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conflicting Info from vet: coconut oil

11K views 90 replies 30 participants last post by  daisyrunner 
#1 ·
So, I'm a bit frustrated with my vet of 17 years. I took Abby in 3 weeks ago and brought up the fact she was constantly itching herself. Vet said it was the flea collar, so I took it off as instructed.

I had a question about Abby's Prozac dose so I called and left a msg for the vet yesterday and the tech called me back today. When I mentioned to the Tech about the ongoing itching Abby still has, and that it is getting better thanks to coconut oil, I was told I should stop the coconut oil asap and just give Abby benadryl 4 times daily. I said huh..? They said coconut oil would cause yeast to spread. I said to the tech I thought it was sugar that fueled yeast to spread..they said nope, the coconut oil would cause the yeast infection bigger issues and I should bring her in for a skin scraping and steroid shots!

So, I'm a bit confused on what to think. I'm a bit shocked at how quick my Vet is wanting to treat things with steroids so quickly, and their opinion on the coconut oil.

Last note.. The vet did not catch the yeast infection, however I brought Abby to a groomer this last weekend and the groomer brought it up to me that she thought Abby has a yeast infection due to the redness on the chest, belly, and other areas on her..the groomer seemed pretty knowledgeable and said the coconut oil would do amazing things over the weeks for Abby... so I went away feeling I was doing the right thing.
 
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#2 ·
sometimes people learn things a certain way and nothing else but that way will ever make sense to them. I know I'd feel a **** of a lot better about giving my dog coconut oil than steroid shots.

BTW, I have never come across anything that said coconut oil in the diet will "promote" candida growth in man or beast.

I'd ask for the literature and a very good explanation before I stopped something like coconut oil in favor of skin scrapes and steroids. Well if it was me, I wouldn't ever go back really. They wouldn't get a 2nd chance with me.
 
#3 ·
Zoey is an "allergy dog". We fought rashes, itching, etc... We used steroids for a few months, they worked, but not a long term solution. We moved to cyclosporine, it worked, but she started blowing her coat constantly, its expensive, and again not a long term solution. Now we use coconut oil and a diet change to NV turkey lid mixed with "some" raw and very rarely does she have any problems, I think the CO is a major reason for this.
 
#4 ·
And that is another thing..the diet. I put Abby on Core to get her off the grains to start with and that I would be feeding RAW real soon. Vet said that is the worst thing I could do for her and she see's so many cases of ecoli (sp ?) from folks taking that approach. I guess I'm a bit lost why my vet seems so different then what I thought I knew her to be from years past.
 
#7 ·
Did you ask where they got that information regarding coconut oil? Coconut oil will not cause yeast to grow... it is also a far superior method of treatment to daily benadryl. :/
 
#8 ·
Ask the vet if they think that stuff they sell called prescription food is good for dogs or any animals. I blasted my vet last week for trying to sell me royal canine hypo allergic kibble. Not much food in that ingredient list. I made him read the package.

Amazing something can be sold as a prescription without one active ingredient.

Not sure some vets even bother to learn about proper nutrition and supplements.
 
#11 ·
I used a mixture of coconut oil and grapefruit seed extract to treat a yeast infection on my kid. It worked great, better than ANY topical my pediatrician gave us. I don't know anything about possible toxicity of GSE for dogs but it could be worth looking into.

Also....what exactly in coconut oil does your vet thinks nourishes yeast? They're sugar eating buggies.

~*~*~*~
Furbabies:
Sofie Rose born 08/2012
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#13 ·
Parvo isn't something to play around with, so your vet isn't too far off there, Shepherdmom.

And as for the coconut oil, honestly I haven't heard anything like that. Yeast go for sugar and unless you are a ruminant who takes fatty acids to convert them into sugar, I can't see how it will feed the yeast lol. They're finding all kinds of really good benefits out there for man and beast with coconut oil. I would stick with that personally. I really need to look into that for my dogs.

