You have probably heard about different coconut products and how healthy they are for you. You may have even heard about the benefits that coconut oil have for dogs! Some people coat treats in coconut oil now and then for their dogs to give them a tasty, nutritious boost.
But coconut oil is not the only part of coconuts that can benefit your dog! Coconut water is another great option. And when it comes to coconut water, dogs actually like it! Well, maybe not every dog, but many people think it’s crazy to think that dogs would enjoy coconut water.
Coconut water isn’t a miracle product, but it’s a great way to give your dog a hydrating drink that will help restore their balance of electrolytes without any serious risk. Let’s take a deeper look together.
What Are The Benefits Of Coconuts?
Like many other natural products, there is a laundry list of claims that people make about coconuts and what they can do for your dog.
While not every one of these claims is proven, there is enough anecdotal evidence for me to share them with here.
Here are just some of the things that coconut products can do for your dog:
- Fight viruses
- Protect from infection
- Improves the immune system
- Adds more red blood cells to the body
- Improves condition of skin and coat
- Adds shine to coat
- Helps with flea allergies and itchy skin
- Makes dogs smell better
- Improves dog breath
- Helps to keep insulin and thyroid levels in check
- Helps with arthritis and ligament problems
- Helps heal cuts, wounds, and bites
Each part of the coconut has different benefits. The oil provides fatty acids and antioxidants that help the immune system, with cuts, and with the coat condition. Coconut meat has basically all of the benefits listed above but isn’t the easiest thing to feed to your dog.
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What Are The Benefits Of Coconut Water?
Coconut water, harvested from green coconuts, is a source of electrolytes. Natural coconut water won’t have added sugar and can simply be used as is.
The water itself contains a number of nutrients:
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Selenium
- Iodine
- Sulfur
- B-vitamins
- Vitamin C
You might feed your dog coconut water if they have a GI problem that is causing them to have trouble retaining water and nutrients. You also might just feed your dog coconut water once daily in the summer to keep them in their best condition!
It’s not proven, but some even say that coconut water can help prevent UTI from occurring and reduce the size of kidney stones, but I would want to see more evidence before I’m convinced about that!
Is Coconut Water Good For Dogs?
Absolutely! There really aren’t any risks to giving your dog coconut water other than giving them too much. After all, too much of any one thing can be a bad thing.
A great way to use coconut water is as a treat or reward for your dog while you are training or exercising them. It’s refreshing and will boost their energy, making it great as a reward.
Can Dogs Drink Coconut Water With Pulp?
Yes, coconut pulp is fine for dogs. You can actually feed dogs the whole coconut if you wanted to. Each part has amazing benefits, so there are many people who do feed entire coconuts to their dogs!
When feeding a coconut water with pulp in it, just make sure you consider how much pulp is in the water you are feeding when you choose how much to give a dog. If you give them a ton of pulp, you may be giving them too much fat in one go to be healthy for them.
Is There A Special Coconut Water For Dogs?
There actually is coconut water that is made for dogs! You can buy it, but you can simply give them good coconut water, too. Buying organic with no additives is smart because you never know what might not react well with your dog's system.
Really, giving your dog coconut water to drink is enough:
Can Dogs Drink Coconut Water Instead Of Water?
I wouldn’t do that. While coconut water is a great way to give your dog’s hydration level a boost, it shouldn’t be used to replace water.
Since coconut water is still rich in fat and even in sugar, it could lead to obesity or other problems. Everything in moderation! Give your dog coconut water, but don’t go giving them bottle after bottle every day. Stick to a few coconut water ice cubes or a few ounces of coconut water daily, and that’s it.
Some dogs could even be allergic to coconut water, so you want to make sure your dog can handle a little bit of coconut water before increasing how much you feed them and how often you give them this drink.
How About After Surgery?
Yes! Dogs can absolutely drink coconut water after surgery. It can help to balance out electrolytes that they may have lost during anesthesia and the surgery process.
Your vet might even recommend it. Some dogs can recover faster after they have surgeries if you give them some coconut water every day as part of their healing process. Check with your vet before doing so, but it will probably be okay.
Say “Hello” To Coconut Water!
Coconut water is really a great drink for your dog. They can get a lot of energy and nutrition from just a small amount every day, and there really aren’t many risks that come along with feeding your dog this nutrient-dense drink.
Coconut water is a great way to balance out your dog’s electrolytes and keep them healthy, but their health really starts with the food you give them daily. Round out your dog’s health but giving them one of the top dog food brands as well as coconut water every day. They’ll thank you with lots and lots of love for years to come!