I know that milk isn't good for dogs, but what about other dairy foods?

Question

IE; cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, etc. And if other dairy foods are okay, what is it in milk that's not?

I know all about the fact that you shouldn't feed dogs people food in the first place, but that isn't my question.

Answer 1

Unless your pet has been raised eating dairy it can give him a truly nasty bout of diarrhea. If it goes on for too long they can become dehydrated. If this is an adult dog that has never had dairy do him a favor and don't give it to him. If it is a puppy, you should know that dairy is loaded with fat and you could end up with a very chubby dog, not healthy. It has nothing to do with people food, it has to do with digestive abilities. You can actually feed your dog many fruits and veggies in moderation of course. People food thing refers mostly to feeding the dog at the table, from your plate. You can end up with a dog that drools on your feet while you're trying to have dinner.

Answer 2

I'm sorry to contradict what the others have said, but, I have Great Danes that, from time to time need yogurt or cottage cheese. My older male had runny stools all the time when I got him two years ago. Not only that, but, he also ate feces (called cacophagy). I did research online and found that there are digestive enzymes in yogurt that help to alleviate those symptoms. I started putting yogurt into his food (along with taking him off of the crummy food his previous owner had been giving him) and both ended. I had to give him at least a tablespoon of yogurt twice a day for more than a year to get his system normal. (I've also fed my dogs what I call 'beef-sicles': frozen raw meat, usually either beef heart or kidney.)

When I've forgotten about cottage cheese that I bought for myself, to the point where I question if it's still fresh enough for me to eat, I've fed it to him and his son (who, incidentally, also used to go into the pasture to eat horse poop) and that stopped the poop eating.

Now, I don't know if you consider goat's milk dairy or not, but, when my female had her puppies, I bottle fed the runt goat's milk when the momma stopped nursing him. He grew as big as the rest of the litter by six months old.

Answer 3

the milk thing is an enzyme that most animals loose after they have been weaned. very small quantities should not be harmful though they may effect the consistancy of poop. And no ice cream, especially not chocolate. The do have dog ice cream in the ice cream section of stores.

Answer 4

Milk is for baby COWS...thats why so many people are alergic to it...dogs are too. They can't break down the components of it very well. Cheese is bad for dogs too. No idea about yoghurt and icecream but I guess once in a while wouldnt hurt anything much.

Answer 5

Feeding your dogs yogurt with active bacteria aids digestion - it needs to be non-fat, no-sugar added. Mine get about 1 tablespoon every day.

Answer 6

almost all dairy isnt good 4 dogs.