Can dogs eat Coconut oil?
Coconut oil（ココナッツオイル）
With care
It can loosen the stool, so watch the amount.
889 kcal per 100 g
What kind of food is this?
Oil taken from the flesh of the coconut. Per 100g: 889 kcal, with 100g of fat. It is high in saturated fat (83.96g per 100g), so it turns white and solid depending on room temperature. Oils high in saturated fat change less with heat and air, which makes them suited to cooking with heat. In a test that compared coconut, sunflower, and palm oil during continuous deep frying, coconut oil changed the least.
Saturated fat is something dogs can make in their own bodies. In the nutrient standards for dogs (NRC and AAFCO), the fatty acids with set amounts are unsaturated ones such as linoleic acid; there is no requirement for saturated fat. Saturated fat is also plentiful in meat fat, so coconut oil is not something a home-cooked diet needs.
It is known as "an oil with medium-chain fatty acids," but lauric acid — the fatty acid abundant in coconut oil — does not behave the same as caprylic and capric acids, the main components of the refined MCT oil used in medical and nutrition research. Findings from MCT oil research cannot be applied to coconut oil as they are.
It is also used as an ingredient in "golden paste," made with turmeric, water, and black pepper. However, we found no trial that has tested golden paste in dogs.
How to serve
Start with a small amount the first time and watch the stools. Depending on the dog, it can cause loose stools. Since the diet does not need it, use it as a cooking oil or in small amounts. For dogs with a history of pancreatitis or hyperlipidemia, or dogs that have been told to limit fat, check with your regular veterinarian before using it.
Nutrition
Coconut oil (per 100 g, raw)
Japan's Standard Tables of Food Composition (8th ed.)
| Energy | 889 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0 g |
| Fat | 100 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g |
| Calcium | 0 mg |
| Phosphorus | 0 mg |
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| Fiber | 0 g |
|---|---|
| Moisture | 0 g |
| Sodium | 0 mg |
| Potassium | 0 mg |
| Magnesium | 0 mg |
| Iron | 0 mg |
| Zinc | 0 mg |
| Copper | 0 mg |
| Iodine | − |
| Selenium | − |
| Manganese | 0 mg |
| Vitamin A | 0 µg |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg |
| Vitamin E | 0.3 mg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg |
| EPA | 0 mg |
| DHA | 0 mg |
| Alpha-linolenic acid | 0 mg |
"−" means the item is not listed in the source table (it does not mean zero).
In food-energetics terms
In traditional food energetics it is classified as "neutral" — it neither warms nor cools the body.
(Food energetics is a long-standing idea of supporting the body through everyday meals. Treat it as one extra hint alongside the nutrition numbers.)
How much for your dog?
Get daily estimates from weight and activity level.