Benedryl can work in mild allergy cases, but it isn't exactly what I would call the perfect fix for everyone. My golden and female shepherd are actually on claritin and a LID with salmon for the protein and no grains. Worst my poor girl's allergies were was when she was on EN. Anything with chicken just sets her off hard core and I wouldn't be shocked if corn is a culprit too for her.

Raw can do a lot of good things, but most vets won't be for it due to the bacteria exposure for not only your pets (which usually are just asymptomatic carriers) but for the people who are around your pet. There are some studies that were done with cats who were fed raw and their feces held more salmonella in it than cats who were fed other types of diets. The cats themselves were okay, but the fact is their feces were more loaded with the bacteria. It basically just increases the amount of potential pathogens in your home and where your pet may take a poop out in the world. Vets have to consider not only individual's health but health of the population as a whole. Rabies vaccines are required by law for protection of people rather than the animals. There's a few vaccines that are like that too. :)

Just a little something from the other side of things. ;) Personally if you find something that works for you and your pet and helps get rid of the symptoms without resorting to things like steroid injections or long term use, I say why not? Honestly what harm is a little oil going to do really?
 
#15 · (Edited)
When I mentioned to the Tech about the ongoing itching Abby still has, and that it is getting better thanks to coconut oil, I was told I should stop the coconut oil asap and just give Abby benadryl 4 times daily.
Sounds like the question may not have actually reached the DVM and been answered by a tech who thought he or she knew the answer. I've had a few disagreements with techs who seem to think they know as much as the vet, trying to give me advice that they think is right, but they are just out of their depth. Then I talk to the DVM and clear it up. They mean to be helpful, but they don't know what they don't know.

I've had more frustrating conversations with dogmatic vet techs who were flat out wrong than with actual DVMs. I don't mean to denigrate the profession as there are some wonderful techs too, but overreaching techs do exist.

Insisting that yeast feeds on lipids (!) is pretty strange advice -- I'd let the DVM know she's saying things like that to clients, personally.
 
#16 ·
My boy got 4 vaccines because I work in a vet clinic that sees parvo a lot of the time. That and his first was 6 weeks. :) Parvo scares the everything out of me!

And that is sadly true Magwart. I will catch people doing that at both places that I work. I usually try to be sure to ask a vet something, but I have found being on the other side, some people actually just want to be told what to do so they won't have to come in. I had people get all irritated at me for saying that it was better to come in than just give them what advice they want over the phone lol.

Sadly the public has a rather low opinion on my profession, be it another technician or at times even the vet themselves. Many don't help it, but there are a lot of us who aren't at all like that. ;)
 
#18 ·
That's pretty weird. Maybe they were thinking if you put the coconut oil on her skin it would lead to a moist environment and therefore more bacteria? I can't imagine a vet would think candida feeds on coconut oil.

Good luck with your itchy girl! Another clinically proven remedy for itchiness is to up the fatty acids in the diet significantly (the study I read used borage seed oil and fish oil). I know my dog does better with more fat in her diet in general.

Definitely would not give Benadryl long-term. If it's not appropriate for humans to take long-term, it's definitely not good for dogs! My vet says it only works with about 25% of dogs (though apparently DVMs have a hard time agreeing on stuff).


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#21 ·
I'm not bashing the CO, because I add it to my pup's food. But when he had infected anal glands I thought maybe it would help as a topical - it didn't. It turned his skin red and his hair seemed to be thinning, so I stopped. Just thought I'd add that to the thread, in case another person has a dog who doesn't do as well as hoped with it.
 
#23 ·
I tried to add some to Nikki's diet for additional calories and she can't tolerate the CO at all and I know others who do just fine with it. I don't believe it is the miracle oil some people make it out to be. Every dog is different!
 
#24 ·
This is so true and applies to humans as well. I have autoimmune urticaria (hives) as well as graves disease and asthma. Many people often recommend healthy foods and health food diets without realizing that this can kill me. A lot of healthy foods have Salicylates (acetylsalicylic acid) which is a trigger. I actually do better with processed junk food or well cooked food such as stews and soups.

