Can I rub coconut oil on my dog

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Can I Use Coconut Oil On My Dog?

Coconut oil has a lot of health benefits for humans, so you might be wondering if its good for dogs, too. The short answer is yes! Coconut oil can be beneficial for your dog in many ways.

When applied to the skin, coconut oil can help heal wounds and hot spots, and it can also help relieve itchiness from dry skin or allergies. Coconut oil can also be used as a natural flea and tick repellent. Just rub a small amount into your dogs fur before going for a walk in areas where these pests are common.

If your dog suffers from dandruff or dry, brittle hair, regular applications of coconut oil can help improve the condition of his coat. And like humans, dogs can also benefit from coconut oils anti-inflammatory properties when taken internally.

How To Use Coconut Oil On Dogs?

Place a small amount of coconut oil in your palm
Rub the oil into your dogs coat, working it in from the tips of their fur to the roots
Focus on any dry or flaky areas, as well as any particularly matted patches of fur
Once youve evenly distributed the oil throughout your dogs coat, use a brush to work it in further and remove any excess oil
Allow your dog to air dry, or towel them off if theyre impatient

Is Coconut Oil Safe for Dogs Skin?

Coconut oil is generally safe for dogs to use topically.

However, as with any new product, its always best to do a patch test first to make sure your dog doesnt have any adverse reactions. Simply apply a small amount of coconut oil to an area of their skin and wait 24 hours to see if theres any redness, swelling, or other irritation. If your dog does seem to be tolerate coconut oil well, then you can start using it more regularly.

Just be sure not to go overboard a little goes a long way! You can apply it directly to their skin or add it into their food. Coconut oil can also help relieve dry, itchy skin and promote healing of minor wounds.

So overall, yes coconut oil is safe for dogs and can offer many benefits for their skin and coat health. Just introduce it slowly and watch for any negative reactions before using liberally.

Does Coconut Oil Help Dogs Itchy Skin?

There is no one definitive answer to this question since each dogs individual needs will differ. However, some pet owners report that coconut oil can help soothe their dogs itchy skin when applied topically. Additionally, coconut oil contains lauric acid which has antibacterial and antifungal properties, making it beneficial for treating certain skin conditions.

If you are considering using coconut oil for your dogs itchy skin, be sure to consult with your veterinarian first to determine if it is the right option for your pet.

Can I Put Human Coconut Oil on My Dog?

Yes, you can put human coconut oil on your dog. There are a few things to keep in mind, however. First, coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so youll need to melt it before applying it to your dog.

Second, coconut oil can be a bit greasy, so be sure to rub it in well. Third, Coconut oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties, so its great for treating skin conditions like hot spots or dry patches. Finally, always check with your veterinarian before using any new products on your dog.

How Much Coconut Oil Should I Rub on My Dog?

There are a lot of benefits to using coconut oil on your dog, but how much should you use? It really depends on the size of your dog and the condition of their skin/coat.

For a small dog, you would only need to use 1/4 teaspoons per day. For a medium sized dog, 1 teaspoon per day would be sufficient. And for large dogs, up to 1 tablespoon per day can be used. If your dog has dry skin or a dull coat, you may need to increase the amount you use until their condition improves.

You can apply the coconut oil directly to their skin/coat or add it to their food. Start with smaller amounts and increase as needed.

Can Dogs Lick Coconut Oil?

Yes, dogs can lick coconut oil. In fact, many dog owners use coconut oil to help improve their dogs health in a number of ways. Coconut oil is rich in healthy fats that can help to boost your dogs energy and immunity, and it also has anti-inflammatory properties that can help to reduce any skin conditions or allergies.

Can I Put Coconut Oil on My Dogs Paws?

Yes, you can. Coconut oil can help to soothe dry and irritated skin, and can also help to protect against environmental damage like cold weather. Its also great for keeping your dogs coat healthy and shiny.

