Goat’s milk is a trending dairy product not only for people, but for dogs as well. Goat’s milk is a great source of nutrients for dogs and is safe for those who may have trouble digesting cow’s milk. Goat’s milk is also available raw, which makes it a great addition to a dog’s raw diet.
What are the health benefits of giving your dog Goat’s Milk?
When choosing a goat’s milk for your dog, it is important to pick a high-quality product.
The goats should be pasture-fed and not receive antibiotics. It is also critical that the milk is raw, not pasteurized.
Some products have added ingredients but can also be good options as long as they are healthy, natural foods (and your dog has no allergies to any of them).
The Problem with Powdered Goat’s Milk
Goat’s milk powder is an alternative to fresh milk, but it lacks many of the benefits of fresh milk.
For example, the probiotics in goat’s milk powder may not be alive, or they may be easily destroyed by the stomach before they reach the gut, making them useless.
In addition, because the milk is processed, your dog’s digestive system will react to it differently than it would to fresh milk.
What About Kefir?
Kefir is a type of fermented goat milk that contains even more probiotics than regular goat milk.
The probiotics in kefir are especially helpful for dogs with skin conditions and recurring allergies. You can purchase kefir or make your own using unpasteurized goat milk.
start providing your dog with the benefits of goat milk as soon as possible. Give her a small amount to begin with, and see how she responds.
Many dogs have no trouble digesting goat’s milk and may enjoy it as part of their regular diet.
If you want to give your dog an occasional treat, goat’s cheese is a good option. Just keep in mind that cheese has a higher fat content than milk, so it shouldn’t be given as a replacement for raw milk or kefir.
1. Suitable for Lactose Intolerant Dogs
Dogs may have difficulty digesting cow’s milk because it has been pasteurized. Pasteurization removes the lactase enzyme, which is needed to digest the lactose in milk.
Dogs who are lactose-intolerant lack this enzyme. In contrast, raw goat’s milk still has the lactase enzyme because it has not been pasteurized.
2. More Digestible
Goat’s milk is also more digestible than cow’s milk for a few reasons:
The fat particles in goat’s milk are smaller than those of cow’s milk, meaning that your dog’s stomach can break them down into a soft curb more easily. This allows your dog to digest the milk in just 20 minutes.
Secondly, goat’s milk is packed with probiotics and enzymes, which improve the balance between good and bad bacteria.
This means that if your dog has a naturally sensitive gut, goat’s milk will aid her digestion as a whole.
3. Natural Anti-Inflammatory
If your dog is suffering from inflammation, goat’s milk can help. The enzymes in goat’s milk can reduce the bacteria causing inflammation in her gut.
They also reduce inflammation elsewhere in the body, relieving discomfort. For this reason, goat’s milk is also ideal for dogs suffering from food or environmental allergies.
Goat’s milk also helps to repair gaps between the cells in the gut caused by previous inflammation. This prevents leaky gut syndrome where pathogens and bad bacteria are able to enter the body and cause an array of health problems.
4. Gain Weight
Dogs who have suffered malnutrition, such as rescue dogs, recover more quickly when they receive goat’s milk.
This is because goat’s milk has high amounts of protein. The delicious flavor is also appealing to even the pickiest of dogs, including dogs who are sick, old, or weaning puppies who are initially resistant to eating solid food.
5. Effective Antacid
Goat’s milk is high in potassium, which makes it a great natural antacid. This means that it can help your dog maintain a healthy pH balance throughout her digestive system.
