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Diet made simple


Elwood
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After doing a lot of research on what's the best diet for my boy, and taking into account the biased advice of vets and vet university schools. I recently found this clip which may be of use to you.

 

I had also incorporated coconut oil into his food after his coat started getting dry blonde streaks from being in the ocean and pool sometimes twice a day and in the sun a lot. Now his coat is back to its original glossy dark chocolate.

 

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There's some controversy about the benefits of coconut oil for carnivores. You might consider salmon or fish oil instead. (Make sure the latter has had mercury filtered out, is cold pressed, and human grade is best.) Once they learn to pierce them with their teeth, my dogs love getting a fish oil capsule as a treat. (It's OK if they don't crunch them; they'll still get all the benefits.)

 

I do give my dogs some very occasional coconut oil in their food, but they get salmon or fish oil almost every day.

 

Raw eggs are also great for keeping coats in good condition. Just make sure they've been beaten to get air into the whites so the the biotin binding avidin is broken down so they get full benefit. A weekly raw egg (complete with shell) makes a huge difference in my dark red boy's coat.

 

You can also use some coconut oil on the coat, especially prior to Elwood's going into the water to protect it from damage in the first place. Some people (those who eschew all vegetable food sources for carnivores) believe that the only place coconut oil belongs is on the outside of the dog and not the inside.

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Salmon oil is really a lot better for dogs than coconut oil. The best kind out there is Grizzly Salmon Oil, and the best price currently is at Chewy's dot com. I buy the 64 oz jug with a pump and keep it in the fridge. My dogs all get one or two squirts, depending on their size, every day. I am one who thinks the only place for coconut oil is directly on the fur, although certainly if they lick it off it won't hurt them.

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I did try fish oils and flaxseed oil for 6 months with no change to his coat. So I switched to coconut oil on the recommendation of a nutritionist friend who has a border collie. Coconut oil made an enormous difference for Elwood, sorry I don't agree with you ladies, the results speak for themselves for us. I do use it as a UV blocker too in my hair and his, which works beautifully.

 

 

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I did try fish oils and flaxseed oil for 6 months with no change to his coat.

 

I'm not surprised you found no benefit from flax seed oil. Dogs can't utilize it, which is why I didn't recommend it.

 

Are you sure you were giving enough fish oil? I'll have to find the EPA/DHA requirements for dogs. And some need more than the minimum. My red dog needs half again as much as the others in proportion to his weight.

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I don't know if this is true or not but I have read that a lot of fish oil sold is already rancid. I don't know how you could check to be sure.

 

I remember Liz came in one time and said that they were seeing dogs with pancreas problems from being fed too much coconut oil so you want to be careful not to overdo it.

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Coconut oil made an enormous difference for Elwood.... I do use it as a UV blocker too in my hair and his, which works beautifully.

 

I'm not trying to be snarky, but if you're using it directly on his coat, too, how do you know that feeding it to him is making a difference?

 

As I said before, using coconut oil externally as a coat conditioner can be helpful.

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If what is given is poor quality fish oil, it is not surprising that it would not make a difference. Just like any supplement, it is important to research and find the best quality.

 

As far as rancidity goes, that's a tough issue. Even with capsules you don't know how long the oil was sitting before it went into the capsules. And, as already pointed out, it is hard to know if an oil is rancid or not. Kept in the fridge is the best thing one can do, I suppose.

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Not dog related, but good for my aging skin. I wear a short brace on my right foot/ankle, and have for 12 years or more. A few months ago I noticed some skin irritation where the brace rubs in a couple spots on my lower leg.

 

I use a tiny smear of coconut oil on those spots 4 or 5 times a week, and they are much better. Swelling/itching has gone way down, and the inflammation is visibly relieved.

 

Don't like eating the stuff myself - olive oil is good tasting and better for you.

 

Ruth and Gibbs

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