Greek yogurt is loaded with probiotic cultures, which help to promote a healthy gut. That’s one of the primary reasons why nutritionists recommend the yogurt for humans.
Similarly, for our canine companions, pet owners can explore options like probiotics chews to support their dog’s digestive health. These tasty chews provide a convenient way to enhance your dog’s overall well-being through the power of probiotics.
If you’re a dog owner, you must have observed that your pooch always displays some curiosity each time it spots you enjoying your Greek yogurt.
Indeed, dogs have a penchant for begging for human foods. And the pitiful face they put up as they beg for food might make you offer some Greek yogurt to your canine friend.
But before you do, you should ask yourself the all too important question, can dogs have Greek yogurt?
The technical answer is yes, dogs can have Green yogurt, and there are no immediate adverse effects to expect. Unlike cats, dogs can safely eat dairy products. Not only will your canine friend love the delectable taste of Greek yogurt, but it will also benefit from the food’s rich nutritional profile.
However, seeing as dogs are carnivores, you must take certain precautions while offering Greek yogurt to your pooch.
Read on as we unpack the topic of Greek yogurt and dogs. Some of the areas we’ll discuss include the benefits of Greek yogurt for dogs, possible side effects, and how best to administer the food to your pooch.
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Is Greek Yogurt Good For Dogs? A Look at the Benefits
Is Greek yogurt healthy for dogs?
Now, we’ve already alluded to the probiotic cultures that are abundant in Greek yogurt, which contribute to the health of your dog’s gut. So, that makes Greek yogurt healthy for dogs.
But even in light of that information, you might still be wondering to yourself, is Greek yogurt safe for dogs?
To help explain that further, we’ll go over some of the health and dietary benefits of Greek yogurt.
1. Promotes The Health of Your Dog’s Gut
As we’ve already mentioned, Greek yogurt is loaded with probiotics.
Probiotics are basically healthy bacteria that promote a healthy gut, boost your dog’s immune system, and combat gastrointestinal issues, such as vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
And that begs the question, can dogs eat Greek yogurt for diarrhea?
Yes, Greek yogurt smoothens your dog’s stomach and intestines, thereby helping to relieve diarrhea. The bacteria in Greek yogurt help to restore gut microflora while also working on stomach irritation.
Unless your dog is highly lactose-intolerant, you can safely administer Greek yogurt for the dog’s upset stomach, diarrhea, or other gastrointestinal issues.
On the same breath, will Greek yogurt give my dog diarrhea?
Now, having just highlighted that Greek yogurt is a remedy for diarrhea, it may sound contradictory to state that the same food can cause diarrhea. Unless of course, you offer your pooch more Greek yogurt than it should have.
When it comes to Greek yogurt for dog diarrhea, first establish the cause of diarrhea, then prescribe Greek yogurt to your canine friend in moderation.
Besides boosting the internal health of your dog, the probiotics in Greek yogurt can also combat yeast infection, as well as skin and ear infections.
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2. High in Protein
Greek yogurt is packed with protein, which might help your dog in various ways.
Protein plays a crucial role in the formation and health of your dog’s coat and skin, muscle and cartilage, bones, and blood.
Protein is also used in the production of energy, as well as the transfer of oxygen across the dog’s cell membranes and tissues.
3. Boosts Your Dog’s Overall Health and Immunity
Another notable benefit of Greek yogurt for dogs is that the yogurt contains calcium that improves the overall health and immunity of your dog.
Calcium contributes to stronger bones and maintains the health of your dog’s vital organs, such as the heart, kidney, pancreas, and liver.
But can dogs with pancreatitis eat Greek yogurt?
Pancreatitis refers to the inflammation of the pancreas. The condition usually occurs when the pancreas doesn’t release its digestive enzymes to the digestive tract. Instead, those enzymes turn on the organ and begin digesting its tissues.
Greek yogurt plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of your dog’s vital organs. Therefore, it can help to relieve pancreatitis as well as prevent the condition from happening.
The following are other ways your dog can benefit from an occasional snack of Greek yogurt;
The yogurt contains Vitamin B12 that helps with the formation of blood cells, DNA synthesis, and brain functioning.
Potassium helps to lower your dog’s blood pressure by balancing out the levels of sodium in the dog’s body. That’s especially helpful for obese and diabetic dogs, as well as dogs with heart conditions. So, can diabetic dogs eat Greek yogurt?
Yes, they can. The yogurt’s ability to manage blood pressure and blood sodium levels might escalate the recovery process for diabetic dogs.
The presence of iodine in Greek yogurt facilitates thyroid function.
Having examined all the possible health and nutritional benefits of Greek yogurt, is Greek yogurt ok for dogs?
The following sections shall help to put that into perspective.
Is Greek Yogurt Bad For Dogs? Potential Side Effects to Watch Out For
We’ve already reviewed some of the numerous ways your dog might benefit from eating Greek yogurt. However, some concerned dog owners might still be wondering, can I feed my dog Greek yogurt or will the dog develop health issues?
When it comes to dogs and Greek yogurt, as is the case with most human foods, moderation is key.
Remember that the many Greek yogurt benefits for dogs that we’ve highlighted above only apply if you serve the yogurt to your canine friend in small portions.
Exceeding the recommended intake may cause your dog to suffer from one or more of the following complications.
1. Gastrointestinal Issues
While Greek dog is low in lactose, it can still cause lactose intolerance for dogs, especially if the dog is already intolerant to dairy products.
