Milk. Yes or no for puppies

[TheWhitePhoenix]

Hi all....I have two cats that I give some milk to every morning they love it..but so does my Puppy Mushu....I heard it can give him worms. True or False? Thanks

[Copper'sMom]

Not sure if it'll give him worms! I'm sure someone else here will know for sure. Cats shouldn't have milk either because they do not have the enzymes to digest milk. It'll give them an upset tummy and possibly the runs!! I know they just love it, but it's not really good for them!

[Puppyluv]

From all I've heard, the worms thing is a myth. But milk is a major allergen for dogs. It can cause diarrhea and major stomach cramps. Even if your puppy is fine with it now, he can develop the intolerance later in life. A lot of vets even reccomend not giving your cats milk, and if you do, to only give it to them sparingly (think of it as kitty junk food). It has almost no nutritional value to them ( a cat fed milk alone would die) and many cats are also lactose intollerant.

[doggy lover]

Pasturized milk will not give dogs worms, but it can give them diarrhea and cramps like puppyluv said, same for cats. People say that milk gives dogs worms because puppies get worms from their mothers milk, if the mom has worms it is passed through the milk. Cows milk and pet milk is different, I believe it has something to do with the lactaid (sugar) in the milk of cows. Pet milk doesn't contain this and that is what the pets have problems digesting, giving them the diarrhea and cramps. Just like a person who is lactose intorlerant.

[Beetlecat]

As they grow up, most mammals become lactose intolerant, either severely or partialy, so it could affect them the same as many humans, cramping and difficulty digesting lactose (a type of suger in milk).

The only reason so many humans can drink milk and eat dairy products is due to a rogue mutation in our European ancestors which made them lactose tolerant (or more accuratly did not cause them to lose the enxyme that breaks down lactose in adulthood)

Most adult mammals cannot digest lactose because milk is (theoretically) rarely drank after weaning and the body sees no sense in continuing to waste resources creating an enzyme that is not used.

I woulod suggest feeding it rarely or in small amounts as a treat.

[Roxy's_MA]

For your cat you can buy a product called cat milk. It is made by Whiskas. I have given to my cats as a treat and they loved it.

[TheWhitePhoenix]

Thanks for the responses everyone! My cats are about 15 years old and they don't get diareah or stomache cramps otherwise I wouldn't give it to them. But my pup Mushu, after reading info here, and since he is still only a pup I will stop it. He doesn't get diareah or stomache cramps but he is still very young. Thanks again all.

[BeagleMum]

I was always told to never give cats or dogs milk. I have given my cats the box of cat milk but nothing other than that. I am not sure what milk would do to a dog but I really don't think that they need it.