Coconut oil is used by both humans and on their canine companions for many different medicinal and topical uses. Many humans find so many different things that coconut oil can help them with, both internally from drinking it and topically from placing it on the skin. So the question you may have is “Is coconut oil good for dogs too?” Yes, it most definitely is, when it’s used correctly.
Do I Need to Rinse Coconut Oil Off My Dog?
The answer to this question is that it may matter whether you are using the coconut oil on your dog as to whether you should rinse it off or not. Some hairball remedies that you put on your pet’s paws have coconut oil in them, which most pets find to be very palatable.
The great taste ensures they will like the hairball remedy off their paws and ingest it. Ingesting a hairball remedy will keep your pet from coughing and the hairballs will pass through the body instead of being coughed up in your house. In this instance, you should leave the coconut oil on your dog’s paws for it to work its magic. As an additional benefit as a hairball remedy–it will also give your lovely pet nice breath.
Coconut has a long list of topical benefits for your pooch. It helps skin conditions of many types, including insect bites of any type, stings from insects, hot spots in the coat, and also dry and itchy skin. Just because a dog is itching, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he has fleas. In dry conditions in the coldest part of winter and the hottest part of summer, dogs may have very dry skin and that’s why they are itching so much.
Topically, you can apply a very thin layer of coconut oil to any affected area on your dog and it will soothe scratches, as well as any other skin issues he is having. You can also use coconut oil as a paw balm and a nose balm if you live in an area where it gets very cold in the winter. The oil will soothe and calm the paws and the nose and make them hydrated and supple again in order to keep your four-legged family member from itching himself.
Coconut oil is also found in several soothing dog shampoos because it can soften and hydrate all of its skin during a bath. It can be used as a conditioner after his regular bath with a pet shampoo. This is shown to moisturize the skin and the coat for shiny fur that glistens in the sunshine and it can also prevent some skin infections, such as yeast and fungus. It will soothe any itchy dog that has any type of parasites, such as fleas or mites as well.
How To Bathe a Dog in Coconut Oil
To reap all the benefits of coconut oil baths, you first run some warm water in your bathtub, or if your pooch is small enough, you can use your kitchen sink. Put your dog in the warm water and wet his fur thoroughly. Use your regular doggie shampoo as long as you are sure that your pet is not allergic to it. Make certain to lather up your dog very well, making sure not to get soap in his eyes, ears, or mouth. Rinse him with warm water until the water runs clear without any shampoo left.
Squirt a small amount of coconut oil in one hand and rub both your hands together. You can then rub it onto your dog following the direction that his hair naturally grows. You can leave the coconut oil on him for several minutes and keep massaging it into his hair and skin if he is getting antsy. You can also give him treats and praise him for being still.
At this point, you can either rinse all the coconut oil off your dog with warm water and dry him with a towel and a blow dryer if you usually do that, or you can partially rinse it off and dry him as usual. Be advised, that if you put too much oil on your pet or leave too much on without rinsing it all out, he can get the oil on your floors or furniture.
If you decide to leave some of the coconut oil on him to deeply moisturize his skin and fur, you can put a doggie T-shirt or sweater on him to prevent the oil from your furnishings.
What Happens If I Leave Coconut Oil on My Dog?
If you treat your dog with coconut oil and don’t rinse any of it off and just wait for it to naturally wear off, it can cause major skin problems, especially if you use a very heavy application on it.
Dogs can get almost all of the same skin disorders as humans do and a heavy amount of coconut oil can stop up their skin pores. This can lead to pimples or blackheads, as in teenagers, or sebaceous cysts, which can be serious.
The sebaceous cyst is a pore that is not working correctly because it’s stopped up. So, instead, the glands will become large and can be very painful when they fill with a greasy and white paste of infection in them. The paste is bacteria, oil, and skin cells and you will need to visit your veterinarian to get a diagnosis and a plan of treatment for your pawsome pet.
Is Coconut Oil Safe For a Dog’s Skin?
Coconut oil is absolutely safe and all-natural for your dog’s skin, as long as you don’t overdo it. If you want to freshen up your dog and you don’t have the time to bathe him before taking him with you somewhere, you can rub a tiny bit of coconut oil on his fur to make it shiny and smell fantastically good at the same time.
There are no instances in which coconut oil can harm your dog, but make sure not to get it in his eyes, ears, or on the reproductive and anal areas, because it can cause irritations in these areas.
When used topically on your dog, coconut oil can repel fleas, mosquitoes, and ticks naturally because it kills them on contact and repels them. This prevents you from using a chemical insecticide on your dog that he either has orally or topically and then the pests must bite him first before they die. Some vets recommend this for pets with severe flea dermatitis.
Will Coconut Oil Hurt Dogs If They Lick It?
Coconut oil is fine for your dog to ingest. In fact, many scientific studies show that it can actually improve many conditions internally if you put some on his food each day. It’s been shown to increase immunity to disease, reduce cancer risks, speed up metabolism to keep your pet fit, improve thyroid function and prevent arthritis because of the lauric acid content that naturally occurs in coconut.
If you want to reap all the benefits of coconut oil and you are going to use it orally, you should make certain to purchase virgin coconut oil with no additives for safety’s sake. Ask your veterinarian as to the dosage for your particular dog. If he gets too much of the oil it can cause diarrhea and make him ill.
What Are Other Oral Uses for Coconut Oil in Dogs?
If your dog is taking some sort of medication and he isn’t a real fan of it or the flavor of it–you can crush a pill or open a capsule and sprinkle the contents in a small bowl and add coconut oil to it. Just a small amount can help hide the taste of the medication and make it much easier than having to wrestle with him to take his pills.
Doggie toothpaste is specially made so it doesn’t bubble up like human toothpaste, because dogs can’t really spit it out as humans do. Most pet toothpaste is flavored with chicken or beef to make teeth brushing easier for your dog.
However, some dogs are so picky they just won’t stand for their teeth to be brushed becasue they don’t like the flavors. You can actually brush your dog’s teeth with coconut oil for a nice flavor and an easy time with his dental hygiene.
Can I Leave Coconut Oil on My Dog Overnight?
You can leave coconut oil on your dog overnight and then rinse it off the next morning to get the most benefits out of it. The important thing to note is to use it sparingly and rub it into his skin and coat very well.
In addition to your dog wearing a T-shirt or sweater on top of the oil, you may want to put down a rubber mat or an old blanket or something for him to sleep on at night to keep the oil of your furnishings. If his bed is easy to wash, then you can allos him to sleep in his bed and just wash it the next moreing.