Bulldogs World

In a word: recommended.

One day I was reading wikipedia about coconuts in general for some dumb reason. Somewhere in my travels there was one line about the oil being misunderstood as it is one of the few saturated-fat vegetable oils. Health-food aficionados, however, tout it as very helpful in alleviating what seem to be a great deal of inflammation-related conditions in humans - both taken internally and topically.

So I wondered, is it safe for dogs? 

The verdict: seems to be, yup.

There were various articles out there describing different purported health benefits to dogs using various virgin, unrefined coconut products both in the dog's diet and applied topically to such things as bites, stings, and rashes. As with any product, I don't endorse it professionally, work for the coconut industry (I live in Providence, RI, for pete's sake :) ) or otherwise have any vested interest in telling you this other than:

I have been giving Matilda a few teaspoons of coconut oil (Dr Bronner's brand unrefined virgin, $8.99 at Whole Foods in a glass jar) as well as trying the method of a few drops of the oil warmed and rubbed in her ears on a cotton pad. I also, tonight, added a blob of coconut milk ($1.79, organic pure, at Stop and Shop) to her Ketochlor shampoo. The oil is solid at room temperature. They can eat a blob of it cold, but the real "candy dance" comes out when you gently warm it (I do it on the stove as holistic practitioners caution against microwaving nutritive products). Matilda licks it off my hands, the spoon, her bowl, and enthusiastically sniffed her bathwater. 

Happy to report that not only have her ears not turned pink and itchy looking since I started giving it to her, she has not pawed at them ONCE and they are a healthy, very light skin color. Her eyes are less runny, the "zits" she had healed over (the hair hasn't grown back yet but jeez - wow - fast) and the flaky hairless areas she has no longer have ANY flakes.

The results of the Ketochlor and Coconut Milk bath: she is not greasy, but is soft, shiny, and didn't run around trying to rub on things after her bath. Her hair is perfectly soft with no "drag" and she has a pleasant, coconut-tinged doggy smell that seems natural instead of chemical while at the same time seeming very clean.

Check out http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=43716 for a comprehensive discussion. It was very helpful.

I think the most important thing to remember was to start slow and add a bit gradually to see how your bully handles it. I told my Mom to try it with her finicky-eater Papillon and she's actually able to stop hand feeding her. 

Perhaps if you have a dog with skin or food issues it is an easy thing to try. 

Remember, only the cold pressed virgin unrefined kind. I am told the rule is that if it doesn't say that on the label, it isn't, and therefore isn't the healthy kind.

Just my two bits.

Remember, only the virgin unrefined cold-pressed kind.