Palm fruit oil dogs

Table of Contents

We all want our dogs to be happy and healthy, and for many pet owners this means reading the list of ingredients on the product label and doing the research to make sure they’re all canine-friendly. When it comes to palm oil in dog treats and supplements, dog owners have grown increasingly concerned—and understandably so. 

Chances are, a quick internet search on palm oil results in articles warning of its toxicity to dogs, and urging pet owners to avoid it. If this is the case, why is palm oil still being used in so many products? The fact of the matter is that it all depends on context. 


What is Palm Oil? 

Palm oil is an edible, colorless, odourless vegetable oil which comes from the fruit of oil palm trees. It’s an extremely versatile ingredient commonly found in dog treats and supplements; in fact, it’s so versatile that it’s also used in processed foods, toiletries, as biofuel, and even as a cleaning agent in large ships. 

The palm oil that pet owners are being warned against is the palm oil discarded by these ships. It ends up on the beach in a semi-solid, gelatinous form which attracts the curiosity of dogs who then sniff and consume the oil. These lumps of white oil, contaminated by bacteria and waste, are extremely toxic to dogs and should absolutely be avoided at all costs. 

As word spreads about the dangers of palm oil found on the beach, many have come to the conclusion that palm oil itself is the dangerous factor. However, this is not the case. It’s not the palm oil causing the toxicity, but the other waste contaminating the oil. Due to its semi-solid form, palm oil may also cause blockages in the digestive system. If your dog does happen to ingest contaminated palm oil, contact your vet immediately. 

Now for the good news: palm oil in its pure form, which is used in products such as PetHonesty’s supplemental chews, is perfectly fine for pups. In fact, Harvard Health describes palm fruit oil as having a better fatty acid composition than coconut oil.  

Palm fruit oil dogs

Can Palm Oil Make My Dog Sick? 

While we have established that pure palm oil safe, this doesn’t mean you should get your pooch started on a palm oil diet. It may be easier for your pup to digest than sesame, corn, or sunflower oils, but too much of any oil (or any food, really) can cause an upset stomach with symptoms such as diarrhea, dehydration, and even pancreatitis in extreme cases. It may not be poisonous, but no one wants their dog to feel sick. 

One product that commonly contains palm oil is peanut butter… which also happens to be a popular canine treat. While there is generally not enough palm oil in a jar of peanut butter to be a cause for concern, peanut butter should still be used in moderation due to its high fat and sugar content. Peanut butter containing artificial sweeteners such as xylitol should also be avoided, as it is extremely toxic for dogs. 

Palm fruit oil dogs


Palm Oil in PetHonesty Products

All PetHonesty products are manufactured in FDA-registered, SQF (Safe Quality Food)-certified, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (Aphis)-approved facilities; palm oil is used in very minimal amounts to act as a binding agent in our chews.

Additionally, the palm oil used in these products is sustainably sourced and Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)-certified, in order to ensure that our environment is being protected.

Basically, when it comes to our products, your biggest concern should only be whether you’ve picked out your dog’s favorite flavor! 

Sources: 
https://www.vets-now.com/2017/12/palm-oil-dogs-beaches-safe/ https://zestypaws.com/blogs/news/the-truth-about-palm-fruit-oil-dogshttps://designerdogfoods.co.uk/pages/can-dogs-eat-palm-oil https://www.petcoach.co/article/are-toxic-palm-oil-chunks-poisoning-our-dogs/ 

Palm fruit oil dogs

For health-conscious pet parents, nothing is more important than making sure your furry friend gets the healthiest food, treats, and supplements available. So, whether it’s reviewing each ingredient on a product label or doing online research to learn more about the ingredients that brands are using, you’ll do whatever it takes to keep those not-so good ingredients away from your pet’s food bowl. We love that!

But as they say, just because something is on the internet doesn’t make it true! As such, we want to shed some light (and even debunk a few things) about an ingredient that’s given pet parents like you some cause for pause lately -- Palm Fruit Oil.

Chances are, you’ve stumbled upon a few articles that describe Palm Fruit Oil as highly toxic and dangerous for pets. We completely understand why that would spark concern from loving pet parents. However, those articles have caused quite a few misconceptions to form about the overall safety of Palm Fruit Oil. So, let’s revisit how these concerns came about, and what it truly means for your favorite furball.

Palm fruit oil dogs

Beach Contamination

Many dog parents love taking their canine companions to the beach for fetching frisbees and fun in the sun. But sadly, not everything that washes ashore is Fido-friendly, as some beaches are located in areas where ships frequently dispose diesel fuel waste into the sea. Contaminated water is already appalling enough as it is, but it doesn’t just stop there.

