Can dogs eat cheese? The answer is Yes. If you have dogs and ever eat cheese, you know how much your pet will beg for this popular dairy food. While some dogs can successfully eat small amounts of cheese on an occasional basis, be careful. You might find that your dog won’t be able to tolerate this indulgence.
As a dog owner, I know how much trouble it can cause if you give your pet the wrong kinds of food. Don’t get carried away if you try to give your pooch cheese. Start with tiny bits, if you give them any at all.
Let’s find out everything you need to know about cheese and dogs, including:
Are Dogs Lactose Intolerant?
Be careful when you first try giving your dog cheese, as he may be lactose intolerant. It’s true that cheese doesn’t have anywhere near the same level of lactose as whole milk; it will still be a problem if your dog has lactose intolerance.
When you first try to give your dog a little cheese, watch him carefully. If you notice he has any kind of intestinal upset, this may mean your dog has lactose intolerance, and you shouldn’t give them any more cheese in the future. If your dog becomes ill, you may have to get him veterinary attention. You can call your veterinarian for advice.
Lactose intolerance is more common in dogs than you might imagine. In fact, it is one of the most common canine food intolerances. When an animal is lactose intolerant, it means they have problems, sometimes severe ones, in digesting products with lactose. This includes milk, cheese, and other products that contain dairy milk.
Dogs that have mild lactose intolerances may be able to have cheese, but absolutely not milk. You can try to give your dog tiny bits of cheese, but be careful.
Can Dogs Drink Milk?
As mentioned earlier, dogs often have lactose intolerance. Even if they don’t, they should only have very small amounts of dairy products. If your veterinarian gives you permission, you can give tiny amounts of goat milk or maybe even cow milk to your dog as a treat. But only do this on an occasional basis.
Never try to give a dog a whole bowl of milk. If you can find goat milk, you can give more of it to your dog than you would be able to cow milk. This is because goat milk doesn’t cause the same kinds of problems with lactose intolerance.
What are the Signs of Lactose Intolerance in Dogs?
If you ever give dairy products to your dog, oversee him for any symptoms of lactose intolerance. These may include diarrhea and loose stools, vomiting, gas, and abdominal pain. If the symptoms are severe, it will cause a great deal of distress for your beloved pet.
Never try to give your dog any kind of dairy product, even in small amounts, until you ask your veterinarian.
Is Cheese Nutritious for Dogs?
As long as you only give your dogs tiny amounts of cheese on an occasional basis, it does offer some nutrition for your pet. It is rich in calcium and zinc, phosphorus, protein, vitamin A, and vitamin B12.
Don’t assume the nutritional profile of cheese will be as beneficial for your dog as it is for you, though. In fact, it isn’t as beneficial a food overall for dogs as it is for you.
Your dog doesn’t have the same amounts of lactase as you do. Lactose is an enzyme essential for successfully breaking down the lactose in dairy products). Because of this deficiency, you should limit how much cheese you give your dog if you give it to him at all.
What Happens When a Dog Eats Cheese?
If your dog eats cheese, the consequences will depend on how well he can tolerate lactose and dairy products. If your dog is like many others of its species and has problems with lactose, there will be negative consequences. This will be especially severe if you try to give your dog an excessive amount of cheese.
Some possible consequences of ingesting cheese or too much cheese may include diarrhea, loose stools, vomiting, gas, and abdominal pain. If you think your dog is suffering the consequences of eating lactose when they’re lactose intolerant, contact your veterinarian for advice. If your dog is seriously ill, he needs medical attention.
If you ever give your dog cheese, check the sodium level first. As we’ll learn later, too much salt can be dangerous and even deadly for dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Mozzarella Cheese?
Mozzarella cheese is a popular cheese in the United States, and so many American dog owners find themselves asked for a piece of their mozzarella cheese by pets. This cheese is the main cheese used on pizza. It’s a relatively soft but still quite firm cheese, and it isn’t aged for a long time.
