Is Olive Oil Good for Dogs?
Thankfully, olive oil is okay for dogs to eat in small quantities. In fact, it can even be beneficial for them. Regular consumption of olive oil can encourage healthy skin and help give your dog a lustrous coat. You may have seen dog food brands touting fatty acids as part of their ingredients — well, olive oil also contains those beneficial fatty acids. While it may take some time to see results, giving your dog olive oil regularly can result in a shinier, stronger coat.
Olive oil for dogs does not just stop at appearance. Extra virgin olive oil contains many antioxidants, such as vitamin E, which can help protect your pup against damage from free radicals. It can also help promote a healthier weight in your dog as the monounsaturated fats in the olive oil can break down the fat stored in fat cells, which in turn helps lower cholesterol. Olive oil can also help loosen the bowels and relieve constipation for your dog.
Finally, olive oil can improve both the taste and consistency of your dog’s food. If your pet is a picky eater and is refusing to chow down on their food, adding a little bit of olive oil to it can make it more appealing and help encourage them to eat.
Help control weightgain:
Because olive oil is so high in monounsaturated fats, it can help break down the fat inside of the fat cells and help shed pounds. It can be very beneficial in dogs with serious weight issues. Extra-virgin olive is rich in antioxidant features because of its wealth of polyphenols, vitamin E, clorophyll and carotenoids which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes as well. Obesity in pets can lead to disease very quickly. Obese pets are more of a risk to suffer from stroke too, which is another reason why adding extra-virgin olive oil to your pet’s diet can work wonders.
Olive oil can also help get rid of belly fat and reduces insulin sensitivity which reduces the risk of diabetes. It has a reputation of being a fuel for metabolism in dogs meaning it can help get your dog more active. Overall, if you’d like to add a supplement to your pet’s diet that will help prevent obesity and any disease associated with it, olive oil is a necessity.
Better Digestive Health
Since it acts as a laxative, small amounts of olive oil can also help stimulate your pets digestive system if they happen to be suffering from constipation or indigestion. Just be sure to introduce in moderation and back off the olive oil if your dog develops diarrhea, vomiting, or any other GI symptoms.