This toxic ship fuel waste also contaminates Palm Fruit Oil, which is sometimes offloaded at sea by nearby companies that use the fruit for other purposes. As a result, the ship waste and discarded Palm Fruit Oil combine to take a gelatinous form that smells of petrol, which attracts dogs to sniff and even consume the oil. Needless to say, such contamination is highly dangerous, and poses a serious health risk to both people and pets.

Understandably, the news of contaminated Palm Fruit Oil (in the United Kingdom) traveled fast, which immediately caught the eye of pet parents that recognized Palm Fruit Oil as an ingredient used in pet supplements. In turn, that sparked frightened pet parents to conclude that Palm Fruit Oil, in general, is a life-threatening ingredient that should be avoided at all costs. But if you’re concerned, rest easy.

Palm fruit oil dogs

Can Palm Fruit Oil Really Harm Your Pet?

If those details about contamination make you cringe, trust us. You’re not the only one. But as you can see, natural Palm Fruit Oil isn’t the culprit, it's the associated diesel fuel and other contaminants that causes harm to pets. But still in all, let’s just hope that one day, ocean waters will stop being used as a dump for harmful chemicals that put our loved ones at risk.

The good news is, Palm Fruit Oil is completely non-toxic in its pure form. In fact, it’s so healthy that Harvard Health has described Palm Fruit Oil as having better fatty acid composition than Coconut Oil!

We can’t vouch for every brand out there, but at Zesty Paws®, we only use clean Palm Fruit Oil in our pet care products. To go the extra mile for your pet’s wellness, our Palm Fruit Oil is also RSPO SCCS certified for meeting the stringent criteria of sustainable palm oil. Lastly, all of our formulas go through a rigorous quality control process that meets Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards. That means if an ingredient were to ever fall short of our standards, it’s immediately destroyed and no longer used in our manufacturing facility.

We take these measures because we think pet parents should never have to worry about feeding their four-legged friends something unhealthy. After all, we have fur babies of our own as well, and we take pet wellness just as seriously as you do. So, if you have any additional questions about Palm Fruit Oil or some of our other ingredients and formulas, feel free to check out our infographic below or reach out to us at (800) 940-1972 or .

Palm fruit oil dogs

32 comments

December 29, 2020 at 09:35am

Hey Julia, we recommend this because sometimes when starting something new, it can cause some tummy troubles. The 1/2 dose recommendation is there to help gradually introduce it to them so that it isn’t all too much at once. <3

Zesty Paws

December 29, 2020 at 09:31am

Hey Linda! We have a lifetime 100% satisfaction guarantee backing ALL purchases from us, so simply reach out to us directly () and we’ll help you out!

Linda Dewhirst

December 29, 2020 at 09:28am

If I pet tries a product that does not work, can I return it? Thank you.

Julie Woodruff

December 29, 2020 at 09:30am

Why is it necessary to 1/2 the dose of the 8 in 1 vitamin initially and how long before you go to full dose?

Zesty Paws

June 29, 2020 at 12:09pm

Hey Delora! This sounds like a question that we would suggest reaching out to your vet about. We are not as familiar with soloxine as we are familiar with our own products, so your pup’s veterinarian would be the best one to ask about this. :)

Zesty Paws

June 29, 2020 at 12:08pm

Hi there, Oscar! I am happy to let you know that every ingredient (palm fruit oil and everything else) goes through third-party testing to ensure quality. If they do not meet our high standards, then we immediately destroy that batch and it is not used whatsoever.

I can also provide you with the assurance that most – if not all – of the members here at Zesty Paws used these same products with our own furry friends at home. I have personally given my dogs the Cranberry Bites, Salmon Oil, Turmeric Bites, Omega Bites, and Calming Bites. <3

Delora Livingston

June 29, 2020 at 12:08pm

My 7 lb female Pomeranian has high triglycerides. She is on soloxine for her thyroid. Will palm fruit oil help lower her triglycerides? What dosage should I give her?
Thank you for your time

Oscar Cuellar

June 29, 2020 at 11:59am

I am currently using the Omega bites for my dog since maybe 2 years ago from your brand and would like to start the probiotics but I am really concerned about the Palm fruit Oil. Can you please help me getting maybe more information about how do you manage to keep the high quality in your products and to be sure i am not harming my dog by feeding him your products? Thanks

