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Coconut Oil Cure for Arthritis in Dogs

| Modified on Jun 26, 2024
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Coconut Oil is a powerful home remedy for arthritis in dogs. Often times dogs will experience improvement very quickly from this natural treatment.

How Does Coconut Oil Help Arthritis?

Coconut Oil is a natural anti-inflammatory. It also helps to lubricate joints. It is a highly nutritious oil with medium chain fatty acids and lauric acid. Coconut Oil also helps to fight infections, including viral, bacterial, and fungal. These types of infection have been linked to arthritis in some cases.

How Much Coconut Oil Should I Give My Dog for Arthritis?

At first, give a smaller amount of coconut oil to your dog and increase the amount you give him until you find the dose that works for him. Coconut oil is a natural remedy for constipation, so a sudden addition of a lot of coconut oil could cause loose stools. Increasing the dose slowly will help you monitor the effect on your dog. Remember this chart is just a guideline. Each pet is different. It is possible that your dog may need less or more than the suggested dosages. You know your pet best.

Coconut Oil Dose Chart for Dogs

Weight in Pounds Initial Suggested Dose Maximum Daily Dose
4-8 lbs 1/8 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon
9-15 lbs 1/4 teaspoon 3/4 teaspoon
16-30 lbs 1/2 teaspoon 1 1/2 teaspoons
31-60 lbs 1 teaspoon 1 tablespoon
61- 90 lbs 1 1/2 teaspoons 1 1/2 tablespoons
91-115 lbs 2 teaspoons 2 tablespoons
116-150 lbs 3 teaspoons 3 tablespoons

How Can I Get My Dog to Take Coconut Oil?

The good news is that it is usually not difficult to get your dog to take coconut oil. Coconut Oil can be mixed with food. Coconut oil can be mixed with peanut butter or yogurt or many things that your dog likes. Keep in mind that this oil is solid below 77 degrees and liquid above that. If you want to mix it in to food, keep it in a warmer spot so it will be easy to measure out and mix with food. However, since some dogs will likely just take it right off a spoon, keeping the coconut oil in a solid state may make it easy to dose. Do not refrigerate coconut oil. It won't harm it but will be so hard it will be difficult to measure out.

Some dog owners find that their dog is happy to take coconut oil capsules instead.

Five Advantages of Coconut Oil for Arthritis in Dogs

  1. Coconut oil is safer than drug therapy.
  2. Coconut oil is easy to find these days online or at your grocery store.
  3. Coconut oil is not an expensive cure.
  4. Coconut oil is very nutritious and a great all around supplement for your pet, especially an elderly pet.
  5. Coconut oil is a remedy for low energy. Do not be surprised if you dog seems to have more spunk while taking coconut oil.

Have you tried coconut oil for arthritis for your pet? Please share your story with us! And be encouraged as you read on and find out how well coconut oil has worked for arthritis in the dogs of our contributors.

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Posted by Roger (Tampa, Fl) on 05/12/2016
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I know its 4:30am but you woudn't believe this. I gave Sadie the coconut oil last night at 11 pm n this morning after I got her off the bed she walked out the door and peed and pooped on her own. She went from almost a non walking stage to doing it on her own and seemed happy. Got tail wags and she ate all her food this morning. 😊.

This is a miracle. I was carrying her out and back inside. Wow.

The drug vet gave me, deramaxx didn't do anything for her arthritis. In fact, it seemed to have made her worse.

I posted this because I didn't see too many coconut oil posts for 2016.

Thanks to everyone to making these posts and keeping this web site available. I had almost given up on Sadie. She is 10 and a lab/put mixed and was diagnosed with arthritis in her right shoulder and neck. This morning is the happiest I have seen her in the last three days. From now own she will be getting a tablespoon of coconut oil morning and night.

Replied by Amy
(Auburn Hills, Mi)
05/19/2016
15 posts
★★★★☆

Hello Doggie Lovers!

I just have to put in my 2 cents because we've just "inherited" a VERY arthritic, 90lb, 12 year old Pit, Boxer, Rottweiler mix that is to the point she can barely get up off the floor or walk on her own...her one rear paw even flips under sometimes and she walks on top of it! I was soooo heartbroken! Then I found this site and got her some Organic Virgin Coconut Oil 3 days ago.

She had one dose the first day, 2 the second day, and one so far this morning. I'm not positive, as its only been FOUR total doses so far, but she normally lays down with her rear legs sticking straight out and very stiff. This morning for the first time in a looonng time, one of her rear legs was tucked into her side and BENT! She was attempting to PLAY with my other 2 dogs, and she wants to walk all over the yard when I take her out. I am going to add in some Ester-C tomorrow and see if that helps even more, but so far, I think I'm seeing a tiny bit of improvement from the VCO! This is only the third day tho, and she is SEVERELY arthritic, and quite heavy, so I think it may take a few more days to really tell. This Coconut Oil just may be the miracle I've been searching for!

Thank you to everyone posting their results and stories and in helping to guide the rest of us!

Sincerely grateful :-)

Replied by Ciarabee
(Ireland)
09/12/2017

Can you guys take a picture of the tub of the coconut oil. Cause most coconut oils are different.

Replied by Wendy
(Columbus, Oh)
09/13/2017

Just read the label on the coconut oil jar. It should include these words: Organic, Unrefined, Virgin Coconut Oil. Walmart now carries the Spectrum brand (you can get it online; not sure if it's in a store near you). Do NOT get the refined type.

