Coconut oil may offer many health benefits for pets ranging from weight loss to healing infections, protecting from arthritis pain to promoting healthy bones and joints, helping to protect pets from heart disease to diabetes.

According to the Coconut Research Center, coconut (cocos nucifera) oil has been used in humans to treat everything from abscesses, asthma, baldness, bronchitis, bruises, burns, colds, constipation, cough, dropsy, dysentery, earache, fever, flu, gingivitis, gonorrhea, irregular or painful menstruation, jaundice, kidney stones, lice, malnutrition, nausea, rash, scabies, scurvy, skin infections, sore throat, swelling, syphilis, toothache, tuberculosis, tumors, typhoid, ulcers, upset stomach, weakness, and wounds. Often nutritional substances that offer health benefits to human offer similar health benefits to pets.

Coconut Oil is reported to be:

Anti-bacterial - Can help kill harmful bacteria that can cause numerous health problems ranging from gum disease to stomach ulcers
Anti-viral - Can help kill harmful viruses that can cause bladder infections, influenza, hepatitis, measles and other viruses.
Anti-fungal - Can help eliminate ringworm, athlete's foot, diaper rash, candidiasis, and yeast infections.
Anti-parasitic - Can help kill tapeworms, lice, giardia and other parasites.

Coconut oil is reported to increase immunity and help fight off many illnesses ranging from cancer to dental cavities. It may provide relief from kidney problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, cancer and osteoporosis.

In people, coconut oil can help us look and feel younger by helping to fight the signs of aging, including wrinkles, age spots and sagging skin, by providing valuable essential fatty acids (EFAs) and fighting free radicals that cause oxidation, degeneration of the cells and aging. In pets, coconut oil has many of the same benefits but instead of promoting fewer wrinkles and healthy skin, pets enjoy healthier skin and a healthier, more beautiful coat.

Coconut oil can be used as a natural moisturizer for dry and or damaged skin. Unlike many other moisturizing products, it contains no controversial or artificial ingredients. Coconut oil can be used to remove makeup and dilute essential oils. It can relieve dry, flaky or itchy skin, including dandruff, while it provides your skin with many of its other benefits including killing virus germs and bacteria. Coconut oil may reduce the symptoms of dermatitis, psoriasis and eczema and can help heal wounds and skin irritation. Coconut oil can be used in the hair as a deep conditioning, moisturizing treatment.

Coconut Oil for Weight Loss

Lower in calories than other saturated fats, coconut oil also helps promote healthy weight by increasing energy, promoting healthy thyroid function and metabolic rate. In Asian Pacific countries where large amounts of coconut oil are consumed, the population is typically very lean and enjoys a high metabolic rate.

Different types of fatty acids are metabolized in the body differently. There are long chain fatty acids, medium chain fatty acids, and short chain fatty acids. Coconut oil is made of mostly medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). The MCFAs in coconut oil are what cause it to have so many health benefits. Among other differences, MCFAs are more prone to create energy instead of turning to fat when metabolized, which may make them helpful toward accomplishing weight loss. Coconut oil also contains lauric acid, a rare medium-chain fatty acid found in human breast milk. It makes up about 50% of coconut oil. Lauric acid supports healthy metabolism.

Coconut oil for heart disease and diabetes?

Coconut oil is believed to help promote healthy arteries and prevent heart disease and control diabetes by supporting the pancreas, improving insulin secretion and glucose tolerance. It helps fight against osteoporosis by improving calcium and magnesium absorption, which are crucial to healthy bones and teeth. Coconut Oil is helpful to proper digestion by increasing absorption of valuable nutrients and helps with digestive disorders such as colitis, stomach ulcers, and Crohn's disease.

Taken internally, coconut oil may help promote healthy bones and joints, a healthy metabolism and weight, healthy thyroid function and support against fungi, viruses, bacteria and parasites in dogs, cats and other animals. Coconut oil will also promote healthy skin and a beautiful, lush coat.

Taken topically, coconut oil can be used on pet ears, cuts, wounds, mouth sores, and dry, cracked paw pads.

(Did you know our hand-made, gourmet fresh-baked dog cookies are made with coconut oil? It costs us a little more to make them but these are for the REALLY good girls and good boys and they're worth it. Also have birthday cookies and "Prince" and "Princess" cookies. Yummy yogurt frosting is pink for girls, blue for boys. Check 'em out!)
(Nice try. Cookies are not a substitute for supplementing with coconut oil.) :)

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Please do not use coconut oil or any other supplement to treat an illness or condition in your pet without consulting your pet's veterinarian.