I was watching the Food Network yesterday and I happened to be watching an old episode where a bunch of cooks/chefs compete to be the next star. The episode had the contestants making their take on a dish popular during a particular decade. It got me thinking, there really are fads for everything. Whether it’s fashion, home design, food, or even the next great weight loss secret, there’s a hot new thing that’s gonna change your life right around the corner.

Right now, the hot new natural cure-all is coconut oil. It’s been promised to heal everything from tartar to toe fungus.  Google “Coconut Oil” and you will find hundreds, if not thousands of sites exclaiming the wonders of coconut oil for people and pets. But how much of it is true?  Anyone can write anything and put it on the internet. I set out to research the main promises of coconut oil for pets and get to the bottom of whether it really is what many claim it to be by looking at scientific studies proving or disproving particular claims.

Coconut oil is a high in saturated fats and medium-chain triglycerides. It’s the medium-chain triglycerides that are thought to be the highly beneficial substance for both humans and dogs. These MTCs are very easy to digest, which can help with people and animals with mal-absorbtion disorders. There are also studies that suggest that they can aid in weight-loss, thyroid dysfunction, and cancer prevention, but they’re pretty weak and mostly thought to be bogus. Where there is significantly promising research is in patients with neurodegenerative disorders such as alzheimer’s disease, parkinson’s disease, and patients with epilepsy. However, there is no definitive study proving any of this to be true. There are quite a few anecdotal papers out there claiming that a patient that was put on coconut oil improved, but there are just as many anecdotal papers that said the patient just got fat.

Further studies have shown that one of the fatty acids in coconut oil (Lauric Fatty Acid) is both antibacterial and antifungal. This was only done in a petri dish and only with the fatty acid, not coconut oil itself. There is some very weak evidence that coconut oil is a good oral antibacterial. Finally, there are very good studies that have proven that coconut oil is very good as a skin and coat moisturizer and can even soothe itchy skin from allergies. It can also help moisturize crusty noses and the pads of feet.

It’s very important to remember that coconut oil is a FAT. There are 115 kCal per Tablespoon. Pets that are already overweight, already have high “bad cholesterol levels” or are prone to pancreatitis should probably not consume it. Some dogs are also allergic to it as well. Ultimately, many veterinarians feel that it just adds calories without any appreciable nutritional value.

The last bit of information I will impart is that all of these studies are primarily funded by companies that aren’t interested in researching a cheap, natural product and instead tend to fund research on chemicals that they stand to benefit from. So, it’s after reading all these papers, studies, and testimonials, it’s probably good to keep an open mind. If you talk to your veterinarian and they agree that your pet doesn’t have any medical conditions that coconut oil could make worse, it’s not wrong to give it a try.

One holistic veterinarian suggests “For topical use, apply a pea-sized amount to your palm for every 10# body weight and rub into the skin and roots of the hair. This is very difficult in dogs with a thick coat, so use may be limited to spot treatment or oral use in these dogs. Keep the dog busy after application so it can sit on the skin for 20- 30 minutes at least. Clients do report with topical application, dogs and their housemates enjoy licking the coconut oil off, probably because it smells and tastes so good. If all other caloric intake is held constant, you will likely see weight gain, so monitor closely and decrease other foods given.

For oral use:  give  1/4 teaspoon virgin coconut oil for every 10 pounds of body weight twice daily, work up slowly to this dose over a couple weeks to avoid diarrhea, pancreatitis, or other GI upset. Do not use in patients with hyperlipidemia or who are prone to pancreatitis. Improved hair coat with oral use often takes at least a month to become apparent. If all other caloric intake is held constant, you will likely see weight gain, so monitor closely and decrease other foods given.”

So that’s it. There is no proof that coconut oil can prevent or cure cancer, thyroid disease, or dental disease. There is credible information that suggests it can help with dry skin, wound healing, inflammatory bowel disease, GI malabsorption, and cognitive disorders.

If you use coconut oil and have seen positive results from it, I’d love to hear about it!

Sources:

Semigran, Aly, “Coconut Oil for Dogs, Understanding the Benefits and Risks.” Retrieved from: http://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/coconut-oil-dogs-understanding-benefits-and-risks

Eisenschenk, DVM, DACVD, Melissa. “Review of Virgin Coconut Oil: Is It Helpful for Dogs?” June 13, 2015. Retrieved from: http://petdermatologyclinic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Eisenschenk-Pet-Derm-Clinic-Review-of-Coconut-Oil-in-Dogs.pdf

Boehme DVM, Kathy. “The Risks and Benefits from Coconut Oil for Pets.” Retrieved from: http://www.thedrakecenter.com/about-us/in-the-news/risks-and-benefits-coconut-oil-pets

Coats, DVM, Jennifer. “Can Coconut Oil Help Symptoms of Canine Cognitive Disorder?” October 11, 2013. Retrieved from: http://www.petmd.com/blogs/nutritionnuggets/jcoates/2013/oct/coconut-oil-for-canine-cognitive-dysfunction-great-or-no-30953

Wikipedia. “Medium-Chain Triclyceride”. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium-chain_triglyceride