Can you give milk to dogs and what is the right way to do it?

Not being born light, all mammals in the first days and even months of their life, feed on mother's milk. Dogs are no exception in this matter. Small puppies drink mother's milk 10-12 times a day for 10 days, and after 30 days from the moment of their birth, their daily frequency of dairy meals is reduced to 5-6 times. After a month of age, babies begin to introduce the first complementary foods, but milk still remains in their diet and is the main component of their diet... As adults, many dogs retain a love for milk and dairy products and enjoy eating them.

Since newborn puppies do not have teeth, and their gastrointestinal tract cannot fully process coarse fibers and hard-to-digest fats, they need milk to feed them. Besides, by consuming mother's milk, the puppy develops an immune system, and calcium and phosphorus, which are part of such food, help to form a strong skeleton and teeth of the dog.

To break down milk protein, the puppy's body contains a special enzyme called lactase, and when the dog becomes an adult, it produces little of this enzyme, and sometimes it is completely absent. Therefore, the main indication for the use of milk is the early age of the animal.

For For the milk to be absorbed, it is best for dogs to drink dog's milk... Babies at an early stage of development cannot digest foreign proteins contained in cow or goat whey, so only mother's milk is optimal for them during breastfeeding.If you start feeding the puppy with a dairy product that is alien to him, then this will cause various disorders of digestion and assimilation of food, the animal will experience a deficiency of nutrients necessary for its life support.

Bovine whey contains three times less milk protein, fat, phosphoric acid and iron ions than dog milk. If such a product is given to an adult, then there will be no damage to its nutrition, since the animal also receives other food as part of its diet. But for puppies, such food will be inadequate, therefore, they additionally need to introduce a raw chicken egg into the composition of cow's milk - this will increase the calorie content of cow's milk and increase the set of nutrients necessary for the development and nutrition of babies. However, due to the high lactose content of these diets, puppies may develop diarrhea.

A contraindication to the use of milk in food for a dog is indigestion, accompanied by loose stools, and dairy products are also contraindicated if the animal has an acute food poisoning or intestinal infection. Milk in such a situation will only aggravate the pathological processes and will not bring any benefit to the dog's body. A healthy adult animal can drink any milk, but this should be done infrequently, as there is a risk of developing allergies or diarrhea.

Any milk contains an increased amount of calcium ions. There are dog breeds in which there is a tendency to form oxalates when consuming dairy products. Oxalates are mineral deposits that form stones of various sizes, and they are found in the kidneys of a dog with urolithiasis. The oxalate stones being inside the kidney, under certain conditions, have mobility and cause pain to the animal. In addition, the stones can block the lumen of the ureters, causing acute urinary retention in the animal's body, followed by symptoms of increasing intoxication. Most of all, Yorkies, miniature schnauzers, dwarf poodles, Shih Tzu and Bichon Frize are prone to the formation of oxalates. For these breeds, the use of milk and fermented milk products is completely contraindicated after the termination of their breastfeeding period.

Some dog breeds suffer from an allergic reaction after drinking milk. This problem most often affects animals with a white coat. Setters, bulldogs, boxers, terriers, Dalmatians are considered the most prone to allergies. Pugs, lapdogs and papillons are very susceptible to milk protein.

In certain dog breeds, after drinking milk, the intestines become severely bloated due to gas. German Shepherds have this reaction to milk proteins. To prevent the animal from developing diarrhea and dehydration, these dogs in adulthood, knowing their peculiarities of the body, are not given milk at all.

Milk can enter a dog's body in different ways. For example, after 20 days of life, puppies are moistened with white bread crumb or milk porridge is cooked from crushed cereals for complementary feeding.

Some adults are absolutely indifferent to dairy products and even refuse to use them themselves, but there are also such dogs who have retained a love for milk from childhood. Veterinarians recommend in this case to consider the following points:

• for feeding pregnant and lactating dogs, it is best to use goat's milk, and cow's milk is diluted with water;
• if the dog has an intolerance or allergy to dairy products, they can be replaced with lactose-free special formulations;
• if the animal does not tolerate dairy products, you must completely refuse the dog in its use.

Veterinarians believe that with poor assimilation of milk by the dog's body, it is most advisable to switch to fermented milk products. It is believed that such an addition to the diet is more beneficial for the animal's body, but only if the fat content of the food does not exceed 1-3%. Such products can be cottage cheese, kefir, sour cream or yogurt. Fermented milk food improves the beneficial microflora of the dog's intestines and stimulates its work.

Milk yoghurts or ice cream are not recommended for dogs of any age, as these products are high in sugar, starch, dyes and fats. Cream with a fat content of up to 10% can only be used in diluted form when feeding puppies who have just been weaned. In total, a puppy needs 1 teaspoon of whole cream daily.

An adult dog, depending on its size and weight, is given half to a whole glass of whole milk once a day. For puppies up to 2 months old, 80-100 milliliters of milk per day is enough, from 2 to 4 months it is allowed to give 220-250 milliliters of milk, and after 4 months veterinarians advise to drink kefir for babies, but on condition they have normal digestion and correct stool.

In the last weeks of pregnancy and already lactating dogs to replenish protein and fat components in their body, as well as to enhance the lactation process, milk and dairy products can be added to the main food. A nursing dog, depending on its breed and weight, can drink no more than 1 liter of milk per day. Of course, for miniature dogs, this limit is much less. You can determine the correct daily dose of milk for your pet by consulting your veterinarian.

In the event that you notice your pet's desire to consume fresh milk, you can treat him with a special lactose-free product. You can buy such milk in special veterinary pharmacies or pet stores. This product will not harm an adult animal, it can be safely fed to a dog without fear of causing vomiting, diarrhea or food allergies.

The line of lactose-free milk is produced by food manufacturers familiar to all dog breeders: Canina, Royal Canin, Nutri-Vet, Brit Kea, Trixie. This product is released in freeze-dried form. Before giving it to the dog, it must be slightly diluted with warm boiled water. The manufacturer indicates the proportions for dilution for each product on the packaging. Dilution of the freeze-dried powder with water does not at all impair the taste and aroma of the milk obtained from it, and dogs willingly consume this drink at almost any age.

If you are unable to find lactose-free products, then when choosing natural milk, make sure that the product is fresh before giving it to your pet.It is best to purchase whole goat or cow's milk from trusted suppliers so that you know for sure that their animals do not have mastitis, brucellosis or other serious diseases. Ideally, for the safety of your dog's health, the milk he will drink should be pasteurized or boiled.

Next, watch a video with veterinarian advice on how to feed your dog milk.