Mozzarella cheese was originally invented in Italy. In Europe, you may find Mozzarella made from water buffalo milk. In the United States, however, your mozzarella cheese is likely made from cow milk.
As mozzarella isn’t among the cheeses that lactose-intolerant people can sometimes enjoy without issues, there’s no difference between giving this and other kinds of cheese to your dog. If your dog has an intolerance to other kinds of cheeses, they will likely have the same problem with mozzarella.
If you want to try treating your dog to a little bit of cheese, mozzarella is probably a good choice. That is because it’s milder than many other kinds of cheese, especially more aged ones.
Can Dogs Eat Dairylea?
No, you shouldn’t give your dog Dairylea. This cheese is much higher in salt than other kinds of cheese. If your dog begs for cheese and you want to let him try a little bit, find a lower salt cheese.
It is bad for your dog to eat foods that are high in salt. If a dog ingests too much salt, they could end up with sodium ion poisoning. Dogs that have been given excessive salt may experience serious symptoms, such as diarrhea, vomiting, high temperatures, seizures, and tremors. Depression is another potential effect. In extreme circumstances, death may be a consequence.
Can Dogs Eat Cheese Rind?
Dogs often beg their owners for a treat when they smell cheese rind. Unfortunately, a cheese rind may be high in salt. As too much salt can be dangerous for canines, be highly cautious before thinking about giving them any of this food.
Different kinds of cheese rinds have different characteristics. Sometimes they may include paper, wax, or even cheesecloth. It goes without saying that these are things your dog should never eat. They may lead to serious digestive issues.
Some pet owners have made their dogs sick by giving them cheese rind, thinking it was better to let their dog eat it than throw it away. Don’t make this mistake. Just toss it in the garbage and save your dog from getting ill and having to visit the vet.
What Kinds of Cheese Can Dogs Eat?
Many dogs are lactose intolerant. Also, cheese is often high in sodium, and this is potentially dangerous for dogs. If you ever want to treat your dog to cheese, only give them a tiny bit at a time. Only give them a cheese that is low in sodium, and that is a milder variety.
One kind of cheese that we often have success giving dogs (in limited amounts) is cottage cheese, as long as it’s low-sodium. This is key. Some kinds of cottage cheese contain quite a lot of sodium, and this can be dangerous for your dog.
Low-sodium cottage cheese as an occasional treat can give your dog extra vitamins, calcium, and protein. There are also probiotics in this kind of cheese. You can also try to occasionally give your dog a little bit of low-fat cream cheese without any additional flavoring.
Be aware that onions and garlic are toxic for canines, and some kinds of flavored cream cheese contain these ingredients. Take time to carefully read the ingredients of any and every food you give your dog, even in small amounts.
Goat cheese is another cheese you can give your dog as a treat. This is because goat milk is much easier for dogs (and humans) to digest. That is why it’s so popular with people who have cow milk intolerances.
As always, check the label for sodium content. You should never give your dog too much sodium, as it can lead to dangerous health issues.
Can Puppies Eat Cheese?
We’ve already learned about how cheese may adversely affect dogs. If you give it to them, it should be in tiny quantities. You need to be even more careful with puppies. Puppies have more sensitive stomachs, and it could be more dangerous if they end up with symptoms of lactose intolerance such as diarrhea or vomiting.
Puppies may also suffer more severe circumstances if they ingest too much salt. If you’ve given any cheese to your puppy and he appears to have symptoms of lactose intolerance and/or excessive salt ingestion, contact your veterinarian immediately. Avoid giving your puppy any kind of cheese. It’s much safer.
Is Cheese Bad for Dogs?
Yes, cheese may be bad for your dog. If a dog has cheese, it should only be tiny bits as a treat once in a while. One reason why it’s bad is the fact that dogs tend to be lactose intolerant. It may also have negative effects because of too much sodium.
Dogs should only have small amounts of a mild, low-sodium, and low-fat cheese as an occasional treat. If you give your dog too much cheese and/or the wrong kinds of cheese, you may end up giving him health problems.