Zesty Paws

May 28, 2020 at 08:36am

Hi Del!
We would love to help you out. Send us an email and we can help you out. :)

Del Boley

May 28, 2020 at 08:34am

We purchased Zesty Paws Liver Bites for our dog. He has chronic pancreatitis and is on a special fat free diet. How much palm oil is in these Zesty Bites?
Thank you
Del Boley

Zesty Paws

April 27, 2020 at 15:15pm

Hi Lauren!
That is a great question. :)
Our products are meant to be able to be combined, so there should generally be no issue with giving them 2 of our hemp products at one time. We always recommend consulting a veterinarian before adding anything new into your pup’s diet, just to be extra cautious! <3

Lauren

April 27, 2020 at 14:28pm

Can I give my dog 2 different supplements if yours that contain this oil? I give them the joint pills, and I’d like to add the allergy/immune pills. Is that safe?

Zesty Paws

April 24, 2020 at 12:24pm

Hi Rosha!
I want to assure you that we would never put something in our products that we know to be harmful to our fur babies. Most, if not all, of us here at Zesty Paws are pet parents ourselves that give these same chews to our furry friends at home. <3

rosha

April 24, 2020 at 12:19pm

Hi
is palm fruite oil bad for the liver dog ,cholesterol, triglycerides and heart?

Zesty Paws

April 13, 2020 at 16:06pm

Hi Kveron!
That is an excellent question! As explained in the article above, the palm fruit oil that you read about as being bad for our furry friends is not equivalent to what we put into our chews.
If you are still wary regarding the oil, we do have a few products that do not contain it! Feel free to email us directly and we can help you find our products without this ingredient. :)

Kveron

April 13, 2020 at 16:03pm

I had been reading that palm fruit oil is bad for our doggies and all your item have that in it what can I do now ?

Zesty Paws

December 09, 2019 at 09:40am

Hi there, Jackie!
Our Mobility Bites are one of our most popular products! We have not heard from any customers that they have experienced this issue.

In addition, almost, if not all, of us here at Zesty Paws are pet parents ourselves. We give our chews to our fur babies every single day. We would never give our pups anything that was not deemed safe, just as we would not want you to with your puppy pals. <3

Jackie Totin

December 09, 2019 at 09:20am

Quick question about the palm oil and pups who have kidney deterioration. Have your products been known to do further damage and harm or should I discontinue?

Thank you.
Currently we use your mobility bites.

Carol

August 22, 2019 at 15:55pm

Purchased tumeric/curcumin bites for my Cavalier who has lymphoma. Is it ok to give him these bites while he is on chemo. There seems to be different views on the internet.

Zesty Paws

July 01, 2019 at 16:11pm

Thank you for taking the time to read out blog post, Tamara! We value transparency and always want our customers to know everything that they are giving their sweet pup(s). If you ever have questions or concerns, I encourage you to contact us directly. We sincerely value your loyalty to our brand! :)

Zesty Paws

July 01, 2019 at 16:11pm

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our blog, Vicky! I am so sorry for any confusion and if you ever have questions or concerns, I encourage you to contact us directly. We value transparency and we will always do our best to answer any question that you may have. We also have a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our products which means we are happy to refund or replace anything that you are not satisfied with- we want our customers to purchase with confidence. I encourage you to reach out to us directly so that we can learn more about your sweet pup’s health goals. :)

Thank you for being a loyal Zesty Paws customer, Vicky!

Tamara Abrams

July 01, 2019 at 16:04pm

Thank you for the article about palm fruit oil. I feel good feeding any of your products to my dog. It seems Zesty Paws has the pets health in mind when they create the products. Quality ingredients make all the difference.

Vicky Miller

June 28, 2019 at 10:10am

I’ve been or was giving this to my 5 year old Terrier/Beagle mix for a little over a year. I had just purchased another tub (old label) and began seeing numerous articles that palm oil or palm oil fruit was highly toxic to dogs. As soon as the package was delivered I immediately threw it away. This was about 6 or 7 months ago. Actually, my dog loved these. After debating and reading more articles (especially the Zesty Paws article), I’ve decided to try it again. I’m ordering from Amazon. It’s in my cart but haven’t purchased yet. I’m elderly and disabled and on low income disability and I don’t get my check til the 3rd of each month. I plan to purchase that along with some other products on July 3rd. I really appreciate the articles that Zesty Paws published. I feel a lot better because all the other articles really scared me. My little dog, BabyGirl, is my life. She’s my whole world. Don’t know what I would do without her. I adopted her when she was 4 weeks old. THANK YOU AGAIN ZESTY PAWS for your articles explaining the facts of PALM OIL. As of now I will continue to by this product. I wish I could have found this informative article about 6 months ago before I threw away my last purchase. THANK YOU AGAIN !!