Some of the symptoms of lactose intolerance include;
Nausea and vomiting, Diarrhea, which often leads to dehydration, Bloating, Abdominal pain, Fatigue, and Bowel and bladder incontinence, especially for dogs that aren’t well potty-trained.
2. Allergic reactions
Besides digestive issues, your dog might also develop allergic reactions from eating Greek yogurt.
This mostly happens if you’re offering Greek yogurt to the dog for the first time, which underscores the importance of introducing dogs to Greek yogurt carefully.
Symptoms of a Greek yogurt allergy range from skin problems (such as itching, rashes, and hives) to irritable behavior like excessive licking and chewing of the paws.
Can Dogs Eat Greek Yogurt Or Regular Yogurt?
Another common question related to Greek yogurt and dogs is, can dogs eat plain Greek yogurt?
Well, in any plain Greek yogurt vs. plain yogurt contest, Greek yogurt easily carries the day.
Greek yogurt boasts numerous advantages over regular yogurt. Most notably, its probiotic effect.
Also, Greek yogurt comes with significantly reduced fat and lactose compared to your regular plain yogurt. And that begs the questions, is non-fat Greek yogurt good for dogs and can dogs have non-fat Greek yogurt?
Yes, one of the best Greek yogurts for dogs is one that’s low in fat.
You can offer low-fat Greek yogurt to your pooch without worrying about the dog gaining extra weight or suffering from conditions that are often triggered by high blood cholesterol.
So, dog owners who’ve always been wondering, “can dogs eat low-fat Greek yogurt” can proceed to offer low-fat Greek yogurt to their canine friends without any worries.
On the flip side, Greek yogurt appears to perform dismally in terms of its calcium and potassium content, compared to regular plain yogurt.
Can Dogs Eat Flavored Greek Yogurt?
You should never offer flavored Greek yogurt to your dog. Most flavored Greek yogurts contain spices, chocolate creams, and vanilla, all of which are toxic to dogs. So, can dogs eat unsweetened Greek yogurt?
Yes, you’re better off serving your dog unsweetened as opposed to sweetened Greek yogurt.
Let’s review some of the popular flavors used in Greek yogurt and their toxicity for dogs by answering a couple of flavor-related questions.
Can dogs eat strawberry Greek yogurt?
Strawberries are generally safe for dogs. So, if they’re the only flavor enhancers used in Greek yogurt, then you can go ahead and offer the yogurt to your pooch.
Can dogs eat raspberry Greek yogurt?
Raspberries are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, making raspberry-flavored Greek yogurts safe and beneficial for dogs.
Can dogs eat peach Greek yogurt?
Peach is also safe for dogs, provided it’s served in moderation.
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Can dogs eat cherry Greek yogurt?
Cherries are loaded with vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants and fiber, all of which are beneficial for dogs. Therefore, giving your pooch cherry-flavored Greek yogurt is an excellent idea.
Can dogs eat blueberry Greek yogurt?
Blueberries also rank among fruits that dogs can eat.
Can dogs have vanilla Greek yogurt?
Vanilla is one of the most popular flavor-enhancers used in Greek yogurt. But, is vanilla Greek yogurt good for dogs? Unfortunately not. Vanilla usually contains alcohol, which might irritate your dog’s stomach.
Can dogs eat Greek yogurt with fruit?
This will depend on the safety of the fruit used. Most fruits are safe for dogs. However, you should generally stay away from grapes, avocados, raisins, and most citrus fruits.
Can dogs have Greek yogurt with honey?
Honey is not only tasty for dogs, but it can also help to fight dog allergies. So, dogs can eat Greek yogurt with honey.
Does the brand matter?
When it comes to Greek yogurt for dogs, the brand name shouldn’t take precedence over the ingredients used.
However, certain brands, like Chobani and Dannon are known for their healthy and all-natural Greek yogurts. So, can dogs eat Dannon light and fit Greek yogurt? And what about Chobani, can dogs eat Chobani Greek yogurt?
If you’re ever in doubt and looking for the best Greek yogurt brands, you should look in the direction of these two.
How Much Greek Yogurt Should I Give My Dog
Having observed how beneficial Greek yogurt is, your next questions might be, can I give my dog Greek yogurt every day and how do I serve Greek yogurt to my dog?
First, you shouldn’t give your dog Greek yogurt every day, as doing so might cause the dog to develop gastrointestinal issues. The convention is to serve Greek yogurt to your pooch only once or twice a month, and the portions shouldn’t exceed one or two teaspoonfuls.
The following are some of the recommended serving ideas;
1. Go for unsweetened, plain yogurt (that means no spices, flavoring, sugar, or even sugar-substitutes like xylitol).
2. Insist on low-fat or non-fat Greek yogurt.
3. The yogurt should contain live and active cultures.
4. Add the yogurt to your dog’s regular food or allow the dog to lick the yogurt from the spoon.
Also, you should give your dog frozen Greek yogurt. So, maybe you were wondering, can dogs eat frozen Greek yogurt? Well, you’ve got your answer right there.
What’s The Verdict? Can Dogs Eat Greek Yogurt?
Greek yogurt is safe and nutritious for dogs. But does that apply to all dogs? Can puppies eat Greek yogurt?
No puppies have sensitive and delicate stomachs, and shouldn’t have Greek yogurt. And that also goes for other dogs with compromised immunity, such as old, sickly, and pregnant dogs. So, is Greek yogurt good for puppies?
The answer is – not recommended.
Lastly, what kind of Greek yogurt can dogs eat?
As we already pointed out, keep it plain, with no spices, sugar, or flavors.
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