Blue Cheese is Dangerous for Dogs
One kind of cheese you must absolutely ensure never goes in your dog’s mouth is blue cheese. In fact, you should never give your dog any kind of “ripe” or moldy cheese, as it can be toxic for canines.
This is because of the mold that is throughout blue cheese and other kinds of moldy cheese. The mold creates Roquefortine C, which is a mycotoxin that can poison your dog. If you discover your dog has eaten a tiny bit of this cheese, keep an eye on them.
Contact your veterinarian right away if there are any symptoms of poisoning, such as diarrhea, vomiting, or seizures.
Can Dogs Eat Cheese Pizza?
No, you shouldn’t give your dog cheese pizza. There are ingredients in cheese pizza, including cheese, that may cause health issues for your pooch. Your dog may be lactose intolerant, and if they eat all the cheese on cheese pizza, they may end up with serious side effects, such as diarrhea and vomiting.
Pizza also tends to be high in sodium. Sodium can be dangerous for canines. Another potential problem is wheat intolerance. The crust of your pizza may contain this ingredient. If your dog ingests pizza crust containing wheat, they may end up with several different problems.
Wheat intolerance symptoms in a dog may include a dull coat, skin redness, and flakiness, as well as skin itchiness. There is a long list of other kinds of symptoms a dog may have when dealing with wheat intolerance.
A few of these include vomiting, diarrhea, head skating, inflammation of the ears, and sneezing. Some of the more severe symptoms are seizures, breathing problems, and behavioral issues. If you see your dog licking his front paws excessively, it could be a result of wheat intolerance.
Contact your veterinarian right away if you think your dog is having a wheat-intolerance reaction to a food you’ve given them. I know Fido probably goes crazy whenever the pizza delivery person comes to the door, but don’t give him even a small bit. Find another dog-suitable treat to give him instead.
Another problem with pizza is the toppings that go on it, such as onions and garlic. These foods are toxic for canines. Also, think of the enormous amounts of salt in sausages such as pepperoni. Never give this to your dog, no matter how much he asks for it.
Can Dogs Eat Cherries?
Another food we sometimes wonder if we can give our dogs is cherries. Let’s face it; Fido always wants to eat whatever you’re having. But that doesn’t mean you should say yes and hand it over.
The fact of the matter is you shouldn’t give your dog cherries. They can cause several potential problems and dangers. There is cyanide in the cherry leaves, stems, and pits. Yes, seriously, cyanide. If your dog ends up eating large amounts of cherries, this can be especially dangerous.
While some kinds of cherries, such as maraschino cherries, are pre-prepared and have their pits removed, they are full of sugar. You don’t want your dog to ingest the amount of sugar found in maraschino cherries. It’s bad for their teeth and overall health.
If your dog has eaten one cherry, he will probably be fine. There won’t be enough cyanide in that for there to be health problems. However, do watch out for if your dog has any kind of reaction. Some of the symptoms of a potential problem may include constipation and not producing feces as often, less appetite, vomiting, and even intestinal blockage.
Cherry pits can cause intestinal blockage. If you know your dog has ingested a cherry pit, watch him carefully for at least a full day. Even if he just swallowed a tiny pit, there may still be a problem if he’s a small dog.
As a dog owner, you should be aware of symptoms of cyanide poisoning. This may include dilated pupils and difficulty with breathing. Your dog’s gums may turn bright red. Call your veterinarian immediately if you at all suspect your dog has cyanide poisoning. As always with pets, it’s better safe than sorry.
The Right Foods Are Essential for Your Dog’s Health
As a pet owner, it’s your responsibility to give your dog foods that will keep him healthy and happy. While some dogs can enjoy small amounts of mild, low-sodium cheese as special treats, be careful. You don’t want to make your pup sick.
If you think you’d like to give your dog a tiny amount of an appropriate cheese for occasional treats, talk to your veterinarian first. You should get this professional’s permission and advice before offering your canine companion any cheese.
In fact, you should consult with your vet whenever you introduce any new kind of food in your pet’s diet. You will need to be ready for any potential problems.
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