# Coconut Oil supplement to relieve allergies/dry skin/itchy scratchies???



## Reese and Miley

I was just reading through Paula/ foggy's thread on ZP and now Im curious to try the coconut oil that Tracy and a few others suggested as a supplement, particularly for Reese.
Reese has always had pretty sensitive skin which seems to be due to some food and environmental allergies. We now stick to red meat or fish formulas for him and cutting out the chicken and any grains certainly seems to have helped. Now that we have that cold, dry winter air though hes been scratching a lot more, especially at his lower back. I had a look in his fur and he has some very dry, flaky skin going on back there which is clearly bothering him. He never scratches to the point of scabs or raw skin, but he does currently have a thin patch of fur going where hes frequently scratching and nibbling. Our vet suggested a daily dose of baby Benadryl for him, but Id prefer to do a natural supplement over giving him a pill every day. 
We use salmon oil, I think it does give their fur a little extra luster, but now Im wondering if this Coconut Oil would really relieve his itchies-whether we used it topically or gave it to him as an occasional supplement. Wasnt it coconut oil that Kristi tried with saran wrap after a bath for Bryco? I wonder if that might be good for Reesie too, he is due for his bath but Ive been putting it off to avoid further drying of his skin.
Thanks guys!


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## huskyluv

I'm tagging along here as I'd like to learn more about supplementing coconut oil before giving it to my crew.


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## cprcheetah

Coconut Oil is supposed to help with the itchies. Neem Oil helps as well, Ziva has been itching like Crazy lately, I'm going to give her high doses of Vitamin A, E, C & Zinc, which I have read are supposed to help with their allergies. (I have to look at the doses in the book tomorrow at work). Vitamin E should be given any time you supplement with Salmon/Fish Oil


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## elaina

am curious to see what the response to this is too. Tootsie has allergies and have never tried coconut oil supplement. Is there a recommended site to order it from?


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## Brodysmom

Sarah (daisydoo) uses coconut oil and so does Lisa (mom of 4 chis). I decided to try it for Brody after reading that some people use it for alopecia. It's supposed to be fantastic for dry skin. And yes! Kristi did use it for Bryco in a wrap!

I've been trying to find reputable sources of info on it. Lots of advertisers out there and of course they are saying how great it is. It doesn't seem to be a snake oil, so I'm trying it for Brody, although he has great skin/coat already. I thought maybe it would help his little bald neck and belly.


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## Brodysmom

Ok here's the article from the Whole Dog Journal. It's an excellent and reputable publication, so I trust what they say as accurate. 

http://www.cocotherapy.com/wdj_coconut_oil_article.pdf


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## 18453

Yes it will help you can give internally and topically I would do both if he has dry skin I'm gonna massage lotus with it tomorrow she's teething again and er skin drys out and she stinks!! I don't wrap her just massage and leave it for a couple of ours and shampoo with an oatmeal shampoo and condition you have to shampoo twice or they look greasy!

I give about 1/8 teaspoon every other day they seem to like it daisy loves it :roll: I buy massive blocks and decant into smaller jars as it's cheaper last time I did it daisy thought taking a massive bite would be fun... Sure it was til she had rocket bum so be careful give a tiny bit and build up to the amount!!

Is really nice on your hair too haha


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## flippedstars

I give it as a wrap maybe every other month...its been fantastic for his coat...makes it soft, supple and shiney. They get about 1/2 a teaspoon 3-4 times a week with their food.


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## flippedstars

I leave it on for an hour, and I wrap him fairly tightly in saran wrap. It takes about 3/4 of a cup to really cover him well, so you might need a cup of it for Reese...massage it into his skin and hair and wrap, and keep him nice and toasty warm...wrap the saran wrap and make sure he can't get it off.

Be warned you need to wash and rinse 2x after to be sure you got it or he will look like a lil greaseball  I'd use an oatmeal medicated shampoo for him


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## kimr

I'll have to try this, too! Pedro had terrible skin allergies when we got him. We tried everything the vet suggested - nothing worked. Ultimately, he suggested adding a tablespoon of olive oil to his food 2-3 times a week and this did the trick. He balks at the taste a bit, but will eat when he sees he isn't getting anything else.

Does the coconut oil taste like coconut? Sweet?


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## flippedstars

Its not very sweet but kinda like coconut chapstick is what it reminds me of  I use it as a lip balm sometimes.


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## huskyluv

Brodysmom said:


> Ok here's the article from the Whole Dog Journal. It's an excellent and reputable publication, so I trust what they say as accurate.
> 
> http://www.cocotherapy.com/wdj_coconut_oil_article.pdf


Thanks for the link Tracy! Good info! I will definitely be picking up some Coconut oil on my next order of supplements. I do still want to know how things go with Brody with continued use if you don't mind.


