Coconut Oil.. Any tips?
 

Ok.. I am thinking of using coconut oil for little miss Taycie. Any tips? Where can I get it? How much should i use?... Can I add it to her food and use it on her coat as well?

If giving as a supplement you should use the virgin coconut oil. It's available at health food stores and generally the dosage is a teaspoon mixed with their food.

I don't really have the answers to your questions. I'm just curious- is it for hair/skin health?

You could probably do both. I do coconut oil treatments on my own hair, and I know you can use it for cooking as well. I would think if you're going to put it directly on her hair, you would want to do it before her bath. Either that, or put it on after shampooing. Then you can partially dry her hair so it soaks in, but rinse it out as it might make her hair look too oily.

Thanks!!!! Have you ever used it before?

Yep... skin and hair..

Just a heads up if you are thinking of adding coconut oil to her food....

A little Maltese on another forum developed really high triglycerides after her mom started giving her coconut oil. They went up to a scary 2604 (normal is 29-291)!

Her vet had her bring in all the foods and supplements she uses and told her that coconut oil was the culprit. It is very high in fat. The one I have here has 14 grams of fat (12 grams of saturated fat) per tablespoon.

Cocotherapy for dogs seem to be the latest fad, but please discuss it with your vet first.

THANKYOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!! Hmmm.... this makes me leary of trying this now. That is ALOT of fat.. good greif! I have heard some people use this and I was thinking of trying it. What about Salmon/fish oil?... I am looking to supplement for skin and coat. We have tried changing up her diet but her stomach goes crazy and I hate to mess with her diet anymore. So for now I am looking to add something to her food. Any ideas?..

I have always used 3V Caps:

Omega-Caps - For CATS & SMALL Dogs (60 Softgel Capsules)

Fatty acids are great for skin and coat, but they also help with allergies and inflammation. My vet had me start Lady on them years ago for her allergies.

Omega Fatty Acids: Sources, Effects, and Therapeutic Usesin Dogs

I just ordered some! Thanks for your help!

Okay, this may sound dumb, but my wife takes fish oil for her triglycerides. She gets the no burb because when she first grabbed them, I also took some and DANG....needless to say, no kissing for a few days until we figured it out! :rolleyes:

Do the fish oil for dogs cause burping and does it make for stinky burps? :confused:

I used salmon oil to my little one because she didn't eat and it was magic. After a couple of days she was eating all of her food. Now I keep using it but I'm just careful not to overfeed her. It's natural and it's perfect for her hair. I don't know about allergies because I never had any problem but maybe it's because of the salmon oil that I have no allergies problems

Maria

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LadyMom, unfortunately coconut oil being a saturated fat is often mis-understood. Although it is a saturated fat, coconut oil is comprised of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids (not long-chain as the saturated fat found in animal fats).

Coconut oil is unique as a medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) in that it is synthesized in the body differently from other fats. The smaller medium chain triglyceride molecules are easily digestible and absorbable. They do not need bile to be assimilated, nor do they need pancreatic lipase to be digested. Typically the blood has triglycerides as well as cholesterol. These triglycerides are long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) being transported from the liver to the peripheral tissues and cells. LCTs are long chain fatty oils from saturated animal fats or from unsaturated fats from vegetable oils.

The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) from coconut oil are not found in the systemic blood; they go straight to the liver and they are rapidly metabolized to liberate energy. So in short, coconut oil will not elevate triglycerides in human or animals with long term use.

Numerous studies have shown that coconut oil: prevents ischemic heart disease, lowers elevated total serum cholesterol levels, stimulates the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone, increases HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels, lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, lowers VLDL (Very-low-density lipoprotein – “bad”) cholesterol levels, lowers elevated serum triglycerides levels.

Also, well-known holistic vet, Dr. Karen Becker states that coconut oil does not elevate triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood and does not cause hyperlipidemia when given long term. It is a very healthy oil when given long-term.

We love the CocoTherapy. You can buy it from Ryan YT member RDB911.

Here is the link. It is awesome! They love it!

Cheap!! Puppy Training Pee Pads by the Case + Free Shipping

I am just relaying the experience of one Maltese owner based upon her bloodwork and her vet's findings. The only other thing the owner was feeding her was Artemis OSOPURE and freeze dried chicken treats.

I know Dr. Becker is popular, but her association with Dr. Mercola is a concern for some of us.

As I said in my earlier post, just check with your vet before adding coconut oil.

The elevated triglycerides level in the Maltese baby is very unfortunate and I have no doubt her mommy is doing everything to reverse the levels. Unfortunately we don't know any more details about the Maltese's health, or diet. The biochemistry of why lipid levels are elevated in the blood is much more complicated than just eating "fat".

I agree with you, work closely with your vet before using any supplement BUT ALSO, do your own research. Actually, research has shown that a diet very high in carbohydrates (in relation to protein) can spike triglyceride levels in the blood.

High triglyceride levels may be due to:
Cirrhosis
Diet low in protein and high in carbohydrates
Hypothyroidism
Nephrotic syndrome
Pancreatitis
Poorly controlled diabetes

More and more studies have shown beneficial effects from coconut oil and blood serum levels. Coconut especially seems to have positive effects on cholesterol and triglyceride levels. I always encourage people to do their own research and learn as much as possible. Here are some informative links that reference studies on this topic:

Coconutoil.com - Mary Enig Ph.D. on the Effects of Coconut Oil on Serum Cholesterol Levels and HDLs

Coconut Lowers LDL, VLDL and Triglycerides, Raises HDL
Coconut Lowers LDL, VLDL and Triglycerides, Raises HDL

I too, am not a fan of Mercola, but I have been going to Dr. Becker for my Yorkies and kitties for many years, and her knowledge is undeniable. She is compassionate, concientious, and I know that she continues to research and stay current on vet medicine. I have been to many, many vets, and I have to say that she is one of the most well-informed vet I have ever been. Her association with Mercola is not reason for me to discount her knowledge. My long-term experience with her has been excellent and I trust her with my fur-babies.

