Organic Coconut Oil

Helps support:
• Skin & beautiful coats
• The immune system
• The cardiovascular system
• Healthy metabolism
• Certified organic and non-GMO
• Made from fresh coconuts
• Cold-processed
• Extra virgin, unrefined
• Looks, tastes & smells like fresh coconut!
• Non-hydrogenated
• Liquid above 76° F
• No refrigeration required

Contains lauric acid with anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial health-protecting properties.

Wonderful as a soothing, healing salve.

The information below is from an article "Crazy about Coconut Oil" in the Whole Dog Journal:

For thousands of years, coconuts have been a staple of tropical cuisines, and those who followed a traditional coconut-based diet, such as Pacific Islanders, had none of the heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or other illnesses that plague modern America.

According to its advocates, when taken internally, coconut oil:
• Reduces the risk of cancer and other degenerative conditions
• Improves cholesterol levels and helps fight heart disease
• Improves digestion and nutrient absorption
• Heals digestive disorders like Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, and colitis
• Contains powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agents that prevent infection and disease
• Relieves arthritis
• Prevents and treats yeast and fungal infections, including thrush and candidiasis
• Prevents and treats viral infections, including herpes, measles, and the flu
• Helps balance the body’s metabolism and hormones
• Promotes normal thyroid function
• Helps prevent or control diabetes
• Rejuvenates the skin and protects against skin cancer, age spots, acne, and other blemishes
• Helps prevent osteoporosis
• Reduces allergic reactions
• Supplies fewer calories than other fats.

Applied topically, its boosters say that coconut oil also does the following:
• Disinfects cuts
• Promotes wound healing
• Improves skin health and hair condition
• Deodorizes whatever it touches (some people brush their teeth with it or use it as an underarm deodorant)
• Clears up warts, moles, psoriasis, eczema, dandruff, precancerous lesions, athlete’s foot, jock itch, diaper rash,
ringworm, vaginal yeast infections, and toenail fungus.

All of this is excellent news for people and their dogs, for most of coconut oil’s human benefits are shared by canines.
And dogs love the taste, which makes feeding coconut oil and other coconut products easy and pleasant.

Medium-chain fatty acids
Most of coconut oil’s health benefits come from medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also known as medium-chain
triglycerides (MCTs). According to former University of Maryland biochemist and dietary fats researcher Mary Enig,
PhD, “The lauric acid in coconut oil is used by the body to make the same disease-fighting fatty acid derivative
monolaurin that babies make from the lauric acid they get from their mothers’ milk. The monoglyceride monolaurin is
the substance that keeps infants from getting viral, bacterial, or protozoal infections.”

Coconut oil’s capric and caprylic acid have similar properties and are best known for their antifungal effects. Like
lauric acid, capric acid helps balance insulin levels.

In addition to protecting the body against infection, medium-chain fatty acids are efficiently metabolized to provide an
immediate source of fuel and energy, enhancing athletic performance and aiding weight loss.

“The energy boost you get from coconut oil is not like the kick you get from caffeine,” says Dr. Fife. “It gently elevates
the metabolism, provides a higher level of energy and vitality, protects you from illness, and speeds healing.

In dogs, the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil balance the thyroid, helping overweight dogs lose weight and helping
sedentary dogs feel energetic. As a bonus, coconut oil improves any dog’s skin and coat, improves digestion, and
reduces allergic reactions.”

During the last few decades, extensive research on medium-chain fatty acids has documented their health benefits,
and many supplements and health foods contain MCFAs or MCTs. You’ll find them listed that way on their labels –
but their source, which isn’t listed, is always coconut oil.

Dosing dogs
No one has tested coconut oil’s effect on dogs in clinical trials, but the anecdotal evidence is impressive. Reports published on Internet forums describe how overweight dogs become lean and energetic soon after they begin eating coconut oil, or their shabby-looking coats become sleek and glossy, and dogs with arthritis or ligament problems grow stronger and more lively.

Even some serious diseases have responded. In one case, a Doberman Pinscher with severe Wobblers made a dramatic recovery in less than a week while taking coconut oil.

Other reports involve itchy skin, cuts, wounds, and ear problems. Dogs with flea allergies, contact dermatitis, or other allergic
reactions typically stop scratching soon after coconut oil is added to their food, and dogs treated topically for bites, stings, ear mites, ear infections, cuts, or wounds recover quickly.

One dog was stung by a bee, causing her mouth to swell. An hour after her owner applied coconut oil to the sting and gave her a tablespoon to swallow, the swelling disappeared and the dog was herself again.

How to administer
For convenient application, store coconut oil in both a glass eyedropper bottle and a small jar. During cold weather,
these containers are easy to warm in hot water so that the oil quickly melts.

Use the eyedropper to apply coconut oil to ears, cuts, wounds, mouth sores, and other targeted areas, including your dog’s toothbrush.

One good candidate for supplementation is the thick-coated dog who is often greasy or smelly. Many of these “stinkers” have
freshened up when receiving a little coconut oil daily. Just start out with a low dosage (perhaps just a dab) and increase slowly.

Use the small jar to apply coconut oil to larger areas, such as cracked paw pads. Coconut oil is not fast-drying, so
use a towel or tissue to remove excess oil as needed. The main challenge with coconut oil’s topical application is that
dogs love the taste and immediately lick it off.

To give coconut oil a chance to disinfect wounds and speed healing, cover the wound with a towel for a few minutes, or distract the dog long enough for at least some of the oil to be absorbed.

Coconut oil is also an excellent massage oil and carrier oil for use with medicinal herbs and aromatherapy. Any of the
essential oils mentioned in “Essential Information” (January 2005) can be diluted in coconut oil for safe, effective
canine application, and coconut oil is a perfect base for the herbal salves and oils described in “Savvy
Salves” (August 2005).

In addition to lubricating the skin and joints, coconut oil acts as a natural preservative, is exceptionally stable, has a
long shelf life, does not require refrigeration, and is such a powerful disinfectant that it reduces the need for germkilling
essential oils in aromatherapy blends designed to fight infection.

Important to start slooooow

Solid or liquid coconut oil can be added to food at any meal or given between meals. The optimum dose for dogs is
about 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight daily, or 1 tablespoon per 30 pounds. These are general guidelines,
as some dogs need less and others more.

But don’t start with these amounts. Instead, introduce coconut oil a little at a time in divided doses. Because coconut
oil kills harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, yeasts, and fungi, the burden of removing dead organisms can trigger
symptoms of detoxification.

Headaches, fatigue, diarrhea, and flu-like symptoms are common in humans who consume too much too fast, and similar symptoms can occur in dogs.

Even in healthy dogs, large amounts of coconut oil can cause diarrhea or greasy stools while the body adjusts.

Start with small amounts, such as ¼ teaspoon per day for small dogs or puppies and 1 teaspoon for large dogs. Gradually increase the amount every few days. If your dog seems tired or uncomfortable or has diarrhea, reduce the amount
temporarily.

Coconut oil isn’t the only coconut product that’s good for dogs. Fresh or dried coconut is an excellent source of
dietary fiber, and dogs enjoy and benefit from the same coconut flakes, coconut flour, coconut cream, coconut milk,
shredded coconut, and coconut spreads used by their human companions. Just be sure the products are unsweetened and free from chemical preservatives.