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## LDMomma

I'm interested to hear of the results too.


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## Reese and Miley

elaina said:


> am curious to see what the response to this is too. Tootsie has allergies and have never tried coconut oil supplement. Is there a recommended site to order it from?


I saw one at gwlittle.com that seems to tick all the boxes mentioned in the article Tracy linked too- non bleached, unrefined, glass jar, but I think Ill check our local health food and pet health food stores first. Sounds like it should be readily available in any health food store or organic section.



Brodysmom said:


> Sarah (daisydoo) uses coconut oil and so does Lisa (mom of 4 chis). I decided to try it for Brody after reading that some people use it for alopecia. It's supposed to be fantastic for dry skin. And yes! Kristi did use it for Bryco in a wrap!
> 
> I've been trying to find reputable sources of info on it. Lots of advertisers out there and of course they are saying how great it is. It doesn't seem to be a snake oil, so I'm trying it for Brody, although he has great skin/coat already. I thought maybe it would help his little bald neck and belly.
> 
> Ok here's the article from the Whole Dog Journal. It's an excellent and reputable publication, so I trust what they say as accurate.
> 
> http://www.cocotherapy.com/wdj_coconut_oil_article.pdf


Wow! Thanks for the link, it really does sound impressive. Ill be curious to hear how it works for Brody. I saw an ad for one in the GW Little summer catalog and that it was supposed to relieve allergies caught my eye, but like you said an ad is an ad so I dismissed it. So much more valuable to have first hand feedback. I wonder if it will do anything for our resident baldy, Miley. 



Daisydoo said:


> Yes it will help you can give internally and topically I would do both if he has dry skin I'm gonna massage lotus with it tomorrow she's teething again and er skin drys out and she stinks!! I don't wrap her just massage and leave it for a couple of ours and shampoo with an oatmeal shampoo and condition you have to shampoo twice or they look greasy!
> 
> I give about 1/8 teaspoon every other day they seem to like it daisy loves it :roll: I buy massive blocks and decant into smaller jars as it's cheaper last time I did it daisy thought taking a massive bite would be fun... Sure it was til she had rocket bum so be careful give a tiny bit and build up to the amount!!
> 
> Is really nice on your hair too haha


Thanks Sarah. Now Im excited to do a hair mask for me with it too  
THANK YOU for the rocket bum warning, we will be sure to ease into it, diarrhea x3 is the last thing we need!



flippedstars said:


> I give it as a wrap maybe every other month...its been fantastic for his coat...makes it soft, supple and shiney. They get about 1/2 a teaspoon 3-4 times a week with their food.
> I leave it on for an hour, and I wrap him fairly tightly in saran wrap. It takes about 3/4 of a cup to really cover him well, so you might need a cup of it for Reese...massage it into his skin and hair and wrap, and keep him nice and toasty warm...wrap the saran wrap and make sure he can't get it off.
> 
> Be warned you need to wash and rinse 2x after to be sure you got it or he will look like a lil greaseball  I'd use an oatmeal medicated shampoo for him


Thanks Kristi! Is there a particular brand you like best? I think I will do a mask for Reese and for Leo, and feed it to all three as well. How long have you been giving it to your pups? Have you noticed any improvement in Brycos itchies?



kimr said:


> I'll have to try this, too! Pedro had terrible skin allergies when we got him. We tried everything the vet suggested - nothing worked. Ultimately, he suggested adding a tablespoon of olive oil to his food 2-3 times a week and this did the trick. He balks at the taste a bit, but will eat when he sees he isn't getting anything else.
> 
> Does the coconut oil taste like coconut? Sweet?


We did olive oil for Reese too, and then switched to salmon oil. I did notice an extra sheen to his coat, but neither seemed to make much difference with his allergies. Im glad it worked for Pedro! Sounds like the coconut oil tastes pretty good, maybe he will prefer it.


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## flippedstars

Bryco hasn't been itchy at all for the past 2 or 3 weeks, I think the grains finally are out of his system. I hate to point a finger, but I have no where else to point it lol.

Their coats are noticeably softer, which I didn't think was possible, since starting the coconut oil. I never noticed loose stools but my guys all have iron tummies other than Bryco, and even he did fine with it 

They've been on it for 6 months or so now, I just buy whatever there is at our local health food store that is extra virgin.


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## huskyluv

Just to play the devil's advocate here, what are the negatives to using coconut oil if there are any? Are there any calorie or fat content concerns that we should be paying attention to? BTW, I love this thread.