But before you start slathering coconut oil all over your pup, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure youre using pure, unrefined coconut oil the kind you would use for cooking. Second, always test a small patch of skin first to make sure your dog isnt allergic.

And finally, dont go overboard a little bit of coconut oil goes a long way.

Find Out Whether You Can Use These on Your Dog

Conclusion

Yes, you can use coconut oil on your dog. There are many benefits to using coconut oil on your dog, including: helping to keep their skin and coat healthy, reducing inflammation, and boosting their immune system. Coconut oil is also great for dogs who have allergies or sensitive skin.

Can I Put Coconut Oil on My Dogs Fur?

Coconut oil has become quite the craze. People eat it, use it to cook with, and even apply it topically, but is it safe for your dog? The short answer is YES. Coconut oil is not only safe for your dog to ingest and safe for you to apply topically for your dog, but it has also has some proven health benefits when used properly.

When applied topically, or on top of your dogs fur or skin, coconut oil can be used for treatment of dog's dry skin, hot spots, dry paws, dry nose, and damaged skin. Other benefits include a decrease in offensive dog odor, shinier and healthier coat, as well as serving as antifungal cream. Coconut oil can not only be applied directly to your dogs skin, fur, nose, or paws, but it can be used within a shampoo or conditioning treatment.

When considering the use of coconut oil for your dog, it is important to understand the uses, the frequency, the proper application and/or removal process, and the potential complications from coconut oil application or use. Here's what you must know.

Uses of Coconut Oil on a Dog's Fur

Coconut oil has the following uses when applied to a dogs coat or skin:

Clears up eczema
Aids flea allergies, contact dermatitis and itchy skin
Minimizes doggy odor
Reduces allergic reactions
Creates sleek and glossy coats
Prevents and treats yeast and fungal infections
When applied topically coconut oil promotes wound healing
Also can help with hot spots, dry skin and hair, bites and stings

When applied to your dogs nose or paws, coconut oil can help repair damaged skin. Some dogs suffer from dry nose, a condition where their nose becomes dry and causes the skin to crack or peel. Paws may also become dry and cracked, especially in winter and summer; coconut oil helps moisturize the skin and help it return to its soft, natural feel.

Frequency of Coconut Oil Use in Dogs

Talk to your veterinarian about why you want to use coconut oil on your dog so that they can help you establish the best frequency of application and use. When using a product that contains coconut oil, follow the instructions for application and frequency of use.

It's generally recommended using coconut oil on your dogs fur, skin or coat once a week, but depending on the reason why you are using the coconut oil you might want to increase or decrease the frequency of application. When treating dry spots it can be more beneficial to apply daily, or every other day; however, you may only need to use it when your dog has a flair up if you are using it for the treatment of hot spots.

Application and Removal

There are a few different ways to apply and remove coconut oil to your dog including:

Apply the oil to your dog, then leave it on
Apply the oil to your dog, then wipe it off
Apply the oil to your dog, then rinse or shampoo it off

To properly apply coconut oil to your dogs coat or skin, it's generally suggested to use it topically by simply rubbing a very small amount onto your hands and then gently pat the coat, run your fingers through the fur, and massage a little down onto the skin. Since coconut oil can be given orally, you dont have to worry if dogs lick themselves after its been applied to their coats.

One suggested application and removal method includes applying the coconut oil to your dog and allowing the oil to stay on the area for a minimum of five minutes, then gently wipe the area clean with a cloth. This method would help reduce the chance that the coconut oil could transfer from your dog to areas that your dog comes in contact with, such as furniture or flooring.

Another suggested application and removal method is to apply the oil to your dog and allow it to stay on for a minimum of five minutes, followed by rinsing the area and shampooing if necessary. This method of application and removal would take the longest amount of time; however, it would ensure that the oil does not transfer from the dog to other areas of your home.

If you are applying coconut oil to your dogs nose to help treat dry nose, make sure that you use just a small amount, like when you apply lip balm to your lips. Do not ever block your dogs nasal passage. If their nasal passage becomes blocked they may have trouble breathing and could potentially inhale the oil.

