Burton (L) and Willow (R) stay healthy, happy, and energized with coconut oil!
Do you feed your pets coconut oil? If so, awesome! If not, you should! If coconut oil is good for us, then it’s good for our pets too!
You all know about my love affair with coconut oil. I can’t get enough of the stuff! Read my post called “Coconut Oil – Why Is It So Wonderful?” and you’ll see why I love it.
Also, many of you have probably seen my posts called “52 Uses for Coconut Oil – The Simple, The Strange, and The Downright Odd!” and “122 Uses for Coconut Oil – Even More of the Simple, the Strange, and the Downright Odd“. Who knew there were so many ways to use one, single product?!
But, back to our furry friends.
We have two pooches (see the picture above). Burton is a cattle dog / corgi mix, and Willow is a cattle dog / who-knows-what mix. They both get coconut oil daily with their dinner and they think coconut oil is the best thing since sliced bread!
In addition to adding coconut oil to their food, we also use it on my dogs in other ways. I massage coconut oil into the pads of their feet, since we live in the city and walk many miles a week on concrete and asphalt. Willow, who is a tomboy of a dog, loves to rough and tumble with my brother’s dogs up in the mountains, so she gets all sorts of cuts and scraps on her stomach. I’ll treat those areas with some coconut oil after gently cleaning them with mild soap and water. On a side note, the soap from Tropical Traditions is a great way to clean your pet’s scrapes and cuts. It only has one ingredient and is gentle on the skin.
The coconut oil that I use is from Tropical Traditions. Depending on what I have on hand, they either get TT’s Pure Coconut Oil, which is a high-quality, expeller-pressed (EP) coconut oil, or they get TT’s Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil.
Why Is Coconut Oil Good For Your Pets?
Just like humans, dogs can also glean benefit from regular consumption of coconut oil. Now, due to the FTC and FDA laws governing what you can and can’t say about the health benefits of coconut oil, I’m not going to list any specific benefits here. Traditionally, those laws govern humans, but since many of us consider our pets “humans”, and I am referring to human-grade coconut oil products, I’m going to err on the side of caution and not list anything specific.
For a list on how dogs can benefit from coconut oil, check out this post from Dogs Naturally Magazine. We can personally attest that since we started feeding our dogs coconut oil, we have noticed less of that stinky doggie breath and they both seem to have more energy. Also, one of our dogs has a bad back leg and he seems to be a lot less stiff since incorporating coconut oil into his diet. Is it the coconut oil that’s helping? Who knows, but it’s certainly not hurting!
If you want to hear more about what benefits our pets can get from coconut oil, check out what this veterinarian, Dr. Karen Becker, has to say about the subject. The information about the gall bladder and pancreas is very interesting! I’m assuming that if that is true for pets, it would be true for humans too?
If you’re looking for even more reason to feed your pets coconut oil, check out this video from a professional groomer who uses coconut oil on her pets and 4-legged customers.
The Proper Way to Feed Your Pets Coconut Oil
Now, you don’t want just start dumping a big glob of coconut oil into your pets food, especially if they’re new to it. There is a proper way to feed your pets, as explained in this article from CoconutOil.com. You want to start small and increase the dose slowly. Introducing too much, too fast, can lead to loose bowels and we all know that’s no fun!
So, start small, by giving small pets, puppies, or kittens about a 1/4 of a teaspoon and then increasing over time. With larger pets, you can start them with a teaspoon and gradually work your way up. Some pets will love it right off the bat, others need a little coaxing. Dr. Becker recommends 1 teaspoon for each 10-20 pounds of body weight of your pet. Burton is 26 pounds and gets around a tablespoon with each meal, while Willow is 53 pounds and gets around 1.5 – 2 tablespoons. Our dogs loved it from the start, but I have had people tell me that their pets didn’t like it at first, so you might have to get them used to eating it.
Also, dogs and cats aren’t the only pets who can eat coconut oil. I’ve had people tell me that they feed it to their horses, cows, goats, and other animals!
So, tell me, do you feed your pets coconut oil? Have you noticed any differences in their health since introducing it? I would love to hear from you, so leave me a comment below!
Also, make sure you come back tomorrow, because I’ll be hosting a giveaway of a jar of Tropical Traditions’ Pure Coconut Oil. You can feed this oil to your pets, or you can enjoy it for yourself. Or, a little bit of both! This is Tropical Traditions’ most affordable coconut oil at only $7.99 for a 16oz jar. It is a high-quality coconut oil and still maintains the high standards that Tropical Traditions requires of their products. Come back for a chance to win!
