Shih Tzu – Coconut Oil Is Healthy For You and Your Shih Tzu

One of the newest health foods for pets and people is “coconut
oil.” Coconut oil is a saturated-fat vegetable oil. Coconuts
have always been a staple of tropical cuisines and people
following a coconut-based diet. These people rarely suffered
from heart disease, cancer, diabetes or other illnesses that
haunt modern America.

According to the people who use coconut oil regularly it can
reduce the risk of cancer and other degenerative conditions,
improves cholesterol levels and helps to fight heart disease,
improves digestion and nutrient absorption, contains
antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents that prevent
infection an disease……..some even use it to brush their and
for underarm deodorant. I do believe I have seen the ingredient
“coconut oil” in several of my favorite deodrants.

This is good news for people and their dogs since most of
coconut oil’s human benefits are the same for canines. Try
giving your shih tzu some coconut oil to see if he/she likes the
taste. It has been reported that most dogs do love the taste of
coconut oil, which makes feeding it to your shih tzu more
pleasant. I really don’t like giving my shih tzu anything that
is unpleasant even if it is for their own good.

You will need to get the right type. Most health food stores
carry at least one brand and you can probably find it online.
There are two main types of coconut oil. One is refined coconut
oil (might be labeled RBD for Refined, Bleached, and
Deordorized). It is made from copra, or dried coconut meat, then
treated to remove impurities. Most RBD coconut oil is relatively
inexpensive. It does not contain all the nutrients found in
unrefined coconut oil and in most cases the coconuts used are
lof low quality and chemicals like chorine and hexane are used
in the refining process. The other type is Unrefined or “virgin”
coconut oil and is made from fresh coconuts. hmmmm, sounds like
the kind I would like best. I truly like coconut of anything. I
want it to taste good and taste good to my dogs. I would go for
the more expensive type.

Of course the better of the two is going to cost you more.
Good-quality oil is colorless when liquid and pure white when
solid, never yellow or pink and it should not contain residue or
have an “off” or rancid odor. If you get hold of some coconut
oil that gives you a scratchy throat or like a “catch” in the
throat, this is probably a sign of poor quality. A smokey flavor
or aroma is another indication of poor quality.

There are also hydrogenated and fractionated coconut oils.
Hydrogenated coconut oil is not recommend for your dog because
it contains harmful trans-fats. Fractionated coconut oil is a
message oil and aromatherapy ingredient and is sold as a
cosmetic ingredient.

For your shih tzu, you would need to start out with small
amounts and increase gradually to about 1 tablespoon per 30 lbs.
body weight daily (no shih tzu weighs this much), so you would
need to adjust that dosage and ask your vet for help on that.
You need to watch for changes in your dog’s energy, skin, coat,
breath and body odor.

You can also apply coconut oil topically to cuts, wounds,
infected ears, bites and stings for both you and your pets.