In addition to using coconut oil straight from the jar, many dog products have coconut oil added to them. If you are weary of trying coconut oil, start with a dog product that contains coconut oil, such as dog shampoo, skin moisturizer, or nose and paw balm.

Potential Complications

Some dogs may be allergic to coconut oil so it is important to monitor your dog after you have applied coconut oil to them. If their skin becomes inflamed, irritated, itchy, or red you should stop the use of coconut oil immediately. Usually this type of allergic reaction will clear up on its own once the coconut oil has been removed and usage has been stopped.

As previously mentioned, coconut oil is safe for your dog to ingest and many people find that it has great benefits when added to their dogs food. If your dog ingests a small amount of coconut oil they should be ok; however, if larger amounts are consumed they may have diarrhea. If you are interested in the benefits of feeding coconut oil to your dog, check out this article.

All in all, coconut oil has a variety of uses, is easy to apply, and can be very beneficial to your dogs overall health. You can try coconut oil in a variety of dog products as well as use it straight from the jar. If you have more questions on whether or not you should use of coconut oil you should consult your veterinarian so that they can better guide you.

READ NEXT:What Are the Benefits of Coconut Oil for Dogs?

Coconut Oil for Dog Skin: Apply & Cure Skin Problems (Based on Studies)

Coconut oil for dog skin has become a health trend among humans and pet owners in the past decade.

Thanks to its many health benefits, coconut oil is very effective on dogs' skin problems (1, 2).

According to the American Kennel Club, coconutis knownfor easing itchy, dry skin, bites, stings, and hot spots.

Additionally, shampoos manufactured from natural oils like coconut oil can repair damaged skin and lessen allergies.

In this article, we are going to cover questions and points on coconut oil for dogs, just to name a few:

Is coconut oil safe for dogs' skin?
Coconut oil for dogs' itchy skin
Coconut oil for dogs' skin allergies

So lets look closer at how to use coconut oil on dogs' skin problems.

What Is Coconut Oil and What's In It?

Coconut oil is extracted from mature raw coconuts or dried coconut kernels (3).

It is edible, and its very likely that youve eaten it before, even if you are not aware of it.

This product is a regular part of many cuisines, especially in Asia.

In addition to the food industry, coconut oil is often used in beauty products.

It can be found in different forms, like most other oils. There is unrefined, virgin, and extra-virgin coconut oil.

You can also find refined coconut oil in the market, which has a neutral taste.

Coconut oil is rich in healthy fatty acids, which comprise approximately 65% of its content (4).

The medium-chain fatty acids that coconut oil provides include the following:

Lauric acid:49%
Myristic acid:18%
Caprylic acid:8%
Palmitic acid:8%
Capric acid:7%
Oleic acid:6%
Linoleic acid:2%
Stearic acid:2%

Most of the benefits of coconut oil for dog skin problems will be attributed to lauric acid, of which there's nearly 50% in coconut oil no other oil on the planet has as much of it (5).

Coconut Oil for Dog Skin: 6 Benefits

1. Coconut Oil for Dogs' Itchy and Dry Skin: Moisturize Your Dog's Skin

Healthy and hydrated skin is crucial to maintain, both in humans and dogs, to keep bacteria away from the body because it acts as a strong barrier (6, 7).

Several studies with humans and animals demonstrated how applying some coconut oil to the skin will keep it better hydrated, ultimately making it not only look healthier and shinier but also maintain its barrier strength.

One study, in particular, found significant improvements in skin hydration when applying coconut oil, and it was just as effective as some other well-known treatments (8).

Another study found how coconut oil used for dogs' itchy skin fights the negative effects of eczema.

Eczema is a skin condition that may cause itchiness, rashes, and scaly skin in dogs.

Applied coconut oil reduced all these factors, made the skin less dry, and effectively treated eczema (9, 10).

