oops i gave my dog milk and he now his stool is very runny,i thought milk was good for every living thing?

Question

what could be wrong?the milk is brand new and everything,im confused,im concerned about my chihuahua/terrier mix,cause he is going through kennel cough but i thought milk was healthy and safer than the nasty unsafe water,oops my bad

he also threw up all his food from earlier,

Answer 1

Yep, your bad--but unfortunately your dog is the one with diarrhea! ( I don't intend to sound mean!) I thought most everyone knew that milk is not good for cats and dogs. I have a fox terrier/chihuahua mix too, and I never give my dog milk to drink because it almost always causes diarrhea in pets. There is a myth about cats liking and needing milk that is incorrect too--it gives them diarrhea as well. Cow's milk is actually not a good food for just about anyone, human or animal except for calves, but the dairy industry has us convinced that we "need" to drink milk and eat dairy products. A majority of the human population is intolerant to dairy products too, and it causes us diarrhea, constipation, gas and bloating, and other not nice things. Next time, call the vet if you have any questions about what to give the dog. Usually just dog food is a good diet for them. I hope your dog gets better soon!

Just curious--what kind of terrier is your dog? Is he short or long-haired? My dog was immunized against kennel cough when I bought her from the Humane Society in July, but she seems to have picked it up along the way anyway. It's been difficult to get rid of. Have you got any ideas about getting rid of it?

Answer 2

yep it's not good for your dog. this will happen. they don't tolerate the lactose in it. give you dog plenty of water until it subsides. if you get worried about him, then call your vet. oh how i'd love to hear the responses from all the people that say oh just give him milk it won't hurt. i give it to my dog all the time. yeah some dogs are fine. but some aren't. this is why anyone should talk to their vets, and not listen to anyone who can log onto the internet. as for you and your pup, i'm sure he'll be fine. it doesn't matter how fresh the milk was. dog's do not tolerate milk. just give him plenty of water and limit his food intake for the next feeding. good luck.


grey fox, i've been allergic to milk since birth. i'm a mammal and human. my ancestors were dairy farmers for 4 generations. not sure where you got your info here.

Answer 3

Milk is not good for dogs. Cows milk is much too rich and can upset a dogs digestive system and make them have problems. I would work with him to help over come the fear of water. Introduce small amounts and make it fun. Give lots of love, rewards and praise when he is near water. Show him it won't hurt him and he will take to it. The dog will get thirsty enough and drink. Keep fresh water available and he will drink. He may go near it when you aren't looking. I've had dogs who liked to "sneak" water. Meaning that they only drank when they thought nobody was looking.

Answer 4

Sorry your dog has kennel cough, that must be rough for him. Milk is not good to give dogs or cats for that matter. As you found out they have trouble digesting it and they will get diarrhea. If your water is unsafe to give him, then it's off to the store to buy gallon jugs of water. And plenty of it Our cats and dogs occasionally get bottled water, like when they super chlorinate the water. Who wants to drink bleach water. Our exotics always get bottled water never tap. If it doesn't clear up in a couple of days call your vet.

Answer 5

I am amazed at most of the answers that say dogs should not drink cows milk. Yet humans drink cows milk all the time and think that is perfectly normal!

Cows milk is designed specifically for baby cows so that they will grow and gain weight. A mother dog's milk is designed to make a puppy grow and gain weight. A human mother's milk is also designed for a human baby.

Yet we, as humans, try to create "cross-milk drinkers". A cow's milk is not healthy for a human. A human's milk will not work for a cow.

As to your dog, this problem should pass. The kennel cough is unrelated.

Answer 6

Absolutely not! Dogs are not able to digest lactose, and dairy is never good for them. All dogs should have free access to fresh water at all times, why do you think your water is unsafe? If its from the tap it should be fine. It shouldn't affect the kennel cough in anyway, as long as he's being treated properly for that.

Answer 7

Mammals drink milk just fine....until they grow up.

Most mammals grow to be "lactose intolerant" around the time they are adolescent, because in the wild, the only time mammals drink milk is when they are infants.

Lactose is milk sugar, and it is ONLY found in milk. Lactose intolerance represents the body stopping it's production of the enzyme that digests lactose.

Since it is sugar that the body cannot digest, it is digested by bacteria in the colon, and this causes a massive surge in those bacteria, often resulting in gas and problems with stool.

Humans are the one exception, but in fact, a HUGE number of humans are partially or very lactose intolerant after puberty. The reason humans are the exception is evolution...if your ancestors raised livestock, such as goats or cows, you have a very high likelyhood of being able to digest milk sugar for your entire life.

Answer 8

I'm human and I can't drink it....by the way,I've never heard of giving a dog milk.

Answer 9

milk is terrible for dogs and even cats! it makes their tummy run and can even dehydrate them very badly. you must take your dog to the vet asap!! a dog that small will die of dehydration!!it needs a hydrating injection really soon or youll have a problem on your hands!
please take your baby to the vet!please!!

Answer 10

His loose poop should pass as soon as the milk is out of his system..If it isn't better by 24 hours, then feed him boiled rice and lean minced meat (hamburger) until he is normal