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Despite rumors to the contrary, coconut oil has a long list of benefits for both dogs (and humans).  Check out this blog post to learn why I add coconut oil to my dogs diet.

When I started writing about better nutrition for my dogs, I wrote a post listing coconut oil as an alternative to fish oil.  This week, I learned that not only is it not an alternative, but many people don't believe there is a benefit to feeding coconut oil to our dogs.  Nearly everyone agrees that the topical benefits are outstanding, but not everyone is sold on the dietary benefits.  This gave me pause, and I realized that I've been adding coconut oil to my dogs' diet without a clear understanding of why – so I started down this rabbit hole to figure out if coconut was good for my dogs.

Benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil for Dogs

I will admit that I drank the Kool-Aid.  Other raw feeders were doing it, so I started doing it too.  However, it's easy enough to do a quick Internet search to find the many benefits of coconut oil for dogs.

  • Coconut oil is rich in anti-oxidants.
  • Improves nutrient absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
  • Prevents the spread of cancer cells and enhances the immune system.
  • Regulates the immune system.
  • Repels mosquitoes and fleas.
  • Soothes and heals cuts, wounds, hot spots, bites, and stings.
  • It’s antimicrobial, kills yeast, and may help clear ear infections.
  • It’s a natural anti-inflammatory and helps with arthritis.
  • Coconut oil is rich in insoluble fiber, soothes anal gland issues and hairballs, and helps to keep pets regular.
  • It freshens breath and makes an effective toothpaste.
  • Coconut oil is a thermogenic oil that stimulates the metabolism and can aid in weight loss.
  • Great for the brain and nervous system, the liver converts MCTs into Ketones and is the ideal food for the brain, preventing cognitive decline in aging pets.
  • Allergies are due to an overactive immune system, and you can regulate the system by adding lauric acid to a dog’s diet.

Source: My notes from the CocoTherapy presentation at the 2018 Raw and Natural Dog Summit

When reading this long list of benefits, how can I question the benefits of adding coconut oil to our dogs' diet?  But I wasn't finished with my homework; I now wanted to learn why some people feel dogs don't need coconut oil.  I became curious because I've seen so many passionate discussions on this topic in groups (in some groups, mentioning coconut oil can lead to being banned).

the fad diet against various vegetables on wooden table
Source: DepositPhotos

Is Coconut Oil a Fad with No Benefits?

When I was new to raw feeding, when leaders in the raw feeding community made a recommendation, I listened without question.  Over the years, I've become more and more curious when conflict arose on social media surrounding topics discussed by Dr. Becker and Rodney Habib.  When I read claims that coconut oil was a fad and today's new snake oil, I wondered, are they right?

On the site HealthySkin4Dogs.com, many of the claims made about coconut oil are challenged.

  • The claim that coconut oil will boost skin and coat health is “completely unsubstantiated clinically.”
  • “Dogs fed coconut oil lost less weight and had more body fat than dogs on diets with other sources of fat.”

And on SkeptVet.com, I read…

“There are some theoretical reasons to think the types of fat found in non-hydrogenated coconut oil might have health benefits in humans, but there is no conclusive research to support this. There is virtually no research on coconut oil in dogs and cats, apart from some studies looking at topical use for treatment of parasites. Therefore, the health effects, both risks and benefits, are unknown and supported only by unreliable anecdotal evidence.” Source: SkeptVet.com

It's confusing – who should we believe?

Should We Stop Feeding Our Dogs Coconut Oil?

Whenever I see the phrase “anecdotal evidence,” I get my panties in a bunch because I've often read and heard this regarding the benefits of raw feeding.  I find the phrase condescending and dismissive.  Little to no evidence of the benefit of a diet didn't stop me from switching my dogs from commercial dry dog food to raw dog food.  And it won't stop me from adding coconut oil to my dogs' diet – or will it? 

I also understand that the phrase “anecdotal evidence” is valid.  Too often, I've added supplements to my dogs' diet simply because people in a group said they were beneficial and necessary.  I've learned that anecdotal evidence is fine, but I still need to do my homework to make sure something is appropriate for my dogs.

