflammation
Aids cognitive function
Decreases seizure activity in epileptic dogs
Claims of use in dogs that lack credible studies, even in people, include:
Risks of Coconut Oil for Dogs
Using coconut oil on dogs, whether through ingestion or topical use, carries the following risks to their health:
While coconut oil offers potential benefits for dogs, including skin health, digestion support, and support for other organ functions, it also poses risks such as stomach upset, pancreatitis, and allergic reactions.
Always consult with a veterinarian before adding coconut oil to your dogs routine, to ensure its appropriateness for their individual health needs.
WRITTEN BY
Barri J. Morrison, DVMVeterinarian
Barri Morrison was born and raised and currently resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She went to University of Florida for her...
How Much Coconut Oil for Dogs? Science-Based Daily Dosages
This guide will discuss the correct amount of coconut oil that your dog should have.
Science shows coconut oil in a dogs diet is great for energy, mental clarity and brain health, but how much coconut oil is the best amount for dogs?
As dog owners, its important to know which fats are considered good for your dog and how much to use.This helps us maximize their longevity. Thats why its not just important to make sure your pup is eating coconut oil, but to know how much coconut oil is optimal as well.
All fats are not created equal some are great for dogs, while others contribute to heart disease and increasedoverall disease risk. Lucky, coconut oil falls in the first category and is completely safe for dogs. When eaten in the right amounts daily, the benefits of coconut oil can promote your dogs long-term health.
Coconut Oil and MCT: The Breakdown
In order to understand how much coconut oil for dogs is the correct amount, lets look at its properties.
Coconut oil is made up of about 90% saturated fats and 9% unsaturated fats. The fact is, dogs need saturated fats like those in coconut oil in order to maintain healthy skin and long-term brain health, and well get back to that later.
Inthis eraof growing chicken allergy in dogs, very few dogs are allergic to coconut oilmaking it easy to fit into their diet!
While dogs need some fat from animal sources, none of those can reach the specific benefits of coconut oil because they lack medium chain triglycerides (MCTs).
Over 50% of the fats in coconut oil are MCTs. Although sometimes it may seem like a buzzword, medium chain triglycerides actually play such an important overall role in a dogs good health.
Here are some quick facts about MCTs:
- MCTs have antibacterial and antiviral properties[*]
- MCTs are converted into ketones which improve brain function in dogs[*]
- MCTs from coconut oil can help dogs manage epilepsy[*]
- MCTs from coconut oil could help manage blood sugar levels[*]
- MCTs from coconut oil could potentially promote weight loss[*]
With all of coconut oils unique properties, we start to get a better picture of why this superfood has become so supported by the pet nutrition community, and why it should be included it in a dogs diet.
How Coconut Oil Impacts a Dogs Body
Now lets start to talk about dosages.
Since coconut oil is 100% fat, each gram of coconut oil has 9 calories, while carbohydrates and proteins have less than half that amount per gram, coming in at 4 calories each.
Normally when looking at how much coconut oil for dogs is necessary, caloric value would be an important consideration. However, while coconut oil has many benefits and is more calorie dense, a study by the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association suggests that coconut oil mixed into a dogs food helped them actually lose more weight than dogs on regular dog food [*].
But how could this be?
Interestingly, the medium chain triglycerides contained in coconut oil are digested differently than long chain triglycerides.
An MCT molecule has 6 to 12 total carbon atoms, while a long chain triglyceride molecule has over 12. Some long chain triglycerides, such as omega-6, have inflammatory properties and are often stored as fat cells in your dogs body. They are not easily digested. Although they are not considered harmful in small amounts, we have plenty more reasons to stick to MCTs instead.
Once MCTs are broken down, they can freely cross into blood circulation through the cells of the intestinal lining. Next, they travel directly into the blood and go straight to the liver. The liver then quickly converts them to ketones.And as you may have guessed, ketones are used as a very efficient fuel for dogs.
