Can Dogs Eat Cheese? Yes But Avoid These Ingredients

Can dogs eat cheese as a healthy snack you can grab out of your refrigerator or is there a slow danger that these tasty cheese treats you give your dog could cause health problems like obesity over the years because you didn’t notice the toxic ingredients in cheese or check out the high calories per ounce which could put your dog at risk.

Read this article and find out what ingredients to avoid in cheese to keep your dog healthy. These insights and tips about cheese will help you prevent your dog from the risks of kidney damage, heart disease and obesity.

Can Dogs Eat Cheese? Yes, but Avoid these Ingredients and Cheeses

You may already know about the extra calories in cheese, however here’s some ingredients in cheese you also should avoid:

Garlic – Your dog may react to garlic and have an upset stomach or diarrhea. You should avoid any cheese that contains garlic, onions, chives and leeks which are all part of the Allium family and known to be poisonous to dogs.
Fat – Avoid cheeses with high fat content like Boursin, Brie and Cheddar. Too much fat can lead to pancreatitis and obesity.
Salt – Can dogs eat cheese with salt? Your dog can become dehydrated and dizzy when he eats cheese with too much salt. Other signs of salt poisoning may be excessive thirst or urination, kidney damage, high blood pressure, seizures, diarrhea and vomiting.
Blue Cheese – Avoid blue cheeses like Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Stilton. The coloring in blue cheese is caused by Penicillium mold cultures which can be poisonous to your dog.

2 Health Dangers of Cheese

Lactose – Your dog may be lactose intolerant. This means your dog can have gas, bloating, and diarrhea when he eats any type of cheese.
Antibiotics – Dairy products like cheese may reduce the absorption of some antibiotics such as doxycycline.

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Note: Because of the above dangers of lactose, you may want to use peanut butter instead of cheese to give your dog a pill.

3 Good Cheese Choices for Your Dog

Cheese contains benefits like calcium, protein, essential fatty acids and vitamins that can keep your dog healthy. Now you have the answer to “Can Dogs Eat Cheese?”

You can choose one of these 3 healthy cheeses as a treat for your dog.

Cottage Cheese – You can feel good when you choose cottage cheese as a treat for your dog. A quarter-cup of cottage cheese gives your dog protein and calcium with only 50 calories and no fat or salt.
Aged cheeses – Cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan cheese have low levels of lactose, however they are high in fat.
Goat cheese – You can give your dog goat cheese because it’s low in lactose and may work for your lactose-sensitive dog with your vet’s approval.

Safe Amounts of Cheese to Give Your Dog

1/2 ounce 3 times a week – dogs under 10 lbs
1 ounce 3 times a week – dogs 10-50 lbs
2 ounces 3 times a week – dogs over 50 lbs

Can dogs eat cheese?

You’ve read what cheeses to avoid and now you have 3 healthy cheese choices to give your dog that will protect him from the dangers of calories, salt and fat.

Share this article on cheese with your friends and family so they have the information they need to choose the best cheeses for their dog.

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