Drinking milk has many benefits. Both human beings and dogs enjoy drinking milk. Milk is rich in vitamins and good for bone density.
Milk can be a good dietary product if it suits your dog, but it is going to suit your dog’s health or not is questionable.
Can German Shepherds drink milk?
It depends. Just like human beings, many dogs including German Shepherds are allergic to dairy products, milk being one of them.
According to the American Kennel Club, no matter how good it is for the health, drinking too much milk may not be good for German Shepherds as they have a very sensitive stomach and too much milk can trigger digestive issues on them.
Milk intake should always be under the supervision of the vet. Ask your vet how much intake is enough for dogs on a daily basis.
Puppies already have the lactose enzyme within them, and if they are introduced to too much milk, they will produce less of these enzymes and can become lactose intolerant.
Read: How to feed a German Shepherd puppy
Health benefits of milk for German Shepherds
- Milk has vitamin B12 which helps produce new blood cells and promote intestinal health. Vitamin B12 is very essential for a healthy brain and nervous system.
- Vitamin D available in milk helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorous.
- Puppies need calcium in their body and milk is a good source of calcium, it keeps the bone strong and muscles. It also promotes metabolism.
- Protein is required for puppy’s development and growth and provides energy to your dog. It is also good for better immune system.
What happens when your German Shepherds drinks too much milk?
Too much milk intake causes lactose intolerance in German Shepherds. German Shepherds can have ice cream occasionally. But consuming many dairy products in a single day turns out to be harmful for German Shepherds.
German Shepherds will show gastrointestinal problems within 12 hours of consuming milk or milk product if they are lactose intolerant or have had too much milk. This should be the alarm for you that something is wrong.
Whenever you face this kind of problem, the best solution is to visit your vet. They will provide you first aid and will be able to give better advice.
Too much milk in the body will absorb too much phosphorus from their body, which can be dangerous for German Shepherds. Too much milk can also cause weight gain.
Read: Best Wet Food For German Shepherds
Symptoms of lactose intolerance in dogs
Many dogs suffer from lactose intolerance when they are exposed to too much dairy products such as milk. Following are some symptoms you will notice if your German Shepherd is developing lactose intolerance:
- They will suffer from gas problems.
- They will show signs of abdominal pain.
- Loose stools.
- Bloating.
- Too much fat causes vomiting and diarrhea.
What milk is good for German Shepherds?
There is a variety of milks available in the market to choose from. It can be sometimes difficult to decide which one is best for your dog or which one they can be allergic to.
First on the list is almond milk made with lot of nuts. It is recommended to never give almond milk to dogs as it is made with a lot of nuts, which can be toxic to German Shepherds. Almond milk is also hard to digest, it can cause digestive issues.
Goat milk is somewhat safe for German Shepherds. It is easy to digest and German Shepherds mostly don’t have any allergic reaction from goat milk.
Nowadays everyone is switching to soy milk and people are feeding dogs soy milk as well. Soya is found in a lot of dog food so it is not recommended to give soy milk to them because they already are having a lot of soya in their meal. In general, soy milk is not harmful to German Shepherds but they might develop allergic reaction overconsuming it.
When it comes to plant based milk, coconut milk is not at all recommended for German Shepherds as it is too much processed and have a lot of additives.
Normal cow milk is traditionally given to German Shepherds and it does not have any harmful consequences if given in a moderate level.
Read: Best Dry Food For German Shepherds
Conclusion
German Shepherds can definitely consume milk if given in a moderate level. Cow milk is used to for feeding German Shepherds for a long time now and till date it is seen as the best option. It is affordable and easily available.
Read: Best Dog Food For Your German Shepherd
If any dog has any allergic reaction, then it is a different topic but overall it does not have any negative effect on German Shepherds body.
Does not matter which milk you are giving, it is not harmful as long as you are maintaining the proportions.