Are Cheese and Ice Cream Safe for Dogs?
Some dogs have no problem eating cheese, ice cream or any other dairy product.
While others experience acute digestive upset…
Such as gas, bloating, vomiting or diarrhea, whenever they eat these common people foods.
How a dog responds to dairy products depends on the animal’s ability to digest a specific nutrient found in milk.
A nutrient known as lactose.
Lactose is a type of sugar. One consisting of 2 sugar molecules that are tightly linked to each other.
In order for a dog to SAFELY consume dairy products…
The lactose these foods contain must first be split into TWO digestible sugar molecules.
The animal must be able to produce its own lactase… a natural enzyme that can split lactose into two easy-to-digest sugars.
They can’t produce their own lactase.
Without this critical enzyme, dogs cannot digest dairy products.
It’s this inability to produce lactase that causes the infamous digestive condition known as lactose intolerance.
Final thoughts on dogs and dairy
Dairy isnt a nutritionally complete snack for your dog, so it should only be included in your dogs diet as a rare treat, if at all. Your dog wont suffer at all if dairy is never included in its diet.
The most common problem with dairy products is lactose which may be a problem for your dog to digest. While not all dogs will experience lactose intolerance, some breeds are more prone than others. And determining this comes down to a process of trial and error to see what affects your pups tummy and what doesnt.
Its never a good idea to include dairy as the main ingredient in your dogs diet, even if your dog handles lactose without any problems. Dairy is very high in fat and can lead to weight gain and even pancreatitis.
Always supervise your pup when introducing a new food, and always begin with a tiny amount. If you see any signs that your dog may be experiencing digestive upset or any other lactose intolerance or milk allergy symptoms, discontinue dairy.
As always, rely on your veterinarian to guide you in diet matters, especially if your dog is on medication or undergoing treatment for any existing condition. Share this Article
But How Come Some Dogs Get Sick after Drinking Milk?
Although weve established that dogs are not lactose intolerant, its vital to point out that not all milk products are created equal. After all, a mothers milk cannot be compared with the milk we purchase in stores. Its all about the way we treat our cows. Unfortunately, over the past few decades, our cows have been fed inappropriately while being treated with hormones and antibiotics. Thats why parents who care about their dogs safety advocate for the return of humane, organic, small-scale dairy farming!
The problem goes even deeper than the improper treatment of our cows. Nowadays, genetics make it harder to determine what sort of cows milk our dogs should consume. Research has unearthed that many American dairy cows, especially Holstein cattle, are now producing a protein called A1 beta-casein, which was proven to cause health issues like indigestion, allergies, digestive upset, and going as far as autoimmune disorders. The A1 beta-casein replaced the original A2 protein found in other dairy cows. Finding healthy cows milk has become even more challenging, which is why we recommend going back to the roots of organic dairy farming!