Can dogs eat plain yogurt?

In this small blog we will discuss whether “Can dogs eat plain yogurt?”. When answering this question, we will also talk about the benefits and care that should be taken when adding yogurt to the dog’s diet.

Can dogs eat plain yogurt?

Dogs can eat yogurt, but some care must be taken. Yogurt is a super common food in the human diet which makes it possible to be a food that many dogs have contact with too. Since many tutors end up giving a spoonful of this type of food to their animals.

However, many tutors wonder if this food is suitable for dogs. In addition, there is a question whether this food brings benefits to the health of animals. For this, it is always indicated that a veterinary nutritionist is consulted before adding any human food to the dog’s diet.

What is plain yogurt?

Plain yogurt is a type of dairy product. Yogurt is basically composed of milk and bacterial culture. The microorganisms present in this culture may act as a probiotic for dogs. However, the other yogurt compounds such as lactose, fat and coloring and flavoring agents used in some commercial yogurts can harm the dog’s health.

Yogurt is an extremely nutritious food, in addition to the Lactobacillus that make this food an excellent type of natural probiotic. Plain yogurt is an extremely nutritious food for dogs’ diets. The main components of yogurt that bring health benefits to dogs are:

• Proteins

• Vitamins

• Minerals

Proteins

Yogurt is a rich protein food. And the proteins in the diet of dogs is fundamental for the strengthening of the muscular structures and bone system. In addition, proteins can improve the immune system and stimulate the production of some hormones.

Vitamins

The main vitamins present in yogurt are vitamins B, C and D. These vitamins are essential to keep the dog’s heart healthy. In addition, these vitamins can have an antioxidant effect by reducing the production of free radicals, thus strengthening the dog’s body defense system.

Minerals

Yogurt is a source of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium. These minerals are responsible for the correct functioning of bones, muscles, joints, and teeth. That’s why it’s important that these minerals are not lacking in the dog’s diet. These minerals avoid serious health problems due to the deficiency of them.

How to offer plain yogurt to dogs?

The ideal yogurt for dogs is fat free, lactose free and skimmed yogurts. Yogurt can be ingested by dogs, but for these animals it is recommended to use yogurts without flavorings or dyes. So only natural and whole yogurt can be used for dogs.

In addition, dogs can be considered lactose intolerant. Dog milk has less lactose when compared to cow’s milk. And after the puppy stage, dogs stop producing the lactase enzyme that is responsible for the lactose degradation. Yogurts with lactose can further stimulate diarrhea in dogs.

The presence of dyes and flavorings in the long term can bring several harms to the dog’s health. The amount of sugars and fat can contribute to metabolic changes, which can lead to obesity and problems such as dogs diabetes. That’s why industrialized commercial yogurts should be avoided.

Can plain yogurt be used as an aid in the treatment of diarrhea in dogs?

Yogurt can be an added food to the dog’s diet with diarrhea. In humans, many people talk about the use of yogurt to help with gastrointestinal motility, and yogurt is often indicated by doctors to help control diarrhea.

In dogs it is not much different. Natural lactose-free and skimmed yogurts can bring many benefits to dogs. Because yogurt is rich in Lactobacillus, which are microorganisms that have probiotic action, thus stimulating the correct functioning of the dogs intestines, reducing diarrhea.

Thus, yogurt can be a type of replacement of gastrointestinal microbiota in cases of diarrhea in dogs. However, non-skimmed yogurts with lactose, additives and preservatives can worsen the dog’s diarrhea. So, if the animal starts a diarrhea frame, look for a veterinarian for better treatment of the animal.

The bottom line!

Plain yogurt can be used in the dog’s diet as a natural probiotic, as long as there is an indication of a veterinary nutritionist. However, some types of yogurts and in excessive amounts can harm the health of dogs.

When a dog has diarrhea, a veterinarian should be consulted. And if necessary, the vet can add plain yogurt to the dog’s diet. Thus, the animal can have a correct diagnosis of the causes of diarrhea in addition to the appropriate treatment, avoiding the death of the animal due to complications of untreated diarrhea.

Other FAQs about Yogurt that you may be interested in.

Is Unsweetened Yogurt Keto Friendly?

Can I use plain Greek yogurt instead of ricotta?

Can you eat expired activia yogurt?

What can I use instead of yoghourt?

Conclusion

In this short blog we discussed whether “Can dogs eat plain yogurt?”. When answering this question, we also talked about the benefits and care that should be taken when adding plain yogurt to the dog’s diet.

Citations

https://www.purina.com/articles/dog/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-yogurt