Myths of Coconut Oil for Dogs

Coconut oil is a saturated fat, which is bad for dogs and humans.

  • Medium-chain fatty acids don’t go to your lymphatic system, add to your adipose tissue (fat in your body), and don’t make you fat. Coconut oil is a thermogenic oil that boosts the metabolism, helping you lose weight. Coconut oil causes heart disease.
  • Coconut oil raises the HDL and lowers the LDL: HDL ratio. Most oils have very little cholesterol; butter and lard, on the other hand, have a high amount of cholesterol, but dietary cholesterol doesn’t increase your cholesterol levels.
  • Animals naturally have higher levels of HDL as compared to LDL.

Coconut oil cause fatty liver disease in cats.

  • Fatty liver disease may also occur when a cat suddenly stops eating over some time.
  • When a cat becomes undernourished, the body automatically moves fat from its reserves to the liver to be converted to energy – THIS is why cats develop fatty liver disease, not from eating coconut oil.
  • When a cat is in starvation mode, the liver is inefficient in processing fat, and much of the fat is stored in the liver cells, resulting in a fatty and low-functioning liver. THIS is why cats develop fatty liver disease, not from eating coconut oil.

Coconut oil is harmful to animals with pancreatitis and other lipid disorders.

  • Coconut oil doesn’t need pancreatic lipase to be digested, so the pancreas isn’t stressed.

There are no studies that show the benefits of coconut oil.

  • There are over 10,000 document studies about coconut oil; visit PubMed.gov to search for the studies.
  • Another source is www.coconutresearchcenter.org by Dr. Bruce Fife; he has all of the coconut oil studies on his website.
A few sources of healthy fats. Please note that dogs cannot eat avocado skin or seeds.
Source: DepositPhotos

Let's Talk About Fats

Saturated Fats (vegetable and animal fats)

  • short chain; produced when dietary fiber is fermented in the colon (grains, beans)
  • medium-chain; coconut oil, palm oil
  • long chain; beef fat, butter, cream

Polyunsaturated Fats

  • Omega 3 – ALA, alpha-linolenic acids (flaxseed oil, chia seeds, walnut oil), EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid (fish oil, krill oil), DHA, docosahexaenoic acid (fish oil, krill oil)
  • Omega 6 – LA, linoleic acid (soybean oil, sunflower seed oil, corn oil, safflower oil)

Monounsaturated Fats

  • Omega 9 – OA, oleic acid (olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, almonds)

Why is Coconut Oil Healthy?

Coconut oil is a saturated fat, a medium chain fatty acid, and nearly 50% lauric acid.  “When lauric acid is digested, it also forms a substance called monolaurin.  Both lauric acid and monolaurin can kill harmful pathogens like bacteria, viruses, and fungi.  For example, these substances have been shown to help kill the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (a very dangerous pathogen) and the yeast Candida albicans, a common source of yeast infections in humans.”  Source: Healthline.com

Lauric acid from virgin coconut oil metabolizes in your liver as monoglyceride monolaurin, which is antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal, similar to breast milk.  Source: My notes from the CocoTherapy presentation at the 2018 Raw and Natural Dog Summit

If you read up on fats, you may come across statements that medium-chain fatty acids lead to increased cholesterol by raising your LDL.  However, it also raises your HDL, which helps to remove the LDL.  And “epidemiological studies find that groups of people who include coconut as part of their native diets (e.g., India, Philippines, Polynesia) have low rates of cardiovascular disease.” This can be due to the coconut oil, other parts of their lifestyle, or both.  Source: Harvard.edu

How to Choose a Good Coconut Oil

  • It's important to note that the levels of lauric acid in coconut oil vary greatly between the many brands available.
  • We need to ask: where are the coconuts grown, what types are used to make the oil, and are the coconuts tree ripened when harvested, or are they scavenged from the ground?
  • More questions: when are the coconuts processed, how are they processed, and are they processed using the cold pressed or expeller pressed? How is the coconut oil extracted?
  • Cooking-grade coconut oil is what we find in grocery stores and at Costco. Cosmetic-grade coconut oil is used in lotions and other beauty products. Therapeutic-grade coconut oil is virgin, has the highest amount of lauric acid, and is used in the pharmaceutical industry to make medicine for Alzheimer's patients (for example).