Delicious Obsessions was founded by Jessica Espinoza in 2010. Jessica is passionate about real food, natural living, and more. She helps people see how to eat nourishing food, without breaking the bank. Her motto is "baby steps" -- making small, lasting changes, one at a time, is the best way to ensure long-term success. This website contains "affiliate links" where appropriate, on which, I may earn a small commission or referral fee on your purchase. This has no effect on your price. The monies earned help maintain and support this website's hosting, maintenance, and the development of free content. The content shared on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. Statements/products discussed have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease or illness. Please consult your own health care practitioner before making changes to your current diet or before beginning any herbal or vitamin supplement regimen or exercise program.
Thanks for the post! I’ve been feeding my older dog her supplements by whizzing them into a powder and mixing with butter. I’m going to try coconut oil instead!
I’m sure she’d enjoy that! Maybe it would give her a little more pep in her step!
So glad to see this information getting out about coconut oil for dogs. This is fantastic stuff. I started using this about 4 months ago for Jake, my 10 year old, 15 lb poodle. He developed a full body yeast infection after taking antibiotics and prednisone. I changed his diet to a no grain dog food and added coconut oil, 1 teaspoon per day, to his food. I also use it on his body every day, straight from the jar. This helps so much with the itching and encourages the yeast die off to help him heal inside and out. Make sure to get all the creases and folds, pads on the feet and let a bit melt into the ears before they shake their head. His energy level is up and he is bouncing down the steps! And best of all, he can get a restful night’s sleep to continue his recovery. It may take a few more months to get rid of the yeast completely, but he will healthier for it inside and out. Do your research and adjust for your pets. You know them the best.
I have 3 other poodles and they all get coconut oil in their food every morning. Fights have been known to break out trying to get to the oil! This is also giving me the tools to deal with Scarlett’s itchy ears naturally. She is 14 months and I hope to save her the years of scratching that Jake had when the vets didn’t know what was the cause. My research for the dogs is what got me started taking coconut oil daily. Discovering coconut oil has been the little miracle I needed to get Jake back on his feet and keep the rest of the ” furry family” in awesome health.
Thank you for sharing your experience! Sounds like it was a good addition to their diet! I read somewhere that you can gently massage a little CO into the insides of their ears to help with infections, mites, etc. I haven’t done that, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Just as long as you didn’t use too much. I bet if I did that, my dogs would spend the next few days licking one another’s ears!
Great info! I have 2 questions.
The Veterinarian in the first video says you can feed coconut oil to your reptiles?? I have a Red Slider turtle who cold really benefit from an added boost of health. Does anyone have any info on this? And, I understand you can pour coconut oil directly on your dog’s fur, but then aren’t they just greasy and licking their fur for a really long time?
Thanks!
Becca
The coconut oil absorbs slowly, but really well into the skin. I put extra on the front paws so he has something to lick while the rest of the body has time to take it in. They are a bit oily, but not as much as you think. The problem is the other dogs licking him at the same time. It’s worth the extra effort.
I have that same problem with my dogs. One will try to lick all of the CO off of the other. And, when I put it on their pads, they spend the next half hour licking their feet. Hopefully some of it gets to soak in before it gets licked off!
Silly puppies!
You know, I have never met anyone who said they feed it to their reptiles, but the vet did say you could. I’ll let you know if I discover anything on this!
I just started feeding my dogs and cats coconut oil this week. My dogs can’t lick it up fast enough they love it!! My cats are okay with it. My poodle has bad teeth and breath so I will let you know if it helps!!
Awesome! I hope it does. I can’t say their breath is wonderful to smell, but it’s definitely more pleasant than it was before and it’s not quite so off-putting when they come get in your face for attention
[...] I wrote about the benefits of feeding coconut oil to your pets. Coconut oil is not only good for humans, but it’s good for your furry (and not so furry) [...]
I started using coconut oil for myself and my dog was always going crazy over the smell so I did some research and found out all the wonderful benefits for animals and started putting it in his food and massaging it into his skin. It has helped his digestion and dry skin immensely. I prefer the virgin organic coconut oil from pet natural ways.
I started using CO about a month ago for my two dogs. I took one to the vet in March for a lump that I noticed a few months back. The vet said it was a wart and was fine. After a week of eating the coconut oil I looked for the wart and it looked strange, I touched it and realized it was soft and I was able to take it right off! It was falling off of her and just stuck in her hair. I was so surprised that after only a week it could do that. So the pups eat CO every day and I do notice a pep in their step as well as shiny hair. I love coconut oil!!
i love coconut oil and coconut water but i want to use it on my fur kid but!!! why i haven’t is my little 2 1/2 lb chi has IMHA the immune system is surpressed by meds and coconut oil build’s it…it was triggered by the yearly shots. this is bad news even the most healthy of pets can get IMHA. DOES ANYONE OUT THERE KNOW ABOUT THIS and use of cocnut oil for such fur children? thank you
Hi!