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## LDMomma

huskyluv said:


> Just to play the devil's advocate here, what are the negatives to using coconut oil if there are any? Are there any calorie or fat content concerns that we should be paying attention to? BTW, I love this thread.


Hmm...good point. Maybe someone that knows will answer.

For the calories, it's such a small amount that I wouldn't think it will make a difference.


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## huskyluv

LDMomma said:


> Hmm...good point. Maybe someone that knows will answer.
> 
> For the calories, it's such a small amount that I wouldn't think it will make a difference.


I wouldn't think calories or fat would play a major factor either BUT I'm asking to get all sides presented here for people to know as much as they can to make an informed decision.


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## cprcheetah

This website talks about the Fats etc of coconut oil
CocoTherapy - Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, coconut oil is a saturated fat, but not all saturated fat is bad for you. It is not the kind doctors warn you about. Coconut oil is one of the world's few saturated-fat vegetable oils. Recently, saturated fats have been getting a second look, because it turns out that not all saturated fats are the same. The saturated fatty acids found in butter, cream, and some meats are palmitic acid and myristic acid, and have been linked to a higher risk of heart disease. However, coconut oil does not contain these fatty acids, and instead contains lauric acid, stearic acid (also found in dark chocolate), capric and caprylic acid. Unlike palmitic acid and myristic acid (the saturated fat culprits) these acids behave differently in the body, and research show that they do not raise heart disease risk. In fact, it has been proven to be good for you. CocoTherapy® coconut oil is all natural and pure, and is not hydrogenated, and is rich in lauric, capric and caprylic acids.


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## cprcheetah

I am definitely going to start giving Coconut Oil more religiously after reading up on it, there is a blue merle chihuahua with alopecia on the website link I posted above that had hair fill in after Coconut Oil....Zoey & Ziva need more hair!


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## huskyluv

Excellent link and post, Heather!


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## LDMomma

I had ordered some last week form Amazon and it came today.

I want to use some of it topically on Riley's paw pads. off to figure out how.


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## cprcheetah

OMG So LOVING how easy it is to give, gave some to Ziva she ate it right off the spoon (no surprise there...she eats EVERYTHING), Zoey licked it then was like ewww.....so I mixed with her dinner....nope she could tell (she's so stubborn), so I got more and put in her mouth and held mouth shut for a few seconds, then she was licking, it melts instantly.....LOVE that fact  I'm excited and hope it really helps with their alopecias.


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## Reese and Miley

We just picked some up and when I went to open the jar both Miley and Reese were jumping all over me trying to get at it, I let them lick just a little off my fingers and they both seemed to really like the taste. Reese always tries to lick the lotion off my legs when I get out of the shower, so this isnt much of a leap for him. Its bath night here, going to try a mask for Reese. Hoping it helps with his itchies.


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## Mom of 4 Chi's

Reese and Miley said:


> We just picked some up and when I went to open the jar both Miley and Reese were jumping all over me trying to get at it, I let them lick just a little off my fingers and they both seemed to really like the taste. Reese always tries to lick the lotion off my legs when I get out of the shower, so this isnt much of a leap for him. Its bath night here, going to try a mask for Reese. Hoping it helps with his itchies.


I'm not sure if you did an updated thread, but I'm very curious to know if the coconut oil helped Reese with the itches???
We absolutely love the Cocotherapy brand coconut oil and flakes here! :hello1:


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## Reese and Miley

Mom of 4 Chi's said:


> I'm not sure if you did an updated thread, but I'm very curious to know if the coconut oil helped Reese with the itches???
> We absolutely love the Cocotherapy brand coconut oil and flakes here! :hello1:


I havent done a new thread yet to report on our progress, so far there hasnt been much 
I did the "mask" for him for about an hour on his coat before bath time. It REALLY helped, made him supersoft and he didnt scratch for several days, but then it seemed to kind of "wear off" after a few days and hes been itching still and has dry itchy skin and a little dandruff still. I havent been giving it orally as a supplement for long though. Since I had to double dip in the first jar we got to do his mask I didnt want to give it to them to eat from the same jar, so I ordered another one from amazon. Ive been slowly giving upping their dose a few days a week for the past couple of weeks. They all REALLY like the taste, so I just give them some to lick off my finger. 
So it worked well temporarily as a topical treatment, but I think its still too soon to say if it will help them as a supplement. 
Thanks for checking back with us! Im really frustrated that I havent been able to "cure" it, I hate to see him scratching, he does it mostly after he wakes up in the morning or after a nap. He has two little thin spots now at the spot where his back feet reach to itch his back on either side. Ive recently started giving them some Stella and Chewys patties instead of their Orijen for a few meals a week. Maybe I need to do a month of just S&C and/or Ziwipeak and see if that helps? Im really pleased with Orijen and they all love to eat it, but maybe theres just something about the processing of any kibble that hes sensitive to, or its just environmental in which case I cant really solve it completely. I dont know, but its certainly frustrating!


