COCONUT OIL!

[i love my bully]

Has anybody tried coconut oil for their bully? I put it on my bullys tummy rash and the rash the next morning! anyways im just curious if any one has tried the CO in different ways with their bully. id love to hear about it

 

[Petra]

I use it on their noses, works really great if they're dry

 

[Maife]

I actually read just last week that it helps their immune system... I wonder if it's true?? Looking forward to what the others have to say.... I anyways bought a jar over the weekend, for both of us!

 

[Maife]

Just found a great article about all the possible oils that we can give to our dogs, it's very detailed on the pros and cons of each oil (coconut, salmon, olive...) very interesting read

http://www.keepthetailwagging.com/salmon-oil-for-dogs/

 

[Ashleym]

I give coconut oil in the morning mixed in with their breakfast and salmon oil mixed in with their dinner. I have been doing this for 2 weeks now and so far no negative reactions. They also get fruits, vegi and kefir though out the day. They have amazing soft shiny coats

 

[cali baker]

I drizzle coconut oil into their food and also cook their food in it. I know for sure they love the taste but as far as health benefits...still not sure on that one, so far.

 

[RaRett]

I heat a spoon on the stove, and then get a blob of it, the warm spoon melts it (it melts at 76 degrees) and drizzle it over their food, start with a little incase of a reaction, It will also loosen up stools too.

I have also put it on Hershey's nose, and in 2 days, his cracked nose was 100% better !

 

[Baxter Tiberius]

I hear a lot "such and such boosts immune system!"

Keep in mind that allergies are a form of *overactive* immune system.

Hives and hot spots are as well.

The last thing you want to do is boost the immune system of a person/animal who deals with inflammation already.

The best things you can give such an individual are foods which calm or regulate the immune system (keeps it in cheque - from going too active or too calm).

Coconut oil is definitely one of the healthiest things out there for both people and dogs. Olive oil of course is king.

But I would be careful on giving immune boosters to dogs with hypersensitive immune systems.

 

[i love my bully]

I actually give him a tablespoon in his food now. I started with 1/4 of a teaspoon. Sampson absolutely loves CO and would eat it straight out the bottle of I would let him haha. So far I haven't noticed much of a difference by feeding it to him. But topically it has worked wonders. It always gets rid of that tummy rash he gets. I've tried medicated wipes from the vet and those didnt work. I think I'm definitely sticking to the coconut oil instead of medicines the vet gives.

 

[Vikinggirl]

Everyone has such great information, and I loved Maia's link regarding the different oils, and their benefits, so I copied and pasted it for everyone to see. It has a lot of really good advice on the different



The Bombshell About Salmon Oil for Dogs and Other Healthy Alternatives
November 7, 2012Dog Health, Dog Nutrition




Rodrigo has itchy paws. I followed the advice of our veterinarian and started giving him Benedryl (1mg x his weight), but it can’t be good to feed him this on a daily basis. I have hay fever and I’m not a fan of how Benedryl makes me feel; why would I subject our dog to those feelings. So I started researching alternatives.


I found a fantastic video by Dr. Karen Becker that helped provide him with some relief.


Today, we wash off Rodrigo’s paws daily, wiping them with Pawtizer sanitizing wipes, and they don’t seem to bother him anymore. Another thing I read was that salmon oil for dogs is great for itchy skin and it’s also great for our dogs’ coats. What I wasn’t prepared for were the pros and cons of Salmon oil.


What types of “oils” do people add to their dog’s diet?


When researching the health benefits of salmon oil for dogs, I was surprised to find out that salmon oil isn’t the only options. Our options include Salmon Oil, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, and Krill Oil.



photo: Peber the Swede
Salmon Oil


Salmon oil is touted to be great for our dogs coats, skin allergies, and joint problems. Sounds great!


Joe Craven from EssayWritingServices.com raises show dogs and took the time to enlighten me about the pros and cons of salmon oil. He regularly gives his dogs salmon oil, because there are so many health benefits. Together, we were able to find the benefits and downsides to salmon oil and being new to the product, I was pretty surprised by the downsides…


Benefits of salmon oil for dogs:


Improve the coat and skin condition of the dog, make it soft and shiny.
It helps in producing more collagen
It helps to prevent skin allergies
Dosage of about 1000 mg per 10 lbs of dog weight can prevent arthritis
Fish oil is useful in the treatment of kidney problems (frequent urination, loss of appetite)
Appearance of joint problems, like arthritis, is lessened.
Salmon oil helps alleviate inflammation, fights heart disease, and prevents renal disease.
It’s preventative against cancer.
Downsides of salmon oil for dogs:


Weight gain; this can be managed with a healthy diet and regular exercise
Bad breath (it is salmon oil); this can be resolved by regularly cleaning their teeth
Stomach pain, dizziness and nausea; not all dogs have this reaction, but you should watch your dog to be sure that s/he is compatible with salmon oil
Loose stool and diarrhea; it’s not clear if this is lasting, but it could be a sign that your dog isn’t taking to the salmon oil well
Salmon oil can go bad and you want to pay attention to a use by date on the bottle to make sure that you’re not feeding your dog expired oil.


