From the moo to the woof? Can dogs eat milk and dairy products? In order to shed light on this, we have to look a little deeper into the Tetrapack.
Whether your dog is allowed to drink milk and whether he tolerates it are two different things.
Many adult dogs develop lactose intolerance or even a milk allergy.
In a nutshell: Can my dog drink milk?
Yes, your dog may drink milk occasionally! However, some dogs do not tolerate the milk protein contained in the milk and react to it with digestive problems or intolerance.
If you still want to give your dog milk to drink from time to time, try it out in small steps to see whether it tolerates it.
Why shouldn’t dogs drink milk every day?
Because most adult dogs just don’t take them well.
Puppies are suckled by the dog mother. In order to be able to digest breast milk, the enzyme lactase is produced.
As dogs age, they lose their ability to digest lactase. Intolerance often occurs as soon as the little ones are used to normal food.
Reading tip: You may wonder if dogs can drink buttermilk! Find out more about this topic in our article on «Can dogs drink buttermilk?» and get all the important information. Have fun while reading!
How much milk can my dog drink?
Does your dog love milk? Provided your canine pal doesn’t suffer from an intolerance, you can occasionally give him some milk to sip.
A rule of thumb: no more than 20 milliliters of milk per kilogram of body weight per day. Read here: https://barf-fuer-hunde.de/barfen/milchprodukte/
5 positive properties of milk for dogs
- Trace elements such as iron and zinc
- Calcium and phosphorus supplier
- high proportion of B vitamins
- Vitamin A,D,E and C
- potassium
The most common side effects when consuming milk
Similar to us humans, dogs can also react to lactose with an intolerance.
This is usually accompanied by nasty stomach pains and indigestion.
These are the most common side effects of consuming cow’s milk in dogs:
- Stomach cramps
- malaise
- constipation
- Diarrhea
- Vomit
Some dogs are allergic to milk protein
Dogs can develop an allergy to the milk protein contained in cow’s milk over the course of their lives.
Adult dogs no longer need milk to grow and as a result lose the ability to break down the milk protein.
A milk allergy can have the same side effects as lactose intolerance. If you continue to feed your dog milk anyway, the symptoms can become chronic in the worst case.
Can dogs drink lactose-free milk?
Lactose-free milk is just as good or bad for your dog as regular milk. It does not provide any particular added value – so it does not necessarily have to be in the dog.
Attention danger of poisoning!
Intolerance can also occur with lactose-free milk.
Reading tip: You want to know if dogs can eat cheese? In our article «Can dogs eat cheese?» you can find out everything about the tolerance and potential risks of eating cheese with your four-legged friend.
Can dogs drink goat milk?
Yes, dogs can drink goat’s milk. Goat’s milk even tastes good to many dogs!
However, the following also applies here: it’s better to start with a small amount and see if your dog tolerates the goat’s milk.
Goat milk powder as an alternative to milk
Goat milk powder is a wonderful alternative to cow’s milk!
The powder is often used in the rearing of puppies. It also has some advantages for senior dogs and, for example, for intestinal diseases.
Goat milk powder contains many vitamins, healthy fats and proteins.
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Dilute milk with water for the dog
You probably want to make the milk more digestible for your dog by adding water. We can tell you:
Nice idea, but doesn’t work. Unfortunately, the addition of water does not change anything for your dog’s digestive tract.
Tip:
Skip the milk and give your dog the water.
According to the animal lover motto: Save a cow, drink a water!
Is cow’s milk suitable for puppies?
Milk for puppies? Yes! But mom’s please!
As mammals, puppies need their mother’s milk to grow and develop into an all-round healthy dog. They are nursed until they are about 8 weeks old.
Little by little, however, puppies lose the ability to form the enzyme lactase. Without this digestive enzyme, dogs find it difficult to digest cow’s milk.
Is Milk Good for Canine Seniors?
Does milk wake up tired dogs? Quite simply: no.
Even in old age, milk is not easy for dogs. It is better not to give your senior milk to drink.
Good to know:
If you want to give milk to your elderly four-legged friend, it is best to do so in the form of goat milk powder or alternative milk products.
These dairy products are good for dogs
Yogurt: Thanks to the low lactose content, yoghurt is often better tolerated than cow’s milk. Try it, many dogs love yoghurt!
buttermilk: is great! It has a low fat content and due to its production, the valuable nutrients from cow’s milk are not lost.
Cottage cheese: The cream cheese made from cow’s milk is an optimal source of protein. It contains easily digestible protein and little fat. Just put a dab in the bowl from time to time – your dog will definitely be happy!
Quark: can be tolerated and utilized well by most dogs. Great alternative to pure cow’s milk.
Dairy products prohibited for dogs
- condensed milk
- sour cream
- cat milk
- baby milk
- Soy milk, almond milk and co.
how again? Can dogs drink milk – yes or no?
It is not absolutely necessary to give milk to feed your adult four-legged friend.
Some dogs suffer from lactose intolerance or milk allergy. If this is the case, under no circumstances should you give them milk.
Try out in small steps whether your dog tolerates milk. If so, you can occasionally offer him a small amount.
If you are unsure or have any questions, just write us a comment under this article.