Copra For Dogs?

[mcq]

I know that some foods for dogs contain copra meal... It is something I feed to my horse to improve topline, weight gain, coat health etc etc.

I am wondering what sort of effect it might have on dogs in small quantities. I noticed in the horse paddock one day my bitch was eating the copra mixed up for the horse. She has incredibly dry skin and I thought, "It can't hurt her." But after some consideration I thought maybe it could?

I would love to give small amounts to my dogs if it has the same benefits for them as it might do for horses. All of my dogs could do with some extra weight (they are young and filling out) and the aforementioned bitch could really do with better coat condition (she is on sensitive skin formula and fish oils plus aloveen shampoo and conditioner).

It is more an enquiry as to what other dog owners think about introducing something like this into a canine diet... Does anyone have any experience with it? Anyone with ideas as to what other health issues may arrise from introducing coconut into the diet of a dog? I know it has lots of health benefits but also lots of issues in the human diet (high colesterol etc). Of course the canine digestive system is far different to that of horses and humans.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[greychicken]

Hi,

No advice to offer, I am just as curious as you!

Have noticed that the dogs love horse food, haven't let my greys eat any but the JRT and the Mini Foxy used to whenever I fed the horses. Didn't seem to do them any harm, but then it was only small quantaties.

Copra appeals for a winter meal too, nice and warm for them.

Hope someone can shed some light....

[Ibizan]

Hi , I don't know anything about copra,but google 'virgin coconut oil' and read about all the health benefits of coconut oil,these would also apply to dogs as well.It is wonderful stuff. My dogs have a dessertspoon of the oil about three times a week,.Your dogs would certainly benefit from having this oil, I am sure you would see a difference in their skin and coat

[Cosmolo]

We have given our dogs livamol in the past which was great for their coats. Don't know about copra

[Ashka]

I'll second the Virgin cocnut oil, wonderful stuff for man and dog.

Copra is normally what is left after the oil has been removed from the coconut meat although some call the dried cocnut meat copra too.

[mcq]

Not stolen... Just borrowed for my purposes here .

Copra is the dried white flesh of the coconut after mechanical extraction of the oil. The white is then baked resulting in a moisture content of approximately 8% suitable for handling and bulk storage. After the extraction process approximately 8-10% oil remains in the flesh.

Chemical composition Amino Acids (g/kg)

Protein………………….21.9% Alanine………………….....2.5

Fibre…………………….13.1% Arginine……………….......0.5

Oil……………………… 8-10% Asparapine…less than….0.5

Ash……………………...6% Cystine…………………......2.0

Glutamine……………........2.9

Minerals Glycine…………………......2.4

Histidine……………….......1.2

Mg………………………0.34% Isoleucine……………….....1.1

S………………………...0.28% Lysine…………………........2.4

K………………………..2.39% Methionine…………….......8.0

P………………………...0.53% Phenylalanine…………......2.2

Ca……………………….1499ppm Proline…………………........1.0

Fe………………………..313ppm Hydroxyproline..less than.0.5

Na……………………….858ppm Serine…………………….....1.5

Cu……………………….28.3ppm Threonine………………......2.1

Mn……………………….49.1ppm Tryptophan…………… .....1.1

Zn………………………..44.8ppm Tryosine………………….....2.4

Valine…………………....... 1.4

Copra meal is also used as a quality fodder for horses and cattle. Its high oil levels and protein are very fattening for stock and it is popular among horse enthusiasts.

I give it to my horse mixed with water in a "mash-like" form.

[SoL]

So, if you were to add the copra to a dry food, say, Advance, would that not upset the balance of their diet?

How about if you added it to a cheaper food, say, Supercoat?

Both of which claim to be complete foods, that is, not meant to be supplemented.

What, therefore, is the nutritional difference between virgin coconut oil (where the hell do you buy that from) and copra?

[mcq]

Well, Copra is the flesh of the coconut with the oil taken from it so there would be a large difference in nutritional value between the 2.

Anyone care to enlighten us any more?

[greychicken]

Copra meal comes in a powder form.

It is important to NOT FEED DRY. It expands in water. Soak in cold water for 12 hours or hot water for shorter period.

If you feed it dry it can swell up when it hits the stomach, this is what I have always been led to believe where horses are concerned. Horses have very sensitive stomachs, but I still wouldn't feed dry to a dog.

[mcq]

I give it to my horse mixed with water in a "mash-like" form.

Already mixing it with water for the horse and would do so for the dogs as well. I understand that it can swell up to 3 times in water but is it beneficial for dogs? Is there anything that needs to be addressed as far as health hazards are concerned?

[mcq]

bump

[Miranda]

Horses and cattle are herbivores and are designed to eat high fibre carbohydrate diets whereas a dog is a carnivore and has a GI tract specifically designed to deal with a low fibre diet of flesh and bones. Frankly I doubt very much that a dog would be able to process copra, I think you'd find that it would pass through the dog virtually undigested and because of its high fibre content may even cause diarrhoea in some dogs. Included as part of the diet it will act as a filler and will certainly help to assuage the hunger of the dog by contributing to a feeling of fullness however I would imagine that the dog would derive little or no nutrition as it will be unable to break it down. JMO.

[mcq]

Ah... This is what I've been waiting for! Thanks Miranda!

Does it make a difference that copra has such a high percentage of protein?

Even if I do attempt to give it a go (just to see) there's no reason it would HARM the dogs? It could even serve on days where only meat is given?

[mcq]

It could even serve on days where only meat is given?

Sorry I meant could it serve as a FIBRE supplement on days where only meat and bones are given?

[Miranda]

Compared to meat and a lot of dry foods the protein content isn't that high and just because it contains 21.9% protein doesn't mean that all that protein will be available to the dog as the availability of vegetable protein is much lower than that of meat. I can't see that it would harm a dog, maybe add a little on the meat and bones days and see how the dog copes with it, if there are no adverse reactions then add a little more. I would imagine that dogs fed copra would produce large volumes of poop, but I might be wrong, it may be no different to feeding dry food which also contains a lot of fillers. Let's face it copra can't be any worse for a dog than beet pulp or ground corn.

I don't know what breed you have but the only concern I would have would be bloat. I'm not saying that copra would cause bloat but I have a breed that is prone to this disease so I'm pretty careful about what I feed. Other than that all you can do is give it a try over maybe a month and just keep an eye on the dog's condition and activity levels, if the dog loses condition, lacks energy, has sloppy poop etc. stop using it.

ETA I have never fed copra and I'm not a vet or an expert in canine nutrition, all my opinions are based on self acquired knowledge of the canine gastrointestinal tract and how it works.

Edited March 6, 2007 by Miranda

[mcq]

Thanks again Miranda! Yes, I do have dogs susceptible to bloat. I soak their dry food as well and keep a strict eye on their feeding time to make sure they are quiet and relaxed before and after feeds. I'm not too worried about the amount of poo (the OH is the designated dog poo picker-upperer). It is a bit of a hit and miss experiment by the feel of it.

I will try them with a very small amount and see what happens - my older girl has been pinching copra from the horse bucket for a while now and it seems to have made no difference, however, I've always chased her away before she can make a guts of herself.

It has made a vast difference on my horse so I was just thinking (hoping) that it would contribute nicely to the dog's condition as well. Wouldn't it be so nice if it were as easy as finding a universal miracle feed ? If it works for the dogs as well I might start eating it!