Zesty Paws

June 17, 2019 at 15:25pm

Thank you for reaching out and checking out our blog. :) Your sweet Puggle sounds precious. Our products are made with natural ingredients and are designed to work with any existing regimen your pup may be on. With that being said, I recommend consulting our product(s) with your Veterinarian that way he/she can make that call since they know your pup’s health history. I encourage you to reach out to us directly so that we can learn more about your pup’s health goals!

We appreciate you as a Zesty Paws customer, Lissa!

Lissa

June 17, 2019 at 15:07pm

My 13 year old puggle is currently taking Keppra (anti seizures). Is it ok to take this zesty paws while taking this med?

Megan Hoeffliger

May 03, 2019 at 10:09am

Thank you so much for clearing up the confusion about palm fruit oil! I wanted to buy your Zesty Paws multi vitamin on amazon but was worried about the palm fruit oil. I will go ahead with my purchase! Thanks! You sound like a company I would like to purchase more of my dogs foods from! Please send me information on your kibble for large breeds. Thanks!

Sheryl

March 29, 2019 at 16:19pm

Thank you so much for the explanation on the palm fruit oil. I have been giving this to 3 of my precious 4 legged friends and no way do I want to give them something that would make them I’ll down the road

Zesty Paws

March 19, 2019 at 10:38am

Hi Charlotte,

We are happy to address any concerns that you might have! We also don’t agree with clearing land and harming the environment and for that reason, we take steps to ensure that our standards of production are sustainable. Our palm fruit oil is RSPO SCCS certified for meeting the stringent criteria of sustainable palm oil. Please do not hesitate to contact us directly if you have any further questions or concerns. We’re always happy to lend a paw!

Charlotte

March 18, 2019 at 17:36pm

Thank you for the coverage. My concern with use of Palm oil is in sourcing. I don’t agree with clearing land and harming the environment including natural habitats for other animals. Can Zesty Paw speak to that issue please

Zesty Paws

March 07, 2019 at 14:00pm

Dear Regina,

Thank you so much for your response as I am so happy that you enjoyed our blog post. Our Allergy Immune Bites help tremendously for any environmental, seasonal or food allergies. It is really important to always start with only 1/2 or one Bite so that way you can slowly work this into your pup’s system so their body can become accustomed to the new supplement. By gradually working up to the recommended dosage, your pup can really take in the full benefits. As mentioned in the blog post, all of our ingredients go through a rigorous quality control process that meets FDA and GMP standards. With that being said, we also have a 100% satisfaction guarantee so that you can purchase all of our products with confidence. I encourage you to reach out to us directly so that we can learn more about your pup’s health goals. :)

Regina

March 06, 2019 at 12:03pm

Hello. Thanks for explaining the palm oil issues. I wanted to buy your pet allergy formula, but reviews about dogs getting sick with vomiting and diarrhea due to the palm oil present in the formula. My dog is being on apoquel for about a year, and I would really like to take her off ,since I know this medicine causes more harm than good. I like some feedback from you before I buy it.
Thanks.

Dave Fischer

March 01, 2019 at 10:38am

Thank You, nice job of explaining Palm Fruit Oil issue….

What happens when dogs eat palm oil?

Common symptoms following ingestion include vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, dehydration and in some cases pancreatitis – a potentially life threatening condition. Washed up palm oil can also cause blockages within the gut due to its semi solid state.

How quickly does palm oil affect dogs?

Vet - If you're concerned, take them to your vet. Palm oil is rarely fatal if consumed in food. If they've eaten palm oil that washed up on beaches, there is a higher risk of poisoning, so see your vet immediately. Most dogs fully recover after a few days, and it is rarely fatal, but you should still take caution.

Is palm fruit oil the same as palm oil?

Palm oil, or palm fruit oil, is a creamy liquid oil that's semi-solid at room temperature. It has traditionally been used for cooking because it handles high heat very well. It's also a common ingredient in baked goods, desserts, and sweets, adding richness and making a good alternative to margarine or butter.

Can dogs eat peanut butter with palm oil?

Palm oil is another product that some brands of peanut butter (usually those at the lower end of the price spectrum) use to substitute the more expensive peanut oil in their products, and while palm oil is not toxic or harmful to dogs in the same way that xylitol is, it is still best avoided.