CAN DOGS EAT CHEESE? WHICH CHEESES ARE HARMFUL

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Last Updated on November 24, 2023 by Thee Puppypreneur

Table Of Contents

CAN DOGS EAT CHEESE?

Can dogs have cheese? The simple answer is maybe… because it depends on the dog, the amount of cheese and the type of cheese. Cheese with a high lactose amount (fresh cheese) could cause some dogs to have gas, diarrhea or upset stomach.

My fur kids have always eaten cheese and my little girl loves all things dairy but she has so many other allergens that I am surprised there are no side effects from the dairy. She has so many intolerances and allergies that I often wonder about her cheese consumption, but she prevails every time with no issues. I feed my 80-pound little girl cheeses such as;

Gouda
Muenster cheese
Swiss cheese
Cottage cheese
Havarti
Chedder
Gruyere
Ricotta
Cream cheese
Mozzarella

Of course, I feed her maybe a teaspoon to a ¼ of a slice or less and not every day, except sometimes I will utilize low-fat or non-fat cottage cheese in larger quantities. The other cheeses are used as a treat or snack and not included at every meal, as different cheeses contain different amounts of fat, with ricotta cheese and mozzarella being the lowest in terms of fat content.

LACTOSE INTOLERANT DOGS

If you have a dog that is sensitive to dairy products and has a lactose intolerance but you still want to try giving your dog cheese. It is best to stick to the harder type cheeses that have been aged for a while. The reason being that older cheeses tend to have less lactose in them as they age.¹ These cheeses consist of;

Swiss cheese
Gouda cheese
Parmesan cheese
Chedder cheese
Cottage cheese
Feta cheese (goat’s milk)
Yak cheese (these are dog chews)

HEALTH BENEFITS OF FEEDING YOUR DOG CHEESE

There actually could be health benefits associated with feeding your dog cheese as it could possibly help your furry friend lower their risk of developing cancer, as it has been found in studies in as little as 2 slices of hard cheese a day.

Certain hard cheeses such as Gouda cheese

“contain a form of vitamin K called vitamin K2 (the scientific name is menaquinone) that is both antiangiogenic (blood vessel-inhibiting) and also kills cancer cells directly.”² ³

Vitamin K2 has many health benefits ranging from cardiovascular health, to being able to affect bone mineral density,

“studies in cultured cells, animal models, and humans have shown that vitamin K2 is more effective than vitamin K1 in improving bone health.”⁴ ⁵

What this means is vitamin k2 could possibly even help aging dogs with bone issues. The above study found that K2 helped decrease the loss of bone mineral density in the legs of rats and K2 has also been used as a treatment in osteoporosis in rats.

CAN DOGS EAT GOAT CHEESE?

Goat cheese is generally regarded as being easier on the digestive tract as it contains less lactose. It should also be noted that goat cheese is also on the lower end of fatty cheeses and therefore is one of the cheeses dogs can eat.

CAN DOGS EAT YAK CHEESE?

There are Yak treat chews available for dogs that are made out of a combination of Yak and Cow’s milk and they are aged thus removing the lactose and making a tough chew treat for dogs. You can check out these all-natural, organic chews from

Amazon.com : Native Pet Yak Chews for Dogs (3 Medium Chews). Pasture-Raised and Organic Himalayan Churpi Chew. Long Lasting, Low Odor, and Protein Rich Reward Treat. : Pet Supplies

CAN DOGS EAT BLUE CHEESE?

Can dogs eat blue cheese? Well, blue cheese isn’t an issue in my house as I can’t stand the stuff. However, blue cheese has a specific culture in it to make it moldy. Although this culture is safe to eat for humans it produces a bacteria called Roquefortine C which can make your dog sick. It is just best to stay away from Blue Cheese.

CAN DOGS EAT VEGAN CHEESE?

Vegan cheese is also a tricky one depending on the type of cheese and the ingredients. Vegan cheeses are mostly oil and nut based. Meaning fat and more fat. If you are insistent on feeding your dog vegan cheese check the ingredients and the fat content….BUT! You really should be checking all the ingredients and fat content with all the cheeses to begin with.

WHAT DOGS SHOULDN’T EAT CHEESE?

If your dog has health issues its probably best to consult with a vet before adding any cheese treats to your dog’s diet. Cheese contains large amounts of sodium, especially processed cheeses. Also, as mentioned earlier certain cheeses are high in fat and cholesterol. While certain cheeses also contain high amounts of protein with Parmesan ranking the highest in terms of protein content. Typically, if your dog has any of the following issues you will want to be cautious;

Pancreatitis (fat content)
Heart condition (sodium content)
Hypothyroidism (4 hours before or after thyroid meds as dairy can interfere with absorption)
Lactose intolerance/sensitive stomach
Kidney disease (protein content)

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