Replied by Wendy
(Columbus, Oh)
09/13/2017

Re the arthritis in your dog, read this earthclinic link for suggested remedies: https://www.earthclinic.com/pets/arthritis.html

Also, get some turmeric in bulk. Add a 1/2 teaspoon to her food at EACH feeding, along with a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of the organic, unrefined virgin coconut oil. Keep doing this for awhile.

Coconut Oil
Posted by Cindy (Pennsylvania) on 10/03/2014
 ★★★★★

My Lhasa pooh is 13 yrs old and yesterday starting limping really bad. She was very playful in the am so the running around must of hurt her since the limp came on suddenly. I tried the coconut oil today and I am seeing an improvement already . She is not completely better but the improvement is noticable. Her foot is not broken as she is walking on it. She had been diagnosed with arthritus a few years ago and I give her a natural supplement for inflamation every morning but I fear she is getting worse. Her skin is very dry so the coconut oil will help that also.. Thanks for the info...

Coconut Oil
Posted by Cdperry93 (Manchester, Ohio) on 08/08/2012
 ★★★★★

Coconut oil for stiffness and joints- We have a 14 yo boxer that we rescued 9 years ago from an animal shelter. Hoochie is very active and playful, or has been until the last week. It seems he can not get up from sitting or lying down without pain. No more excited wiggle-butt greetings, just sleeping and sleeping. He even began to cry out in pain if he moved the wrong way. I read on your website about the Coconut oil for arthritis, and since I use it on my skin (which works great) for psorasis, I decided it could not hurt. This was yesterday evening around 7pm. I gave him a clump twice that evening. This morning a little over 12 hours later he is getting up much easier, much less stiff, and when daddy took him outside he was trotting again. He actually took the end of the leash and lead daddy inside. Then he proceeded to jump on the couch and lay down. Amazing! So today, when I mixed his food, I melted a tbsp. on it and he ate it. He is also drinking much more water than usual, another plus! I am praying that his improvement continues! Thank you for the information. Great resource!

Coconut Oil
Posted by Amy (Nashville, Illinois) on 05/22/2012
 ★★★★★

We started giving coconut oil to our two boxers as a supplement for their skin and coat. Our 4 yr old boxer had been having problems with her back left knee for some time and limped most of the time and would even hold that leg up when outside. Medicine for arthritis makes her more prone to vomiting, so we had stopped that. After being given the coconut oil for about 1 wk, she has pretty much stopped limping and she has stopped holding her leg up when walking/running. We were trying to figure out what would have made that change after having the symptoms for so long, and the only thing we could come up with is the coconut oil. Not only is it evident that her pain has decreased tremendously, but she has a lot more energy and is acting like she did before the knee pain. Both boxers LOVE the coconut oil and they will drool when I open the jar! Love this stuff!

Coconut Oil
Posted by Sandra (Fairfax, Va) on 07/23/2011
 ★★★★★

I gave my beagle a tablespoon of extra virgin coconut oil (EVCO) twice a week and now he can jump on the couch and he hasn't done that for a year! I also put three drops of hydrogen peroxide in his water every other day and he seems to have so much more energy and less pain.

Virgin coconut oil would work too and its a little cheaper. I've also been giving him lots of watermelon and cantaloupe (which is his favorite thing to eat) I think the watermelon helps his joints stay hydrated in this hot weather.

Coconut Oil
Posted by Mary (Louisville, Ms) on 01/13/2010
 ★★★★★

My 4 year old jack russell had knee problems within her first year. Vet suggested surgery, but I came to earth clinic...remedy worked. Just today since it has been unusually cold, I guess her arthritis became apparent. She came inside like she had pain in her hip area. She really reacted when I touched it, so painful she couldn't walk. She lay so still and stiff, I thought she had a stroke or something. So, I picked her up, put her under a blanket, and went to earth clinic. Thank you for posting a quick remedy. I used 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil and 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses (from another posting). That was about 90 minutes ago. She requested to go outside and that is where she is now. I will do another maintenance dose for the week and observe.

Coconut Oil
Posted by Beverly (COLORADO SPRINGS, CO) on 04/05/2007
 ★★★★★

By January of 2006, my nine years old Shar Pei senior dog, suffered from severe arthritis with bad hips and almost non existent front elbows. The vets suggested I put him to sleep for he needed both front and rear wheels to stay mobile. Being an individual that doesn't take "impossible" for an answer I did my own research. I got on the wonderful library highway of the web, and found this Earth Clinic website with natural remedies and cures. After only two weeks, with one tablespoon per 50 pounds of organic extra virgin coconut oil, Taz was up and running like a puppy on all four legs. After putting one tablespoon of the organic virgin coconut oil in the dog's food daily, Taz was better. It has been over a year, and he's still truckin'. He's not as spunky as back then, but who of us are as we age? More importantly, he is still fully mobile and has no handicap signs.

Replied by Tj
(Muncie, In)
11/19/2009
★★★★★

My 8 year old dog has arthritis in his lower back. I think I have tried every product out there to relieve his discomfort. I found this post and tried coconut oil; it worked great! Within a few days he was walking better. Within a week he was no longer falling down when the other dogs bump into him. He does still have some difficulty getting up when he lies down, but his overall mobility has improved drastically. I can't wait for his next appointment with the holistic vet to find out what he says about the improvement.

Rather than use liquid coconut oil, I found extra virgin coconut oil capsules. The dosage for an adult human is four capsules a day. I'm giving my 90 pound dog 3-4 capsules a day. He actually thinks they're treats and eats them as such. No muss, no fuss!

Thanks for this wonderful suggestion!



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