I call it my miracle in a jar: coconut oil.          ~Shannon Cloversettle

Many people are under the impression coconut oil is unhealthy, when in fact; this under-appreciated miracle in a jar offers a wealth of beneficial properties.  As a medium-chain fatty acid, coconut oil is used immediately in the body as energy without circulating into the bloodstream as fat, and it contains no cholesterol.               

Okay, so what does this mean for your Fido?  For starters, coconut oil is great at fighting germs because it is chock full of lauric acid.  Lauric acid is famous for its anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. That’s right, coconut oil can kill harmful bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi and parasites. It stimulates and strengthens the immune system, and acts as an anti-inflammatory.  This miracle in a jar kills ear mites, supports a healthy intestinal system, and when mixed with honey can help cure tracheobronchitis.  Simply put, coconut oil is an all-purpose infection fighter.

Is your dog a little over weight?  Add coconut oil to his food and it will help improve the thyroid function and naturally balance hormones, as well as promote healthy skin and coat.  Do your dog’s paws smell like corn chips or are their ears inflamed and always dirty?  Fido may be experiencing a common digestive system yeast infection (also called Candida).  The anti-fungal properties of coconut oil will kill the Candida, and can be used regularly to promote and maintain a strong immune system.  In The Coconut Oil Miracle, author Bruce Fife, ND, explains, “Taking coconut oil daily is like a daily inoculation. It will help prevent your dog from becoming infected."

The key to receiving the full health benefits of coconut oil is to find the absolute best quality available. There are many ways to produce coconut oil, and they’re not all the same.  So buyer beware: make sure that the coconut oil is raw, organic and virgin. Also, make an effort to purchase coconut oil in a glass jar versus plastic or other packaging.

Plastic chemicals can leach into the oil; oils can swell polyethylene, and therefore some of this substance may leach into the oil.

With so many brands of coconut oil out there, how do you know which will deliver the full health benefits?  Do your homework. There are many varieties of coconut oil, in a range of prices and quality.  Be prepared to pay more for a higher-quality oil, but the cost is well worth it. One such brand is CocoTherapy Coconut Oil. Don’t be fooled.  Although packaged for pets, this top-shelf oil is actually human-grade coconut oil. The pet labeling helps in providing dosing information specifically for animals.

The founders of CocoTherapy, sisters Charisa Antigua and Carmina O’Connor, have been using coconut oil for years and know all too well the benefits of coconut oil.

One of their cats, Amanda, has a history of kidney disease and was hyperthyroid. “Since beginning her conventional kidney care and taking coconut oil, her over-all kidney function has increased from 18% to 20.8% --- much to the delight of her kidney vet, who said that this was not a typical occurrence for kidney function to actually increase”, said Charisa.  “A miracle? We think so, although there may be other factors that may have contributed to that as well, we only know one thing - if you could see Amanda now, you would see an active, beautiful, glowing cat.”

Maggie, Carmina’s dog, was diagnosed with "Borderline Hypothyroidism". “In borderline cases, the conventional treatment is to provide the pet with a small thyroid supplement for 30 days just to see if it improves”, reported Carmina. However, there are risks in this approach. If thyroxine levels become too high, other body organs can be damaged. Not prepared to take this risk and with the advice of a holistic vet, Carmina added coconut oil to Maggie's diet, as coconut oil is known to balance and regulate the thyroid. She then had Dr. Jean Dodds, the foremost authority on Canine Hypothyroidism at “Hemopet”, run her thyroid tests. Carmina is thrilled to report that Maggie's result showed that she no longer had Borderline Hypothyroidism.”

There are many other success stories from people who have witnessed the miracle of coconut oil on their pets. The CocoTherapy facebook page, a medium where animal lovers go to learn and discuss everything related to coconuts is littered with coconut oil success stories from pet owners. One woman reported that her Cocker Spaniel was plagued with constant, recurring ear infections and had been on antibiotic drops for a long time. Following the advice of a natural pet store owner, she tried using coconut oil on her dog. With regular use, her ear condition cleared up and according to the owner, “smells sweet now”.

Another man reported that his since giving his dog coconut oil, his dog’s constant scratching and allergies have subsided. The man shared that he could see a difference in his dog, after giving coconut oil regularly.

Another woman was ecstatic when the coconut oil helped to clear up her dog’s tear-stained eyes. Her white dog had terrible red tear stains that went beyond her cheeks. Hesitant to use eye products containing antibiotics, her vet recommended that she use CocoTherapy coconut oil, as it has anti-fungal, anti-bacteria, anti-virus and anti-yeast properties.  Not only has the red stains on her eyes cleared up, the red stains on her paws, from her chewing them have cleared up as well.

Coconut oil is not the only coconut product good for pets. Fresh coconuts or raw dehydrated coconut provides the same health benefits. Not only does it contain lauric acid, the coconut meat is extremely high in fiber.  Just be sure that the dehydrated coconut flakes are raw, and free from salt, preservatives or sugar. Dehydrated coconut flakes found in grocery aisles are not considered raw, as they are dried in high temperatures. They often contain preservatives, chemicals, or sugar. Raw, organic, dehydrated coconut flakes free from salt, sugar, and preservatives is not easy to find.  CocoTherapy also makes a raw, organic, dehydrated coconut that is also available for pets, but is good enough for human consumption.

Since enjoying a diet which included the CocoTherapy Coconut Oil and Coconut Chips, Carmina’s dog, a once husky 12 pound Chihuahua, has been reduced to a svelte 8.5 pound Chihuahua. “I had tried everything to help her lose some weight, and nothing helped”, said Carmina. “But adding coconut oil and dehydrated coconut chips, which is also high in fiber, to her diet helped regulate her metabolism.”

The recommended daily maintenance dose is 1 teaspoon of coconut oil per 10 pounds of body weight given in divided doses, or 1 tablespoon per thirty pounds.  Always start with the smaller amount and increase gradually.  If your dog has been exposed to an infection the dose can be doubled.  Always provide extra fluids to help flush toxins from the body.

To get the true miracle in a jar experience, be sure to select the best coconut oil money can buy.  It is definitely worth the investment, and a small price to pay for the optimum health of your pet.

www.cocotherapy.com

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