Coconut oil for dog's skin?
SIL swears by coconut oil for dog's skin and coat. Says it fights yeast infections and makes their coats soft and shiny. She mixes it with their food. Thoughts?
Forum Discussion
Just a quick note.
Lance Armstrong's steroids were Anabolic Steroids not what we're talking about (glucocorticoids)and has no bearing on this discussion.
While inappropriate use of glucocorticoids can and do cause problems, in 37 years of practice in NEVER encountered a single case of long term problems with a single or two steroid treatments for seasonal allergy (two to four months), even given over the lifetime of the animal. I'm not saying it can't happen, but the threat and risk vs rewards needs to realistically evaluated.
There are many different approaches to deal with these problems, anyone who has had an animal that is literally tearing themselves apart sees the need for immediate relief. The other approaches may be a good idea for long term control, but there isn't too much better for immediate relief.
Doug, DVM
Lance Armstrong's steroids were Anabolic Steroids not what we're talking about (glucocorticoids)and has no bearing on this discussion.
While inappropriate use of glucocorticoids can and do cause problems, in 37 years of practice in NEVER encountered a single case of long term problems with a single or two steroid treatments for seasonal allergy (two to four months), even given over the lifetime of the animal. I'm not saying it can't happen, but the threat and risk vs rewards needs to realistically evaluated.
There are many different approaches to deal with these problems, anyone who has had an animal that is literally tearing themselves apart sees the need for immediate relief. The other approaches may be a good idea for long term control, but there isn't too much better for immediate relief.
Doug, DVM
