Olive oil is such a staple in all our diets. Use it to cook a proper meal or just drizzle it over your salads — it’s oh-so-delicious! Olive oil also offers a number of health benefits. Knowing all this, have you been wondering whether you can feed olive oil to your dog? Is olive oil good for dogs? Here’s all the information you need to know about including olive oil in your dog’s meals.
Is Olive Oil Good for Dogs?
If you’ve been wondering about the effects of adding olive oil to your pet’s plate, go right ahead!
Adding olive oil to your dog’s diet will highly improve their well-being, given its rich composition of antioxidants, monounsaturated fats, omega-3, and omega-6 fatty acids. Olive oil has great benefits in terms of improving your dog’s physical health on multiple fronts.
5 Benefits Of Olive Oil for Dogs
In case you’ve been wondering how exactly is olive oil good for dogs, here is a list of advantages that should prove why olive oil is an excellent addition to your dog’s diet.
#1. Improves the Taste of Food
More often than not, pet owners don’t have the time to prepare dishes by hand every single day for their pets. At times like these, you may have to use canned foods and other kibbles for their daily meals. You can add a little bit of healthy flavor to their dishes with some olive oil.
Including olive oil in their meals would also ensure consistency in their daily feeding habits. You wouldn’t want your dog to forego their appetite because of boring food, would you?
#2. Great For Your Dog’s Coat
Olive oil is also known to be great for skin health.
While it may be impractical to rub olive oil on your dog’s coat and make an absolute mess, you can stick to adding it to their diet. Olive oil can help maintain their skin health and makes their coat super shiny.
It also helps with reducing inflammation and eases allergies in your dog, so they won’t feel too itchy and constantly scratch themselves.
#3. Boosts Your Dog’s Immunity
One of the best advantages of including olive oil in dog diets is the abundance of antioxidants found in the oil.
Antioxidants protect cells from free radicals that can wreak havoc inside your dog’s body. They also ensure that there isn’t too much oxidation happening in your body, as it could lead to damaged tissues and cardiovascular diseases.
It also keeps the brain function at optimal levels and prevents cognitive decline, saving your dog from ailments like dementia.
If your dog has respiratory issues, regular consumption of olive oil will help improve their breathing as well. Essentially, you’d be keeping a lot of common illnesses at bay!
#4. Regulates Weight
Olive oil has monounsaturated fat, which is healthy fat compared to the likes of saturated fats and trans fats that are found in several oils.
Monounsaturated fats are quite adept at tackling bad cholesterol in your dog’s body, thus protecting them from obesity, heart disease, and stroke.
There are sufficient calories in olive oil as well, so your dog’s daily consumption can be met with healthy, moderate amounts of food.
#5. Great For Their Joints
Olive oil is a great way to maintain your dog’s joint health.
With age and activity, your dog’s joints can wear down and become painful. Instead of resorting to pain medications that would further deteriorate their health, you can use olive oil as a natural pain reliever.
Make sure you add olive oil to your dog’s diet, especially if they’re suffering from conditions such as hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis.
What Kind of Olive Oil Should You Give to Your Dog?
Veterinarians and animal experts around the world strongly recommend that you only use extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for your canine dishes.
The reason? EVOO’s composition is a lot healthier and milder on your dog’s body than regular olive oil. It is the least processed form of olive oil and thus retains vitamins and antioxidants that could be lost during processing. It also has very low acid content and is a lot more flavorful.
How Much Olive Oil Can a Dog Have a Day?
Remember the proverb “too much of something is good for nothing”?
You’ve got to keep an eye on the amount of olive oil your dog consumes every day. While the health benefits are immense, overconsumption of anything can be harmful to your pet.
Given that dog diets are more protein- and fat-oriented, you must stick to one tbsp of olive oil per twenty pounds of their body weight. If you’re concerned about overconsumption, you could alternate between different healthy oils in minimal doses.
Potential Side Effects of Olive Oil for Dogs
Olive oil may be considered a superfood but using it in excess can, unfortunately, cause side effects that require immediate medical addition.
#1. Gastrointestinal Problems
The most common side-effect of overconsumption of olive oil involves issues with their gastrointestinal system.
If they’ve got a particularly sensitive tummy, you’ve got to reign in the usage of the oil. Olive oil is an irritant to the gastrointestinal tract; it is an excellent laxative, after all, thus inducing vomiting and diarrhea. So, if you find your canine in digestive distress, cut back immediately.
If their discomfort persists, please consult your veterinarian.
#2. Pancreatitis
As reiterated before, the calorie content in olive oil is relatively high. One tablespoon (15 ml) of this oil contains 119 calories and 14 grams of fat.
Your dog’s pancreas is responsible for processing the fat they eat. Overexerting their pancreas would be a problem for dogs who are prone to pancreatitis.
Moderation is key here, and it is best to talk to your vet about what approach would work best for your dog.
A Few Parting Words
So, is olive oil good for dogs? Absolutely!
It is only natural that you want your dog to enjoy the finer things in life. Yummy meals every day is definitely a way to pamper them, and using olive oil in their meals will keep them both happy and healthy!
