Is drinking milk harmful to my dog?

Our question this week was:

Hi my poodle Harry is very partial to my cat's milk. I have heard milk isn't good for dogs is this true? And would the milk be doing him any harm.

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Sally Jones

Answer

Hi Sally – thanks for your email. You wrote that your poodle likes to drink dairy milk and wonder if it is harmful.

The answer is….if your dog doesn't have any symptoms and is doing well, (no vomiting, no diarrhea, eating well, normal bowel movements) then drinking the milk is probably okay. I wouldn't recommend it but if your question is…will it do him any "harm" then the answer is no.

There is nothing he needs from dairy milk and milk may not agree with some dogs.

However, there is a new product on the market that is lactose free milk called Milk-O-Pet. It is a milk product without the side effects associated with the traditional lactose containing milk.

Milk-O-Pet has been developed with veterinary nutritionists as a balanced treat for dogs. Dogs seem to love it and it provides electrolytes and balanced nutrients unlike many other treats on the market. Pet owners use it as a treat as well as for sick pets. They have found that Milk-O-pet may increase the amount of liquids a dog consumes when the dog is not getting enough hydration on its own. For more information on Milk-O-Pet go to: http://www.milkopet.com

Another article that might be helpful to you regarding human foods that can be a problem to pets is Dangerous Foods: Are They Harmful to Your Dog?

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra

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