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## Mom of 4 Chi's

Thanks for the update!
I'm glad the mask gave him temporary relief. Hopefully giving it to him orally will help. He hasn't been on it for that long, so my fingers are crossed for you! 
I've been wanting to give it a try topically... just for the fun of it.  I'd need to buy another jar though. I wouldn't want to double dip either. 
There's a product called Fur Butter made by Happy Tails. I've read great reviews on it. I think I'm going to give it a try. My guys aren't itchy. Well, when Lily wakes up from a long sleep she gives herself a good scratch. Idk why. Lol! I guess it feels good. 
Anyways it sounds like a good deep conditioner to use once in awhile. I've seen reviews that stated it helped with their dogs itching. I'd still give the coconut oil orally though. It's best to work from the inside out. 
Keep us updated!


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## Cambrea

Pepper has been on coconut oil for a month now and she is still losing hair. Poor thing looks like cinderbean's nakeds. I have noticed that she has much less dry skin so it seems to help with that. Coco and Pepper love their coconut oil though, its like dessert before dinner everynight. They are both really shiny and soft since they've been on it. Midna's hair is softer too even though she has a coarse coat. I don't see any down side to it, but mine are all skinny little things so I'm not worried about the fat intake.


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## Reese and Miley

Mom of 4 Chi's said:


> Thanks for the update!
> I'm glad the mask gave him temporary relief. Hopefully giving it to him orally will help. He hasn't been on it for that long, so my fingers are crossed for you!
> I've been wanting to give it a try topically... just for the fun of it.  I'd need to buy another jar though. I wouldn't want to double dip either.
> There's a product called Fur Butter made by Happy Tails. I've read great reviews on it. I think I'm going to give it a try. My guys aren't itchy. Well, when Lily wakes up from a long sleep she gives herself a good scratch. Idk why. Lol! I guess it feels good.
> Anyways it sounds like a good deep conditioner to use once in awhile. I've seen reviews that stated it helped with their dogs itching. I'd still give the coconut oil orally though. It's best to work from the inside out.
> Keep us updated!


I just bought some Fur Butter last week and used it on all three of my guys at bath time! I saw those reviews too, so I thought it would be worth a try. It does give them some extra softness and shine, but the coconut oil mask worked a lot better I thought. The Fur Butter is much more practical though as you only need to leave it on for a few minutes, the coconut was a pain because we kept it on for an hour. Also I didnt wrap him in saran as Kristi suggested because I thought he would freak out, so I just had to hold him so he wouldnt get it on the furniture or lick it off- so it was all over both of us and we were uncomfortable the whole time. 
Youll like the Fur Butter as you dont have any big issues with itchies to begin with, it was especially nice on Leo with his LC. I didnt like the smell much, but it wore off by the next day. 
Ill keep up with the coconut oil for sure. Do the chips go very far? I was tempted to buy them but thought the bag sounded very small for the price.


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## Mom of 4 Chi's

Reese and Miley said:


> I just bought some Fur Butter last week and used it on all three of my guys at bath time! I saw those reviews too, so I thought it would be worth a try. It does give them some extra softness and shine, but the coconut oil mask worked a lot better I thought. The Fur Butter is much more practical though as you only need to leave it on for a few minutes, the coconut was a pain because we kept it on for an hour. Also I didnt wrap him in saran as Kristi suggested because I thought he would freak out, so I just had to hold him so he wouldnt get it on the furniture or lick it off- so it was all over both of us and we were uncomfortable the whole time.
> Youll like the Fur Butter as you dont have any big issues with itchies to begin with, it was especially nice on Leo with his LC. I didnt like the smell much, but it wore off by the next day.
> Ill keep up with the coconut oil for sure. Do the chips go very far? I was tempted to buy them but thought the bag sounded very small for the price.


Ha! I can imagine the coconut oil being quite messy, but at least you both are nice and soft. Lol! 
I'm going to give the fur butter a try. I'm always interested in new products.  Thanks for your input!

I don't use the coconut flakes a lot. Maybe twice a week. I only give a small pinch to their ziwipeak. I am still working on the first bag I bought and I think it's been almost a year now. I prefer the oil. The chi's love both! You can bake with the flakes... if your into baking for your babies. I've tasted the flakes and they are good.


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