A Safe Coconut Oil Dosage
Now that we understand how coconut oil is efficiently digested by dogs, lets look into smart dosages.
In a study by the National Institutes of Health, dogs were given various amounts of coconut oil and their vitals were tested[*].
The dogs were fed coconut oil in the amounts of 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% of their food over a 90 day period. They were monitored for signs of toxicity by clinical observations, body weight measurements, food consumption level, physical examinations, hematology and serum chemistry, ophthalmic examinations and urinalysis.
At the end of the study, there were no signs of toxic effects observed in any of the dogs related to their food, and the animal viability was 100% by the studys conclusion.
However, there were some differences seen at the various coconut oil levels. With coconut oil at 15% of their diet, many dogs would not eat their food based on palatability issues, so you may want to keep this in mind. However, the scientists noted that no safety concerns were noted at any dosage level.
Recommended Daily Dosage Chart
You should consult your veterinarian to understand whether there are any breed or age-specific issues that may impact your dog specifically. However, these are the generally recommended daily dosages of coconut oil for dogs.
Dog's Weight | Starting Dosage | Daily Dosage |
10 lbs or less | tsp | 1 tsp |
11-20 lbs | tsp | 2 tsp |
21-30 lbs | tsp | 1 Tbsp |
31-40 lbs | 1 tsp | 1 Tbsp |
41-50 lbs | 1 tsp | 1 Tbsp |
51-60 lbs | 1 tsp | 2 Tbsp |
61-70 lbs | 1 tsp | 2 Tbsp |
71-80 lbs | 2 tsp | 2 Tbsp |
81-90 lbs. | 2 tsp | 3 Tbsp |
91 lbs or more | 2 tsp | 3 Tbsp |
As always, your dog may need a bit more than necessary if theyre active, or a little less if they are naturally less energetic.
The benefit of already having the optimal level of coconut oil in your dogs food is that it leaves out all of the guesswork. Heres a dog food with coconut oil that we recommend.
At the end of the day, our pups health is paramount to everything else. By making sure that our furry friends get the appropriate amount of coconut oil, we can help them obtain the benefits of coconut oil found in recent research.
Discuss on Twitter View Discussions Coconut Oil for Dogs: Vet-Reviewed Benefits, Risks & FAQ
The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.
Learn moreCoconut oil is known for its health benefits and can be a good supplement to add to your dogs meals to aid in their nutrition and coat care. However, dog owners need to understand how coconut oil affects their dogs health before feeding it to them.
While there are good things about coconut oil, it can also lead to negative effects, especially if you dont feed it to your dog properly or serve the wrong amounts. We have all the information you need to help you decide if introducing coconut oil to your dogs diet is the right move for your dog.
How Does It Work?
Coconut oil is a plant-based oil thats extracted from mature coconuts. It consists of 90% saturated fats. While many have been led to believe that fats are bad for the body, there are good kinds of fats that the body needs for healthy daily functioning. Coconut oil contains good fats, which are mostly medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).
MCTs in coconut oil are composed of lauric acid, which is a potent fatty acid with antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties. They also contain capric acid and caprylic acid. These fatty acids have antifungal properties.
Its important to note that dogs need a diet that has a healthy balance of fats, and they use fat as an energy source. So, they can benefit from eating coconut oil because of its high-fat content. However, it is not recommended to add too much of this oil to your dogs diet; like any other fat, coconut oil is calorie-rich.
What Are the Different Types of Coconut Oil?
You can find several different types of coconut oil. Heres a brief overview of some of the main varieties that you can find in stores.
Virgin or Unrefined Coconut Oil
Virgin or unrefined coconut oil is considered the best kind of coconut oil. Its the least processed and doesnt undergo any heat processing. This helps preserve and retain more antioxidants than more processed varieties of coconut oil.