And I agree with you 100% LadyMom, always work closely with a vet you trust. :)

Thank you for this stimulating conversation! I love it when we inspire others to learn more! ;)

WOW! I would say I learned something! What an interesting thread this became! Thankyou both for all your knowlege! I am so impressed and grateful to you both.

LuvTaycieGirl, you're very welcome! Back to your original question on coconut oil, I've been giving it to my 2 Yorkies and kittys for over 5 years and none of them have developed hyperlipidemia. One of my Yorkies, Violet had allergies and was on Prednisone. I thought she would have to be on prednisone forever, but after giving her coconut oil, she has been off pred for years now. I have heard many first-hand stories on how it has helped hypothyroid dogs, IBD, colitis dogs, etc. You can read some compelling testimonials about how coconut oil has help their dogs:
CocoTherapy - Testimonials

Also, coconut oil has been part of our family's diet for generations, our relatives have had no issues with high cholesterol or high triglycerides. Infact, most have them have lived long lives.

For those interested in elevated triglycerides in dogs, here are excellent information on this subject:

Canine hyperlipidemia

High Cholesterol in Dogs | PetMD

High Triglycerides in Dogs | eHow.com

Thank you again, and I promise to stop posting so many articles! ;-)

In the interest of fairness, YorkieMumma, you really should have disclosed upfront that you sell Cocotherapy.

Yes, CocoTherapy is my brand, LadyMom, but the brand of coconut oil was irrelevant in this discussion. Someone else did mention my brand earlier in the post (for which I am grateful), but my main concern was addressing the topic about coconut oil and its effects on triglyceride levels.
I typically do not push my coconut oil brand on anyone in discussions such as this, as there are many other brands of coconut oil out there. There are differences, and again, it is up to the consumer to do the research and buy what is best for them. As for inserting the testimonial link, it is one of the most comprehensive collection of testimonials from dog owners, which I think would help others learn from what other dog owners had to say about coconut oil.

Coconut oil is a personal passion, which is why I am so committed to educating other dog owners about it --- regardless of brand.

I prefer using the fish oil over the coconut oil. Ive tried both and even though my dogs loved the coconut, it made them stink, thier breath and ears stunk so bad I was constantly bathing them. I had read on here that it was suppose to help with bad breath, runny eyes, doggy ordor etc but it made my dogs worse. It made Tuckers coat very greasy looking all the time. So we went back to using the fish oil and everyone looks and feels great..:) I do know that others have had great success with it and Ryan is AWESOME to do buisness with.. I still use the coconut oil for myself and my kids, we use it on our hair, skin, chapped lips etc. It is great stuff, just didnt work for my pets. :)

I don't sell CoCo therapy, but I have been using both that and other coconut oils for two years now on the recommendation of the nutritionist I work with in conjuction with the holistic vet.

There are many healing properties associated with coconut oil not found in other oils, particularly not in fish oils - especially with it comes to the digestive tract. Many pups who canot tolerate fish oil because of the high fat content, can tolerate coconut oil.

We found a significant difference in the quality of my girls' coats within about a month of use (and we had been using salmong oil previously). We do use it sparingly - about 1/4 tsp per day (my girls are both around 5 lbs).

Not everyone is going to agree with this. Just like not everyone will agree with the nutritionist I use. Neither of my girls has elevated triglycerides. And Sissy's lipase levels, though still elevated, are now at the lowest they have ever been. In fact, I would venture to guess she is the first yorkie on this site diagnosed with Protein Losing Enteropathy still going strong two years later.

If the coconut oil made your dogs stink, it could be that they were detoxing. Coconut oil is a natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral, and, when there is bacterial or fungal kill-off, symptoms may appear worse. I have 5 yorkies, and one of them did get a slightly oilier coat. So I just reduced her portion to 1/8 tsp, 2x a day, and now her coat is perfect! Every dog is different, so you might have to adjust the dosage according to their needs.

My friends dog got allergic to fish oil, eventually, and my vet said that happens more. She loves coconut oil and the benefits. I love CocoTherapy and I even take it myself! lol!:D I dont sell Cocotherapy, but they do have tons of great info on their website:

Great info on anti-bacterial, anti-viral:
CocoTherapy - Amazing Coconut Oil

Best comparison table I've seen on the diff between fish oil & coconut oil:
CocoTherapy - Amazing Coconut Oil - What's the difference between Fish Oils and Virgin Coconut Oil?

Love their coconut chips too!!!!!!!!! Amazing for making solid stools!:)

THANK you for all the info you shared! Incredible information on tryglyceride levels. Lots of people, unfortunately even VETS dont understand coconut oil, just because it's a saturated fat. What they dont' know its a medium-chain fatty acid and is metabolized in the body differently from the long-chain fatty acids of saturated fats (animal fats). Sorry but lots of vet out there are clueless about nutrition and only know what dog food companies tell them. YorkieMumma, thank you for your informative website!