2. Coconut Oil Kills Bacteria Present on a Dog's Skin

Speaking of keeping the skin healthy to fight off bacteria, coconut oil not only helps with that but also keeps dangerous microorganisms away from the skin due to its antimicrobial properties, some of which could cause a number of different skin conditions (11).

The main protector in coconut oil is lauric acid, and approximately 50% of it is in coconut oil.

Studies found that lauric acid is the most effective fatty acid at blocking and fighting different harmful bacteria, many of which cause different skin problems (12, 13).

To a lesser extent, capric acid found in coconut oil is another effective fighting agent, and researchers found that it's great not only for fighting a variety of bacteria strains but also for preventing fungi growth (14, 15).

3. It Helps to Repel Parasites

Studies found that fatty acids in coconut oil provided protection against several parasites for up to 7 days.

For brown dog ticks, in particular, coconut oil had repellency from 84% and up to 88% (16).

In addition to that, coconut oil was found to be an effective repellent against stable flies and other blood-sucking insects such as horn flies, bed bugs, and lone star ticks (17).

4. Coconut Oil for Dog Skin Allergies, Acne, and Scabs

Coconut oil components are able to reduce inflammation on the skin thanks to their anti-bacterial properties.

The result is a reduced chance of developing several skin conditions like eczema, crusty scabs, atopic dermatitis, acne, and others (18, 19, 20, 21).

Again, most of this is due to the lauric acid content in coconut oil.

Furthermore, studies show how a combination of lauric acid and capric acid, both of which are present in abundance in coconut oil, is extremely effective at killing the specific bacteria that cause skin health problems and is even more effective than benzoyl peroxide (22, 23, 24).

5. Coconut Oil Helps to Heal Your Dog's Skin Wounds

For a dog that has a wound on its skin, applying coconut oil will help the healing process as well as prevent further inflammation and infections, according to several animal studies.

One study, in particular, observed how components of coconut oil improve the status of antioxidants and increase collagen levels (both of which are crucial to the healing of wounds) and, thereby, effectively speed up the whole wound healing process (25).

The anti-microbial properties of coconut oil will also prevent the development of infections and inflammation and reduce the risk of complicated healing processes (26).

Coconut oil is even good at treating and healing wounds from burns, particularly when it's combined with an antibiotic (27).

6. Coconut Oil Reduces Skin Inflammation

A number of dog skin conditions are the result of inflammation, and coconut oil was found to have anti-inflammatory properties and even help with relieving pain associated with some skin conditions (28).

In another study of different oils (coconut, sunflower, olive oil), scientists found that only coconut oil was effective at improving levels of antioxidants and preventing oxidative stress, which then eased inflammation (29, 30).

Finally, coconut oil was also shown to fight skin fungi like candida, prevent hair damage, and help protect the skin from UV rays by up to 20% (31, 32, 33, 34, 35).

Coconut Oil for Dog Skin:How to Use It

Coconut oil can be given to dogs orally or applied topically onto a dog's fur and skin.

Including coconut oil in your dogs diet can improve their health in general.

But for the best results regarding skin and coat health, coconut oil should also be used topically.

Which Coconut Oil is Best for Dogs?

There are two ways that coconut oil is produced: wet processing, which is derived from raw coconut meat to create virgin coconut oil, and dry processing, where the oil is derived from dried coconut meat and kernels (36).

Several studies have shown that virgin coconut oil (from wet processing) is much better and more effective for skin health and different skin conditions (37, 38).

Below are some of the best and most proven brands of coconut oil for dogs and their skin.

Product	Rating
Virgin Coconut Oil, 16 fl oz - Non-GMO,...	101,191 Reviews	Check Price
Amazon Fresh, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, 15 Fl Oz...	14,933 Reviews	Check Price
Nutiva Organic Coconut Oil 78 fl oz, Cold-Pressed,...	53,491 Reviews	Check Price
100% Organic Coconut Oil for Dogs & Cats - Lotion...	899 Reviews	Check Price
Nature's Way Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil,...	16,116 Reviews	Check Price

How to Feed Coconut Oil to Your Dog?

