How Much Coconut Oil for Dog Use?

Fresh Coconut on White Background

Just about every dog and their mother knows about the health benefits of coconut oil, but knowing how much to use and how to apply it is a topic that there is not too much writing about.

That’s why we decided to write this post to answer all of your questions regarding how much coconut oil for dog use is appropriate.

 

How Much Coconut Oil for Your Dog

There are three basic ways that coconut oil can be used, so we will break down each of the three common uses and how over the amount required.

Commonly, coconut oil is given orally to dogs as a supplement. If this is the case, you need to be very cautious and increase dosages slowly, because if you add too much coconut oil into your dog’s diet right away you can make poor little Fluffernutter sick. If you have given your dog too much, you will know by the diarrhea or greasy stools that will certainly occur. It’s nothing that you should be seriously concerned about, but it does mean that you need to cut back on your dosage.

Coconut Oil Orally as a Supplement

  • 1/4 teaspoon per day is a good place to start for small dogs or puppies under 2 years old.
  • For large dogs, you can feel comfortable starting with 1 teaspoon per day.
  • Wait a few weeks after adding this small amount to your dog’s diet and you will be able to verify that your dog is not allergic to the coconut oil. At that point, you should gradually begin adding more. How much coconut oil for dog food is dependent on the body weight. As a general rule, the optimal dose of coconut oil for your dog is about 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight per day.
  • If you do start to notice any diarrhea or unusual bowel movements, you should go back down to the lower amount per day.

Coconut Oil Skin and Coat

  • The amount of coconut oil per dog depends on their coat, since this is an external treatment, you don’t have anything to worry about if you apply too much. For a medium size dog, a 1/4 cup would be plenty.
  • Warm up the coconut oil until it is a clear liquid.
  • Gently massage the coconut oil into your dogs skin and fur, making extra sure to be thorough around any problem areas where your dog has dry skin or irritation.
  • Put your dog in a shirt so that the oil can set for a few hours. Your dog will be trying to lick the oil off of their coat since it is so yummy.

Coconut Oil as an Ear Cleaner

  • Coconut oil is a miracle treatment/prevention for ear problems.
  • Again, the amount that you use depends on the size of your dog. You should fill up your dogs ear until it is full.
  • Pull out your favorite coconut oil based dog ear cleaner.
  • Lift up your dour legged friend’s ear flap and squirt the ear cleaner into the ear canal until it is almost full.
  • Gently massage the area surrounding your dog’s ear for 60-90 seconds.
  • Watch out! You will want to stand back and let your dog shake it’s head.
  • Using a dry cotton pad or cloth, gently wipe down the ear and be sure to get rid of any excess moisture.

Well there you have it! Now you know exactly how much coconut oil for dog use is good for each type of application.


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