The fact that yogurt is good and safe for human consumption doesn’t guarantee the same for dogs. Before including yogurt in your dog’s diet, take a look at the properties of yogurt.
Easy to make and delicious on the palette, yogurt is great for human consumption. Taken almost like medicine, this cool and creamy dairy product can fix digestive problems and boost immunity in more ways one can imagine.
As a pet parent, you wonder whether your dog can benefit from the probiotics just like you do. If you’ve found yourself asking, can my dog eat yogurt, here’s your answer.
Yes, yogurt is safe for dogs. Being a great source of calcium, dogs get their daily dose of bone-strengthening nutrients from yogurt. Also packed with proteins and probiotics, a moderate amount of yogurt will line your dog’s gut with healthy bacteria.
On a hot summer day, yogurt keeps a dog’s gut cool.
Puppies often enjoy snacking on frozen yogurt cubes. The best way to decide whether your dog can eat yogurt is to see how well it digests it. Being toxin-free, yogurt is a safe go-to probiotic for dogs.
Also Read: Can Dogs Eat Yeast Dough?
Can yogurt kill a dog? Absolutely not.
Like all foods, yogurt has unique properties. For some dogs, yogurt acts as a homemade remedy against digestive issues while it causes gas and bloating for others. Find out the pros and cons of feeding your dog yogurt before adding it in your dog’s daily diet.
Yogurt was created and has been consumed for over 5000 years now! Clearly, eating and making yogurt never goes out of style.
Your dog’s gut is lined with a microbiome that consists of health-promoting bacteria. Yogurt helps keep your dog’s gut intact.
If your dog’s recently taken antibiotics to ward off infections, probiotic-rich yogurt restores good bacteria into the lining of the gut.
Dogs with skin problems and yeast infections benefit greatly from consuming a moderate amount of yogurt daily.
Yogurt absorbs essential nutrients and minerals. Adding it to your dog’s diet also makes the immune system stronger.
An excellent source of calcium, yogurt maintains good bone health in dogs. Low-fat and plain Greek yogurt is a great way to treat dogs who are lactose intolerant.
Calcium from yogurt improves muscle function, strengthens teeth, and prevents bone degeneration in dogs.
Every dog needs a protein-rich diet. Yogurt contains tons of proteins that help your dog build muscle and improve body mass and nerve function.
Yogurt also aids in cell production which helps heal wounds faster.
Yogurt’s silky, cream-like texture and consistency can make even the most ordinary meals more interesting and appetizing to eat. Sometimes, dogs get bored of eating dry kibble or their usual meals. Garnishing the meal with a touch of yogurt might do the trick.
I didn’t eat the yogurt …. It must have jumped and splatted on the window #DogsofTwittter #dogsoftwitter #pets #CAT AND DOG #home pic.twitter.com/xQPuBRIsSM
— xoloreeva (@xoloreeva) September 6, 2021
While yogurt improves digestion, it can be heavy for dogs who are lactose intolerant. Too much yogurt can then have an opposite reaction resulting in diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, and stomach cramps.
According to veterinarian Dr. Emily Cross, “Safety and efficacy have not been shown for yogurt products in dogs and cats. More importantly, yogurt contains other ingredients, like dairy, and dogs can be intolerant to that level of dairy.”
Yogurt is essentially made out of milk which can be fatty for a dog’s system.
It is best advised to go through the nutrition label on the product to check for calorie and fat content. Too much fat can cause pancreatitis or other severe fatal illnesses.
While pasteurized yogurt is safe for humans to consume, the process of heating food items to extremely high temperatures can affect the quality of the food itself.
Unfortunately, most yogurts are pasteurized and this can further suppress your dog’s immune system, increasing the risk of unwanted infection.
Ideally, Greek yogurt is the best kind of yogurt for your dog. It is low on fat and lactose. An amazing option for dogs that are severely lactose intolerant, greek yogurt is completely toxin-free and fresh. It also contains a higher percentage of proteins and live cultures.
You could always go with regular yogurt but it’s best when it is plain and fresh. Yogurt brands that contain additives, artificial sweeteners, and food color, can have negative effects on your dog’s system.
If you’re keen on giving your dog yogurt, check the label to ensure it doesn’t contain xylitol. Commonly found in artificial sweeteners, this toxin can cause stomach ulcers, constipation, and other digestive problems.
Can dogs eat yogurt with fruit? Yes. They can have yogurt with fruits, but not with citrus fruits. Vitamin C is not good for dogs.
If you want to add some fruit to your dog’s diet, include peaches, sliced apples, and berries like strawberries and blueberries.
Also Read: Can My Dog Eat Blueberries?
Can dogs eat yogurt every day? Yes.
Yogurt can be a part of your dog’s daily diet as long as it is low-fat, lactose-free, toxin-free, and sugar-free.
This is why Greek yogurt is a safe bet when it comes to feeding your dog yogurt every day. It contains active, live cultures that are easy on your dog’s system.
How much yogurt can you give a dog?
Check with your vet about how much fat and calorie intake is good for your dog on a daily basis. On average, a spoonful of yogurt works well for small-sized dogs. Double the quantity for medium sized, and a maximum of 3 spoons for large dog breeds.
How much yogurt can you give your dog per day depends on its metabolism, underlying health conditions, and the nutritional value of all the food it consumes per meal.
So if you were wondering, can my dog eat Greek yogurt, the answer is yes. It is the safest and best type of yogurt to give to your pet.
Adding yogurt to your dog’s diet is all about balancing a meal with probiotics. While too much yogurt is harmful to dogs, the right amount and the right kind can work wonders.
A digital marketing expert by profession, Andrews is a gifted writer and animal lover at heart. A self-confessed "pawrent", Andrews is well-versed in all things dogs. He uses his years of experience of raising puppies into show-quality dogs to help guide first-time pet parents. He believes in spreading the joy that comes with being a dog dad and advocates more families to adopt pets.