Coconut oil can be given to dogs daily with meals, once or twice daily. The amount of oil in your dogs meals depends on your pet's size.

It is recommended that you introduce coconut oil into your dog's diet very slowly.

Try to start with 1/4 of a teaspoon for small dogs on a daily basis. For large breeds, start with 1 teaspoon with every meal.

Overweight and obese dogs should not be given coconut oil more than once a day because it has a high fat content.

Pay attention to your dogs weight if you give him coconut oil on a regular basis, and consult your vet if you notice any weight gain.

How to Use Coconut Oil Topically?

Using coconut oil topically on dogs is simple.

Start with small test amounts to see how your dog's skin or fur reacts first. Also, your dogs fur can get greasy if you apply too much.

Simply rub a bit of coconut oil between your hands and put it on your dogs fur, like you are giving your pet a gentle massage.

Use your fingertips also to rub the oil on the dog's skin. It is best to apply coconut oil once or twice a week.

If you are dealing with a specific skin problem in a dog, apply the coconut oil directly to the affected area.

Your dog may lick some of the oil, but thats not a problem because coconut oil is edible, healthy, and safe for dogs.

However, it is best to let the oil get absorbed for about five minutes and then rinse your dog off to get the excess oil off if need be.

Alternatively, you can make a DIY dog shampoo from organic coconut oil and use it for bathing your dog once a month or more frequently if needed due to certain skin issues.

Keep in mind that some dogs can be allergic to coconut oil.

If you notice any signs of an allergic reaction, like itchiness, hives, red or inflamed skin, swelling, vomiting, and diarrhea, take your dog to the vet to rule out or confirm a coconut oil allergy.

Coconut oil for Canine Seborrhea

Feeding and even applying coconut oil topically seems to help overall in treating and preventing canine seborrhea from happening to your pup.

Same as we said before, coconut oil helps provide a strong barrier fighting off bacteria and other parasites from infecting your dog.

Coconut Oil for Dog Skin: FAQs

Can I put coconut oil directly on my dog's skin?

You can put coconut oil directly on your dog's skin. It can hydrate the skin of your dog and stop flakes from forming.

Coconut oil is known to have natural antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. It is safe to apply topically without a prescription to aid in the healing and comfort of wounds.

How do you apply coconut oil to dog skin?

Simply massage a small bit into the skin with your fingertips while gliding your fingers through your dog's fur.

Using coconut oil, your woofer's coat can look smoother and glossier.

You may rest certain that coconut oil can be a non-chemical solution to keep fleas and ticks away and protect Fido from sickness if you live in a forested region or enjoy taking him on hikes.

Can I bathe my dog with coconut oil?

Giving your dog a coconut oil bath may be helpful if they have parasites, skin allergies, or suffer from seasonal dry skin and flaky skin.

Allow coconut oil to stay on your dog's skin and coat for around 10 minutes before washing it off with dog shampoo and water.

To get the coconut oil through your dog's dry fur and all the way to his skin, think about using a rake brush or a pin brush.

Can I rub coconut oil on my dog daily?

One teaspoon at a time, warm it between your hands, and then apply it to your dog's skin and coat once a week. Give it some time to absorb.

You can shampoo their coat afterward to retain the moisturizing effects if you discover that it is greasy.

Coconut Oil for Dog Skin: Before You Go

As you can see, coconut oil is a rising star in the skin and overall health of your dog.

Coconut oil for dog skin has been widely effective.

Today, we covered the following:

The Safety of Coconut Oil for Dogs' Skin
Coconut oil for Dogs' itchy skin
coconut oil for Dogs' skin allergies

There are many other uses for coconut oil, including their diet.

Overall, this is a great supplement to include in your care and their lifestyle on a daily basis.

If you do, you'll spend less time and money spent at the vet dealing with all kinds of skin problems.

Your dog will be better for it as well.