That being said I do try to feed my dogs good stuff and the love coconut oil. I don't know if its helping or not, but their coats are beautiful. :)
 
#28 ·
Oh that video is irritating. She acts so smug... but this is what happens to people like me when we eat fresh fruits and veggies. We CAN die! Dogs can and do get autoimmune issues as well. The bad gut as she calls it is a freaking warning.

Picture taken from the internet but I've had days/weeks where I've looked that bad or worse.

 
#27 ·
To me it just sounds like you used to be a person that really trusted their vet and just went along with everything they said. In today's world, you should really start to question your vet. I know that google/the internet isn't always a good source, but if you look something up, and 19/20 various websites are saying it works, but your vet says it doesn't. You SHOULD question it.

I remember I went to my vet because my dog wasn't feeling well. He had had the runs 3 days ago, we gave some pumpkin, it cleared up, but he was still not himself. I told all this to the vet, he prescribed some various things, including an antidiuretic. When I asked him what the medicine was, he told me, to which I said, he doesn't have diahrrea anymore, why would I need this? Sadly...sometimes vets just do things because many people look at them like people doctors...who generally don't get questioned. And sometimes, people will actually question their human doctor more than they will their vet.

With all the new "natural" ways to treat animals, some older vets haven't caught up to that type of medicine. They prefer to prescribe drugs rather than tell you to try something natural that might work just as well.
 
#31 ·
This he never should have gotten one bite and two??? Most likely he was giving signals before the first bite and "you" missed them!

So whatever you're doing is not working! Hire a professional, certified behaviourist. In the eyes of the law you've proven you can't control your dog!

It's all well and good that they aren't allowed on the furniture but if they can't be trusted in public what's the real value of that?

The first step in correcting the problem is "admitting' that you screwed up! These are "real" dogs and if you're doing or did something wrong..they will let you know!

I had raised dogs myself BullMastiff/Pitt mixes, Boxers for years, my first GSD gave me big times problems...including people aggression! I had to start all over with him including a muzzle! Fabric muzzle worked for me (in cool climates dog can't pant properly in one) and it's not 100% secure.

Anyway one growl at company and it became "my" job to make sure he never bit anyone! It took awhile and after a bit I dropped the muzzle, and today he's safe in public and people can pet him if..I allow them!

So the call is yours, you can step up and accept responsibility for failing your dog, are call us "me" a bunch of A holes that don't want to help and run off to Petco??
Hmm wrong thread??? Can a mod remove it from here??
 
#32 ·
I haven't read all the replies but....if the dog is really itchy, can't you do both? (benadryl and coconut oil) Nikon had some itchies last year and to get control of it I had him on benadryl and started coconut oil. The coconut oil did nothing, but it didn't do any harm either. They still get it on occasion when I have some. The benadryl helped with the itching (was a seasonal thing, all other tests checked out and it hasn't been a problem since).
 
#33 ·
The coconut oil doesnt act like benadryl in stopping the itchiness. It will sooth the irritated skin and help it heal. It actually kills yeast. I will say it is a warming healing though. Yoko gets very itchy in the winter with wood stove going and very dry. She gets coconut oil every day (internally). I rub it on her skin (part her coat to get to skin). She was really having a hard time, so I switched to aloe for a couple weeks (cooling). I have several plants in the house to use as needed.

Does anyone subscribe to Dogs Naturally Magazine? Just wondering, I get their emails. Lots of good stuff there.

Most problems with raw diets are in the human handling of it. Have never heard of a healthy dog getting sick from a raw diet. I feel it builds a healthier immune system, as well as the coconut oil.
 
#36 ·
I agree with everyone about the benefits of coconut oil, it is a natural antifungal, I've never heard about it promoting yeast.

Tea tree oil is very effective for clearing up yeast on dog skin/coat. Add a couple of drops to a carrier oil, such as olive oil, and wipe it on the infected skin every day until it's cleared up (do not put pure tea tree oil on the dog, it must be diluted. And don't use it on cats at all).
 
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