We purchased Nature’s Made fish oil capsules to give it a try (this isn’t salmon oil, as I originally thought, but fish oil). Nature’s Made is a product that has great reviews and you can pick up two large bottles of the capsules for under $20.00. I puncture one capsule for each bowl of dog food (three total) and the dogs love it. They’re chomping at the bit to eat when they smell the fish oil. Each capsule is 1200 mg and we give each dog a pill 3x a week to start.





And don’t worry, the capsules aren’t smelly. I had to put my nose to them to get a whiff. Whew, fishy. I recommend that you wash your hands thoroughly afterwards, because you will get the oil on your hands and you don’t want that soaking into your skin for the day.



photo: Smabs Sputzer
Olive Oil


Carol Firenze is the author of the book - The Passionate Olive – 101 Thing to do with Olive Oil. She wrote a chapter for pet owners and shared the following benefits of drizzling olive oil on their food…


On the Inside…Internal


Shine your Pet’s Coat & Keep your Pet Healthy
To Slow Down the Shedding Process
Prevent “Hairballs” in Cats
On the Outside…External


Massage your Pet
Remove Ticks
Soothe Ears
Lubricate the Skin on Your Pet’s Nose
Lubricate your Dog’s Paws
Give your Pet a Peticure
Remove “Ice Balls” from an Animal‘s Fur or Paws
I’ve read that some dog owners give their dogs sardines in olive oil as a treat. I’ve also read that olive oil can be harmful to dogs, but his was on a site that promoted krill oil so I’m uncertain of the validity of the statement. See what I mean about the pros and cons?
The only common warning that I found is that if a dog has a health issue that is prompting dog owners to use olive oil, be sure to check with your vet first, because olive oil doesn’t cure everything and the issue may be something that does require medical attention.

photo: SingChan
Coconut Oil


Jennifer Kehres was kind enough to enlighten me about Coconut Oil, which she gives regularly to her dog and I would not have considered as an option. If you’re concerned about (or don’t like) the salmon smell, then coconut oil sounds like a fantastic alternative. Since communicating with Jennifer, I found out that a colleague also gives her dogs coconut oil and they love it.


“Our gluten-free, dairy-free, coconut oil loving Shih Tzu loves it! Coconut oil helps prevent and reduce itchiness and is good for her overall health too.” ~ Jennifer Kehres


Benefits


Reduces pet allergies and clears up skin conditions
Improves digestion and reduces “doggie breath”
Aids in arthritis or ligament problems
I’ve also learned that coconut oil…
Is less toxic than fish oil
If applied topically, treats and aids is faster healing of wounds
Prevents and treats yeast and fungal infections
Helps prevent or control diabetes
Helps reduce weight and increase energy
But is coconut oil healthy? Coconut oil gets a bad rap, “because its main component is saturated fat,” which seems to contradict the claim that it helps reduce weight. Holistic veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker says “I recommend 1/4 teaspoon of coconut oil for every 10 pounds of body weight twice daily.”
Before you run to the store to get coconut oil, double check with your veterinarian. It’s a great option and there is a lot of information promoting it’s benefits, but, as you know, the news changes all the time and hopefully your veterinarian is up to date on the latest news.
Krill Oil


Krill oil is derived from shell fish and contains the omga-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA along antioxidents. I read that some feel that Krill Oil is superior to salmon oil partly because it’s easy for our bodies to absorb it allowing it to do more good. In fact, there is a site devoted to promoting krill oil.


Benefits:


Effective in weight loss
No fishy after taste
Longer shelf life than salmon oil
More easily aborbed into the body, so you don’t need as much
Downsides:


More expensive
Not for animals (or people) who are allergic to shell fish. I have no idea if our dogs have shell fish allergies either.
You can read more about the Difference Between Krill Oil and Salmon Oil HERE: Difference Between Krill Oil & Salmon Oil | eHow.com. And like with the other oil options mentioned here, double check with your veterinarian, before adding krill oil to your dog’s diet.





Do you give your dog an oil to supplement their diet? If so, which one and what’s your experience?


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My Dog is Fat | Tips on Exercising Your Dog During the Summer
Shelter Pros Say Pet Food Quality Impacts Fate of Rescue Dogs and Cats @HaloPets
5 Common Foods that Can Poison your Dog #poisonpreventionawareness

 

[truffle shuffle]

yup, 3x a week in food, and on toes and nose when needed!

 

[cali baker]

I actually give him a tablespoon in his food now. I started with 1/4 of a teaspoon. Sampson absolutely loves CO and would eat it straight out the bottle of I would let him haha. So far I haven't noticed much of a difference by feeding it to him. But topically it has worked wonders. It always gets rid of that tummy rash he gets. I've tried medicated wipes from the vet and those didnt work. I think I'm definitely sticking to the coconut oil instead of medicines the vet gives.

that's good to know! I'm going to massage some onto Finn's paws which he's been licking lately. Thing is, he loves CO too so i think he'll just love licking the CO off of him! Did you find that Sampson did that when you applied it on him?

 

[Darasue]

Any updates from the folks that have been giving their dog coconut oil or using it externally?

 

[Marine91]

We have been using it on Harlea's belly when the grass gets a little tall and she starts to itch from it. We also rubbed it on her gums when she pulled out a tooth a bit early and it healed up nicely.

 

[sheshistory]

Interesting...I might try this for Truman, who also gets a bit of rash from grass when it's too long or he gets itchy on the belly and won't leave it alone.