What Is Pet Milk: Is It Safe For Your Pets?

Milk and dairy products have significant benefits for humans. It is rich in Calcium and Vitamin D, which can help keep your bones and teeth strong and healthy. When you are putting milk into your favorite morning coffee, it can be a little tempting to give some to your pets, too. But before doing so, you often ask these questions, is milk safe for my pets? What is pet milk? Can my pet drink milk? And so on.

When you try to picture out a pet drinking milk, most of you will imagine a cat contentedly licking up some out of the bowl. So, you may be surprised to know that cats really shouldn’t be poured a bowl of milk. What out your beloved pooches, can they drink milk too? When it comes to whether dogs can drink milk, the quick answer is that it depends. Just like us humans, our pets can also suffer from lactose intolerance. In this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of giving your dog milk.

But, can your dogs drink cows milk? The answer is yes, cows milk is OK for dogs on rare occasions and in small quantities. However, please do remember that some dogs have difficulty taking in and digesting lactose, a natural sugar found in dairy products. This can cause digestive problems not only to dogs but also cats and humans, too.

If your furkid has an intolerance or even an allergy to dairy products, then the traditional cow’s milk may not be the most suitable choice for your dog. How do you know how much milk to feed your dog? Read on to find out.

How Much Milk Can Dogs Drink?

Aside from what is pet milk, another question most dog owners ask is how much milk can dogs drink?

Milk can be a safe treat to dogs in small quantities. A few tablespoons of goat or cow's milk on an occasional basis can be a nice reward for your fur baby. But, you should not offer your dog an entire bowl in one seating as this may cause diarrhea, vomiting, and loose stools. Milk is high in fat and natural sugars. Too much fat in your dog's diet may lead to obesity and pancreatitis, which are considered severe conditions for your canine.

Goat’s milk for dogs

We’ve discussed cow’s milk for your dogs, but what about the other kinds of milk? Can dogs drink goat’s milk?  With the growing popularity of goat’s milk as another option to cow’s milk, many dog owners are questioning if this is a healthier and safer choice for their dogs. When compared, goat’s milk is higher in some nutrients like potassium and calcium, but lower in others, such as folate and vitamin B12. Goat’s milk has somewhat a smaller amount of lactose than cow’s milk.  

Goat milk advocates say that because of the variation in its fat and protein properties, it is easier to digest than cow’s milk. Dogs are also less prone to allergic reactions when they drink it.

The bottom line is, moderation is key.

Dogs and Lactose Intolerance

What is pet milk? Is it the same as human milk? Well, yes, milk in whatever form is a dairy product. Dairy products, specifically milk is the leading source of food intolerance in dogs. Most canines are lactose intolerant, which means they have trouble digesting milk. Lactose-intolerant dogs have difficulty taking in milk, but some can handle dairy products like plain yogurt and cheese, which are usually easier to digest than milk. Others have adverse reactions to dairy in general.

How to Know if Your Dog is Lactose Intolerant

Dogs can have various degrees of lactose intolerance; some might feel only mild symptoms, while others, in other cases, might be more severe. The most common symptoms are of lactose intolerant in dogs are:

• Loose stools
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea

If your dog shows these signs and symptoms after drinking only a small amount of milk, you should stop feeding it. Consult first your trusted veterinarian before introducing something new to your dog’s diet. 

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