Dairy or not!!!

[Mr Monty]

Hi, having mixed messages and would like some feedback

Monty loves any dairy products, Milk/scrambled eggs/yogurt/pasta/ice cream/cheese.

A friend advised me on the weekend that dairy products are a ' no go' with cavies and i would like some 'expert' advise coz he is the first CKC.

I started feeding him scrambled eggs from advise from a vet as he had a skin irritation, and the other food i have just been giving him to try and he seems to love it.

Can somone give me some indication if this type of food is dangerouse, he is a very muscular dog and wll never be overweight due to the amount of walks he has daily.

[Cathy Moon]

One vet told me that most dogs become lactose intolerant as they become adults. So milk products might not be a good choice to feed your dog.

I feed my cavs scrambled eggs every now and then with no problems. Eggs are not dairy products.

Some people feed their dogs yogurt with probiotics, but I found it doesn't agree with one of my cavs, although I sometimes give them bits of cheese for treats.

[MishathePooh]

If your cav tolerates dairy products without adverse affects (skin rashes, tummy upsets, etc), they are fine to give as a treat (but not large amounts). Also, eggs (though not dairy) are a great treat.

Dairy is anything milk or made with milk like cheese, yogurt, cream, etc.

[Karlin]

Milk is never a good idea -- it often causes diarrhea. Small amounts of yoghurt suit some dogs, and help with digestion according to some. Ice cream is loaded with fat and sugar and is NOT s good idea as a treat -- very rarely a small amount maybe but there are better choices he will like just as much.

Dairy products are one of the most frequent causes of allergies and food intolerances so in general, they shouldn't be a major part of a diet but a spoonful of yogurt on a meal, or using cheese as small treats, is generally OK with most dogs.

As other have noted eggs and pasta are not dairy products. Occasional eggs can be great for a dog -- basically it's another source of protein. Pasta can cause allergy problems in some dogs because of the wheat content. There's more on allergies and intolerances in the LIbrary section.

I'd advise on reading up o bit on nutrition and dog-safe foods -- they cannot eat the same things people can and some foods can be deadly -- turkey skin, raisins, grapes, chocolate, for example. Overly fatty foods can cause a serious condition called pancreatitis. Walks alone are not a cure against gaining weight -- even a couple of walks a day will barely begin to tire a dog or work off a heavy or fatty diet (believe me most of us cannot tire a cavalier out from walks! . You'd need two or so daily exercise periods of an hour or so of hard activity -- agility, constant fetch, etc, to even begin to tire a dog out!). You need to be feeding the right, balanced diet without lots of treats. There's some info and links in the LIbrary section and much will come up with a bit of googling, too!

[nursejess80]

I've never given Ruby any milk or cheese, but I sometimes put nonfat plain yogurt in a Kong treat and freeze it. She LOVES it! As far as any other dairy is concerned, I've just never really thought she needed it. She's only gotten shredded cheese if it falls on the floor and the little scavenger licks it up. She's got a pretty sensitive digestive system, but she's never had problems with the yogurt. In fact, my vet said it is probably good for her system. She only had problems with animal=fat products, which I found out the hard way when I gave her a bully stick....NOT a pretty sight.

[Caraline]

It depends upon the dog. I have always given all of my dogs dairy products and we've never had one become intolerant to it.

If you do decide you want to include some in the diet, then I'd suggest you start by offering only a tiny amount to see what happens.

It has actually crossed my mind that maybe what the cows are fed on has something to do with this. Lactose intolerance in dogs does not seem as prevalent here in Au as it does in other countries.

[MishathePooh]

Forgot to mention - goat milk products are much better than cow milk (though fattier usually). The proteins are smaller and easier to digest. Because it's easier to digest, it breaks down and leaves the system more quickly - thus not allowing lactose to "sit" in the digestive tract.

[Rosewoodsteel]

Hi, having mixed messages and would like some feedback

Monty loves any dairy products, Milk/scrambled eggs/yogurt/pasta/ice cream/cheese.

A friend advised me on the weekend that dairy products are a ' no go' with cavies and i would like some 'expert' advise coz he is the first CKC.

I started feeding him scrambled eggs from advise from a vet as he had a skin irritation, and the other food i have just been giving him to try and he seems to love it.

Can somone give me some indication if this type of food is dangerouse, he is a very muscular dog and wll never be overweight due to the amount of walks he has daily.

-Sounds like dairy isn't very good for our four legged friends.
However, I love scrambled eggs!! Do you have an extra room .