I am using virgin coconut oil to our dog… We had a problem on her skin before it was flaky and she lost hair on her neck. We tried different kinds of shampoo and soap but nothing cures it. Then, I thought of the coconut oil so I searched about it and found out that it is good for the animals too. Since then, I started putting it on her hair/skin before giving her a bath sometimes letting her to drink it and mixing it with her dinner. Now, the hair on her neck started to grow and her skin never been dry and flaky anymore… Thanks
I started giving my dog some CO, and he loves it, my cat will lick a little bit off the spoon as well but they are generally healthy, so I haven’t notice any changes, but my daughter has a rat and she’s been telling me that he has been sneezing, even after she changed the type of bedding, I suggested to give her little friend some CO, he absolutely loves it! She gives him a tiny bit everyday and he has improved! So rats you can add rats to list of furry friends who can benefit from Coconut Oil!
Hi, new to the world of CO. So here is my question. What is the difference in CO types? Why a special pets CO? Is it different? I bought the Lou Ann CO at my grocery store. Is it good? Help?
Hi Pat – Thanks for stopping by. There are different types – virgin and refined. Virgin will retain the taste and scent of coconuts, while refined will have a neutral taste. I use both in my house for various things. If you buy refined, make sure you know how it is processed, as sometimes companies use bleach and other solvents during processing.
Our wiemeriener has horrible allergies and very red skin. We just started giving him coconut oil in his food and rubbing it on his ears. It’s only been a day but he isnt scratching as much!
My kitty Matty, 13 yrs old, was urinating blood. I was scared to death that I would lose her. I did some research and found that it was symptomatic of a bacterial infection. She was her usual self (eating fine, playing, etc.) and didn’t seem to be in any pain. I had been researching coconut oil for my own use and thought I would try it on her. I would just squirt some in her mouth a couple times a day. After about 2 days, there was no more blood! That was over a year ago and she’s been going strong ever since. I love coconut oil!!
So happy to hear about your cat’s recovery! Thank you for sharing your story — I know it will be helpful to other pet owners as well!
I started putting coconut oil on my dog’s food a couple of months ago. He suffers from allergies, and the coconut oil has helped. It has so many benefits for our pets it is amazing. His breath is great, he is more active, he does not smell, it helps with his yeast problems and he loves the taste. I buy the extra virgin organic that smells like cocnut because that is his favorite. In the long run it is all around good for his digestion, joints and bones, his skin and odor, what more could I ask for.
That is great to hear! Thank you for sharing!
I give my 2 sibling cats coconut oil almost every day (1/2 to 1 teaspoon per cat) since they were kittens. I discovered this accidentally when my girl cat kept trying to lick organic coconut oil off of me–I use it for cooking and as a skin moisturizer. When she was a wee little kitten she had this gagging cough like she was trying to pass hairballs but as soon as she started licking coconut oil the gagging stopped once and for all and I’ve NEVER seen a hairball from either of my cats-thank God. They’re a little over 1 year old now. The girl still is more crazy about it than the boy and never lets me forget, but they both eat it daily. I’ve also seen improvement in their coat-softer and shinier. I also feed my cats raw &canned diet mix and try to go as high meat % and grain-free as I can afford and I definitely avoid dry foods-those cause UTI. The raw grain free diet also definitely helps with their skin and coating and definitely helps keep them normal weighted. The vet took a while to decide whether they were normal or under weight until she weighed them, then explained she wasn’t used to seeing cats that were NOT overweight. How sad!
I must mention my cats do discriminate between non-organic and organic coconut oil. Even when they have non-organic CO on their plate, she will come begging me for the organic kind when I’m cooking. They also lick up the organic right away but aren’t nearly as excited about the other one. It may be a helpful tip to try different kinds/brands to find your pets’ favorite, it seems like my cats’ favorite is simply the healthiest kind so I know that’s what I should choose for myself too!
Great testimony! Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
Great information about taking care of the animals. We have been feeding CO to our Jackhuahua for some time now and all is well. Historically, when we lived up in the mountains I would use colloidal silver and the cuts, bruises, and even rattlesnake bites of our dogs first and then follow up with CO after the CS dried. Lately, I have gotten into using red light (red led flashlight) to accelerate healing and it really seems to work for me, at least; our dog hasn’t needed any healing lately. So, my healing combination for humans and pets alike is CO, CS and red light.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experiences! Interesting about the red light. I find that fascinating!
Google it, kind of hard to find, but there. I told my dentist about it and he informed me that he was using a low power red laser to heal difficult areas to reach in the mouth. Hmmmm . . .
Will do! Sounds like it’s worth checking out!