Virgin or unrefined coconut oil is also often referred to as raw coconut oil. It gets its name from its process of quick-drying or wet-milling raw coconut meat. Once the coconut meat is harvested, it can go through a wet-mill process, which just means that the meat is rendered into coconut milk. The fat is then separated from the milk. The coconut meat can also go through a quick-drying process, which involves drying out the meat and then squeezing the oil from it.
Virgin or unrefined coconut oil still retains a good amount of nutrients and beneficial enzymes because its never heated in high temperatures.
Refined or RBD Coconut Oil
Rather than being harvested from raw coconut meat, refined coconut oil is made from copra, or dried coconut kernels. Because copra needs to go through a decontamination process, it gets cooked at high temperatures to kill any bacteria. Because of this process, refined coconut oil loses some of its natural nutritional value.
Refined coconut oil can also contain some additives and preservatives. Its often used as a cooking oil because it can handle high heat.
RBD stands for refined, bleached, and deodorized and is much more processed than any other variety of coconut oil. Because its highly processed, it loses a lot of its nutritional value, flavor, and fragrances.
Since it loses its natural taste and smell, its often used in food preparation. Its also the cheapest kind of coconut oil, and many consider it to be low quality.
Where Is It Used?
Coconut oil can be used as a cooking ingredient or consumed as a supplement. It can also be used topically to treat hair and skin issues.
Advantages of Coconut Oil
When coconut oil is used topically, it can help alleviate skin irritation and nourish and moisturize the skin and coat. Its also often used to soothe dry, flaky skin. It can be used topically on dogs noses and paw pads.
Since it has antifungal properties, veterinarians in Asian countries often use it topically to help fight dermatophytosis or fungal skin infections, such as ringworm, in pets.
Disadvantages of Coconut Oil
One of the main disadvantages of coconut oil is its varying qualities. Refined coconut oil is the most affordable type of coconut oil, but its nutritional value is considerably lower than virgin coconut oil. Unfortunately, high-quality coconut oil can be very expensive and can cost more than olive oil.
Since coconut oil is calorie-dense, too much can be detrimental to a dogs health, as it can result in weight gain. Its best to consider if feeding your dog coconut oil is necessary and to decide with your veterinarian how much and how often to offer it.
When applying coconut oil topically to your dog, one of the disadvantages is that if you apply it in excess, they will likely make a mess around the house. Be mindful and only put on a small amount at a time. Massaging it into the skin is better than applying excessive amounts.
FAQ
Whats the Difference Between Coconut Oil and Coconut Butter?
Coconut oil and coconut butter are made from different parts of the fruit. Coconut oil is extracted from coconut meat, while coconut butter is pured coconut meat, which also includes fiber, not just the oil.
A common comparison of these coconut products is peanut butter and peanut oil. Peanut butter consists of ground-up peanuts, while peanut oil is an extraction of oil from the rest of the peanut. Both products are safe for dogs to eat if they ingest them in small quantities.
How Much Coconut Oil Is Safe for My Dog to Eat?
Small dogs should start with teaspoon of coconut oil, while medium to large dogs can consume between 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil a day. If you have a dog thats overweight, you might not want to add more calories to their plate. Before adding coconut oil to your dogs diet, please make sure to consult with your veterinarian.
Can Coconut Oil Replace Fish Oil?
Both fish oil and coconut oil have different benefits, so one cant completely replace the other. However, both of these oils can offer various benefits regarding your dogs diet and skin health. Just remember to always be mindful of the calories.
Conclusion
Coconut oil is a supplement that has significant benefits that dogs can enjoy. It can help improve the skin and coat and even treat skin infections. However, it can also cause unnecessary weight gain. So, the best way to find out if your dog would benefit from coconut oil is to have a conversation with your veterinarian. If you get cleared to feed coconut oil to your dog, make sure to use a high-quality variety, like virgin or unrefined coconut oil, and avoid buying low-quality refined or RBD coconut oil.
Featured Image Credit: moho01, Pixabay
