Do you enjoy cheese with a glass of wine? Do you shave off a square to sprinkle on your dish on Taco Tuesday? As a cheese and dog lover, you are faced with a conundrum. Every time you hold a chunk in your hand your furry companion looks up and wants a piece too. Is it OK to give in? Can he/she enjoy that salty, creamy, and often indescribable tasting treat along with you? There are a lot of questions surrounding this culinary topic for canines, and below are the answers you’re looking for.
Cow and goat milk contains approximately 4.5 to 5% lactose. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) confirms that the average female dog (when lactating to feed pups) produces milk with 3.1% lactose.
You can clearly see that the higher level found in dairy industry sources can overwhelm a canine’s natural constitution. So coming out of the gates dogs’ gastrointestinal systems are not outright prepared to manage common cheeses that you may have in your fridge.
That said, given that your dog is already accustomed to lactose (even if in a more diluted form) from feeding after birth, and likely in their adolescence through a variety of puppy and dog foods, there is a good chance that they can tolerate it in moderation.
Why allow it if there is a question about their ability to properly digest it? Because dairy (cheese included) can be an excellent source of protein, amino acids, and calcium, all of which are listed as essential nutrients by the veterinarian industry. On that note, we highly recommend that you confirm whether or not your dog is able to tolerate lactose with your own vet prior to making cheese a staple in their “treat regime”. If in the clear, you can certainly include it as long as you also consider the next point below.
As alluded to above, cheese can serve as a healthy treat for your beloved dog, as long as it’s delivered into their diet appropriately. The CVMA states:
“Pets with milk intolerance can still partake of dairy products under certain circumstances. For example, dairy products such as cheese (including cottage cheese) and unpasteurized yogurt usually have the lactose removed or have it partially broken down through bacterial action. As a result, these products are often well tolerated by cats and dogs that would otherwise get diarrhea after drinking milk.”
The mention of cottage cheese is the key. It is the safest form of cheese for most dogs and contains the nutrients that you want them to benefit from. Within approximately a 100-gram serving of cottage cheese, there is 11-grams of quality protein. Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University reports that a canine’s nutrient profile should have a minimum protein count of 4.5 g/100 kcal for adult dogs and 5.63 g/100 kcal for puppies.
Cottage cheese also contains all of the essential amino acids required for it to qualify as a complete protein. Amino acids are also important to your dog’s own preferences. If you recall in our prior article about the healthiest treats for dogs, we reported that dogs can tell when their food lacks a single amino acid and in response will avoid eating it. Lastly, cottage cheese also boasts 83 mg of calcium per 100 gram serving, which contributes (with other food sources) to your dog’s 1,000 mg of calcium per day requirement.
So when it comes to allowing cheese in your dog’s diet, cottage is the way to go. Still concerned about that pesky lactose? We can do you one better. The cottage cheese that we do include in some of our treats, is homemade from lactose-free milk. That’s right. Your best friend gets all of the nutritional benefits of cheese without the negatives. Beyond that - it’s quite delicious as a dog treat ingredient, even for those with a fickle palate.
If you plan on adding (or continuing with) cheese in your furry companion’s diet be sure to do so the right way. Have a look at our delectable multi-ingredient dog treats and choose ones with a nutritional profile that you’re most comfortable with.