I also stand by Colloidal Silver for humans and pets. I used it after 2 consecutive major spinal surgeries for UTI on myself and what doctors thought was incurable and would spread to kidneys (they even wanted me to get a colonoscopy), was gone for good w/out needing colonoscopy or kidney treatment. It’s also common for it to repeat itself over yrs if treated with antibiotics, but 7 yrs now and never came back thanks to a lot of CS drinking for a few weeks until it was gone. I also used it along side and after antibiotics on my kitty after surgery (she swallowed a tall thin string
) and she healed very quickly w/out any unwanted side effects.
I too never heard of the red laser light and will check it out. Thanks!
I gave it to my 2 westies; the puppy tolerated it fine; the 7 year old threw up and had diarreah about 1/2 hr later….i’m assuming I shouldve given her less than 2 tsps for the first time:(
Arlene – I am so sorry to hear this!
Poor doggie! If your dogs are new to coconut oil, it’s always best to start them off slow. My dogs eat a lot of it now, but for a smaller dog, it might be best to start with 1 tsp., or even 1/2 tsp. until their system is used to it. Hope that helps!
Thanks for this post. I’ve recently switched to eating paleo and am even switching dog! No more grains for him and no more store bought treats full of chemicals I can’t pronounce.
Now I use homemade meatballs for his pill pockets. I make them from grass fed beef. A one pound bag makes about 40 little meat balls (enough for am/pm pills for 3 weeks! That’s about $2 per week, which is what I paid for the store bought treats. So for the same price he gets the benefits of grass fed beef and no more chemicals. Because of this article I’m going to start cooking them in coconut oil or adding it to the mix if I decide to still bake them rather than fry them. I also make his chicken jerky from free range, no hormone/antibiotic chicken breasts. Just boil them, then slice and throw in the dehydrator. He loves them. And no chemicals, grains, legumes, dairy, or sugar. All very paleo. 
Awesome! Thank you for stopping by and sharing those great ideas!
Hi Jessica,
Just found your site wonderful.
Can you tell me . I used to give Omega Oil a teaspoon added to my dogs meal; now i don’t do that and I am adding 1/2 teaspoon virgin coconut oil as i am just starting with it. My dog is only about 10lbs. But question is is that all the oil that they she would need
in a day ration,and wouldent have to give any other oil ,except the coconut oil now.
Patricia
Hi Patricia – Thanks for stopping by! I typically give my dogs their coconut oil with their dinner, but you could spit it up between meals if that is easier. Definitely start small, especially since your pup is so small and they are not used to it. Does that help?
Hi Jessica,
Thank you for answering and explaing. I feed Fresh home made meals twice a day that I cook myself 6oGrms meat,or,fish,or chicken
20per cent steamed Veg,and 20per Brown rice,or Pasto,or Sweet potato. I give 1/2 of coconut oil. Is that all the oil that my little dog would need daily. she is 10Ibs.
Patricia
Hi Patrica – In the article above. Dr. Becker recommends 1 teaspoon for every 10-20 pounds of body weight. You can adjust that to be more or less, depending on how you feel your dog is reacting to it. My dogs both get a couple tablespoons, but they are larger and they have also been eating coconut oil for years.
since I started breeding dogs, I was aware of their coats and health… so i bought books and magazines regarding dog breeding and dog health… i was thinking of what should I feed to these dogs since dog foods are processed and I want to give them the best… I was practicing my “culinary talent” eversince so I went to a page with those dog food recipes… since some of my dogs are choosy in food, instead of using vegetable oil, I decided to use my Virgin Coconut Oil… So I immediately i grabbed my container of Virgin Coconut Oil from my kitchen cabinet… and start baking bite-sized dog cookies… the next day, I ran out of VCO and I call a friend who’s a vet, if she have available VCO for dogs and she suggested me to purchase it from MyOrganicDog…
I take my own diet very seriously. I include coconut oil in my cats diet, along with growing cat nip and grass indoors all year long for him. He is leaner and happier for the coconut oil. However, like in humans, you must watch for obesity in your pets, as it is high in calories. A much better choice then feeding them all dry food though, thats like a diet of nothing but bread.
Thanks for stopping by! I couldn’t agree more!
Hi Jessica,
I was wondering if coconut oil would b good for sugar gliders? If so how much?
Thanks so much and great site!
Blessings
Deb
Hi Deb – I am not sure. I am assuming it would, as the vet in this post mentions it for all sorts of pets. I’d check with your own vet just to make sure. Thanks for stopping by!
I’ve been giving my dog Kyle flaxseed oil for over a year now. Is coconut oil better than flaxseed oil?
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Flaxseed oil and coconut oil have completely different nutritional properties. Both are good, but as far as nutrition, there really is no comparison. I love this post on oils and refer to it often: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/healthy-oils/