A: You can put coconut oil on your dog’s nose, but it’s more beneficial to use a product like Snout Soother that is specially formulated to soothe and heal everything from dry dog noses to hyperkeratosis of the nose.
It’s normal to get a little worried about putting something on your dog’s nose. For one, dog noses are sensitive; and two, anything you put on your dog’s nose will unquestionably end up in their mouth. Coconut oil has soothing, healing and moisturizing properties; plus, it’s all natural and poses little to no health risk to dogs if they eat it. In fact, many pet nutritionists recommend adding coconut oil to your dog’s diet.
You can use coconut oil on dog nose, but Snout Soother is by far the better option. For one, it’s made especially for your dog’s nose right here in the USA. Secondly, it contains the perfect combination of organic ingredients to work alongside coconut oil and enhance healing. For instance, Organic Shea Nut Butter offers a natural sunscreen to help protect your dog’s nose against future damage.
Coconut oil offers a lot of benefits. It’s super moisturizing, a proven analgesic, and contains anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties. Hence why coconut oil is one of the first ingredients in Snout Soother, a leading all-natural dog nose balm.
By nature, coconut oil is oily and tends to rub off quickly, as soon as your dog licks his nose or rubs against you for kisses. For coconut oil to work it needs to sit on your dog’s nose for more than 10 minutes, which can be rather difficult to make happen.
What steps should you take to help remedy your dog’s dry nose?
Every time your dog’s nose gets dry, you should ask yourself when it occurred. Ask yourself, does it happen often? Does your dog’s nose become dry during a specific season? These questions will help you know if your dog’s dry nose occurs because of temperature changes.
Ask yourself if it happens when he comes into contact with certain objects. It may be that your dog is allergic to your carpet. He could be allergic to the current diet you’re putting him in. Maybe he’s allergic to the shampoo or powder you use on him. Your dog’s dry nose might be his response to these objects.
It may be the environment you’re in that’s compromising your dog’s nose. Ask yourself, does your dog have a dry nose before you brought it home? Did its nose start getting dry when it started living with you? Maybe its dryness happened when you took it for a walk in a park or visited a friend’s house.
If none of the three things affect your dog’s dry nose, it might be that your dog is unhealthy. Your four-legged friend might be dehydrated. It may also be malnourished. There are times that you might think that your dog is healthy, but in fact, he’s not. If you give attention to these things, it might help you figure out the cause of your dog’s dry nose.
Find Solutions To Things That Might Affect Your Dog’s Dry Nose
Coconut Oil In Your Dogs Diet (12 Powerful Health Benefits)
Interestingly, many people also give coconut oil to their dogs or apply it to their dogs’ fur.
While most studies on coconut oil have been conducted on humans, the results may be applicable to dogs as well.
Using coconut oil to treat skin conditions is a common practice with well known benefits. The positive effects are likely due to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
One study found that coconut oil effectively hydrates the skin of people with xerosis, a condition characterized by dry and itchy skin (1).
This study was conducted on humans — not dogs. However, many dog owners and veterinarians claim that coconut oil can help treat dry skin and eczema in dogs when applied topically.
This is because lauric acid, the main fatty acid in coconut oil, has a unique chemical makeup that allows it to easily penetrate hair shafts (2).
Other types of fat don’t have this same ability, so using coconut oil may help keep your dog’s coat healthy and beautiful.
The antimicrobial effects of coconut oil may prevent dogs from being infected by ectoparasites, such as ticks, fleas, and mange mites.
It has also been shown to help eliminate these pests in dogs that have already been infected.
These effects were confirmed by two studies in which dogs were treated with a shampoo made with coconut oil (3, 4).
In one of these studies, coconut oil also appeared to facilitate wound healing in dogs with ectoparasite bites. This is likely associated with coconut oil’s ability to inhibit bacterial growth (4).
Moreover, coconut oil has also been shown to kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi in test-tube studies (5, 6, 7).
Although adverse effects are rare, there are a few things to consider before using coconut oil on your dog.
There’s always the risk for an allergic reaction when introducing something new to your dog’s diet or grooming regimen. If a reaction occurs, stop using it.
Also, some studies have shown that coconut oil can cause high cholesterol in dogs. In extreme cases, this can cause fatty plaques to develop in the arteries (8, 9).
Furthermore, due to its high calorie content, using coconut oil in excess may lead to weight gain.
Lastly, one study concluded that a diet high in saturated fat reduces dogs’ scent-detecting abilities. More research is needed to better understand this finding, but you may want to use caution with coconut oil if you have a working dog (10).
Thus, you may want to consult your veterinarian before adding coconut oil to your dog’s diet or applying it to your dog’s fur.
Coconut oil is generally safe for dogs to eat in small amounts or have applied to their skin or fur.
When it comes to selecting a brand, virgin coconut oil is best, as most of coconut oil’s benefits have been observed with this type.
According to some sources, coconut oil can generally be given to dogs one to two times a day with meals.
The amount you give your dog will depend on its size. If your dog is overweight or has obesity, don’t give it coconut oil more than once a day.
Veterinarians stress the importance of starting slowly with coconut oil. This will allow you to monitor how your dog reacts to it.
Start by giving 1/4 teaspoon daily to small dogs or 1 tablespoon (15 mL) daily to big dogs and gradually increase the amount. If your dog tolerates it well after 2 weeks, increase the dose to 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds (5 mL per 4.5 kg) of body weight.
Don’t feed your dog coconut oil alone. Instead, mix it in with your dog’s regular food. This will keep its diet varied and nutrient dense.
All dogs being fed coconut oil should be monitored for weight gain, diarrhea, and other symptoms that may signify intolerance.
Keep in mind that studies haven’t revealed any benefits of using coconut oil in dog feed. On the other hand, using it on your dog’s skin may improve certain skin conditions.
If you’re applying the coconut oil topically, rub a small amount onto your hands and then gently pat its coat, running your fingers through the fur and massaging a little into its skin.
Research on using coconut oil for pets is lacking. The benefits are mainly anecdotal, as well as based on findings in humans, rodents, and test tubes.
Despite the lack of research, giving it to your dog in small doses is relatively safe.
Ultimately, it’s a personal choice. Using coconut oil on your dog has a few potential benefits and might be worth trying.
The risks are unlikely but worth keeping in mind. It’s important to monitor your dog’s health after adding anything to its regimen.
Talk to a veterinarian if you have further questions or concerns about giving your dog coconut oil.