Coconut Oil Terminology

  • Like with the term “natural” some of the terms to describe coconut oil, like “cold pressed,” don't mean what we think, so don't stop there when shopping for coconut oil for your dog.
  • Virgin means unrefined; there is no FDA definition of “virgin,” so folks can slap this term on their products despite them going through a refining process. And, by the way, there is no such thing as extra-virgin coconut oil; this is a marketing ploy.
  • 90-95% of ingredients are organic so you can use the USDA-certified organic seal.  However, this leaves room for 5-10% non-organic ingredients, and companies are claiming “organic,” just like some claiming “all-natural.”

Coconut Oil Checklist

  • What country did the coconuts come from? What type of soil – beach, volcano?
  • What is the age of the coconuts? Are the tree-ripened or scavenged off the ground?
  • Who makes the coconut oil?
  • Is the facility free of dairy, eggs, fish, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, or wheat?
  • Are the coconuts 100% organic?
  • Are the coconuts are free from pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers?
  • Are the coconuts non-GMO Verified?
  • Are the coconuts free from bleach, hexane, sulfites, and solvents?
  • Is the coconut oil 100% unrefined?
  • How is the oil made?
  • Buy coconut oil in a glass jar, not plastic. The plastic will leach into the coconut oil.
  • What is the potency of lauric acid?
  • Is the oil free of toxins, contaminants, and heavy metals?
  • Ask for a certificate of analysis and a product spec sheet.
Image of dog sitting next to an open coconut and bottle of MCT oil.
Source: DepositPhotos

How I Use Coconut Oil with My Dogs

I used to alternate coconut oil with fish oil, but in my research on the benefits of coconut oil (see, we have to do our homework), I learned that this was unnecessary.  Coconut oil isn't the same as fish oil.  My dogs get their Omega 3 fatty acids through fish oil, raw sardines, and fermented fish stock.  I add coconut oil to their diet as follows:

  • Golden Paste: to alleviate joint inflammation and pain associated with arthritis (plus loads of other benefits).  Click here for the recipe.
  • Weight Loss: I add a spoonful of vegetables to help her feel full on a low-calorie diet while providing her with a natural source of probiotics, fiber, and antioxidants.
  • Detox: coconut oil serves as a natural detox (along with many other benefits), so our dogs enjoy a melon ball scooper size as a treat once a week.

Topical Uses of Coconut Oil

  • Coat Conditioner: In a small Rubbermaid container, mix 3-4 melon ball-size scoops of coconut oil with 1-2 drops of Lavender essential oil to create a coat conditioner between baths.
  • Paw Salve: I rub coconut oil (no essential oils added) on our dogs' paws to soften the pads and heal any cuts or itchiness (for Rodrigo).  It works great overnight.
  • Toothpaste: Our dogs only get raw meaty, and recreational bones on nice days on warm, sunny days.  They dine on their bones outside, and I supervise while reading a book.  I use a finger brush and coconut oil for the rest of the year to clean their teeth while the dogs enjoy Real Dog Box chews.

My Bottom Line on the Benefits of Coconut Oil for Dogs

Once again, I was reminded not to take everything I read at face value.  Exploring all sides of an issue is important to help us make a more educated choice about our dogs' health and diet.  If I give my dogs coconut oil now and then or every day (which I do through the golden paste), I feel I'm doing it with much more information than because everyone else is feeding it to their dogs.

And when someone asks me why I feed coconut oil to my dogs, I feel more prepared to respond with an educated response.

Fish Oil Supplement I Recommend

I only use fish oil by Life Line Pet Products. They offer several products, I alternate the following:

  • Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil
  • Wild Alaskan Salmon + Pollock Oil
  • Omega Fish + Hemp Seed Oil

More About Coconut Oil

Despite rumors to the contrary, coconut oil has a long list of benefits for both dogs (and humans).  Check out this blog post to learn why I add coconut oil to my dogs diet.

Read More About Raw Feeding for Dogs

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