Many people think that it is completely normal for pets to drink human milk. In the article below, we will answer the question of whether to give human milk to pets. We invite you to consult.
Should dogs or cats drink human milk?
Should pets drink human milk? This is a question asked by many people. According to ASPCA research and what has been pointed out, dogs or cats should absolutely not be given human milk, especially those with high lactose.
First of all, milk feeding will cause arginine deficiency in animals. It has been demonstrated in animal experiments (Vainisi, 1981) that the complete feeding of cow’s milk instead of the animal’s diet can cause cataracts in animals, and cataracts are caused by the body’s lack of arginine.
Arginine is a conditionally essential amino acid in mammals, meaning it can be produced in animals but in very small amounts, and it has very important roles for animals, such as improving immune function.
Secondly, drinking milk easily leads to lactose intolerance in pets. Lactose intolerance is a lack of the lactase enzyme, which digests lactose in the body, making it impossible for the body to digest and absorb lactose. Milk is high in lactose, but most dogs lack lactase. Therefore, if the dog drinks milk, it will not be able to fully digest and absorb it, making it prone to bloating, diarrhea, and even vomiting.
What happens when you give your pet human milk?
Should pets drink human milk? Milk is the oldest human drink; milk is rich in nutrients such as protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals; milk protein contains essential amino acids for the human body; milk fat is mainly short- and medium-chain fatty acids, easy to consume by the human body. Potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and other minerals are in a reasonable ratio and contain a lot of vitamin A and vitamin D, which are very easy for the human body to absorb.
The mineral content in milk is about 0.7%–0.75%, rich in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, magnesium, and other macroelements, as well as copper, zinc, manganese, and other trace elements. 100 mL of cow’s milk contains 110 mg of calcium, 3 times more than breast milk, and has a high absorption rate, so it is an abundant source of calcium. The ratio of calcium and phosphorus in milk is 1.2:1. Potassium and magnesium are also rich in milk.
Not all dogs will experience lactose intolerance, but why do scientists still not recommend that dogs drink milk for a long time? because drinking milk for a long time can cause many diseases in dogs.
Milk is a low-protein food.
Milk is a low-protein, low-fat, and high-sugar food, while healthy dogs need foods that are high in protein, low in fat, and low in sugar. Milk is of no use to dogs except to satisfy their appetite.
Some dogs are lactose intolerant.
Not to mention lactose intolerance, which some adult dogs do not have. The advantage of some pet milks is that they are lactose-free, preventing lactose intolerance.
Diabetes
Diabetes, yes, dogs have it as a result of eating sugary foods for a long time; however, now that you can feed them whatever they want, there will be no obvious symptoms; diabetes primarily manifests as When dogs are 7-9 years old, under 1 year old Dogs and cats can also appear. Drinking, urinating, and eating a lot, then weight loss, then cataracts, retinal detachment, blindness in both eyes, diabetic osteopathy, crooked feet, liver disease, and then a coma due to diabetes Different diets were restricted each day, followed by daily insulin injections and oral medication control. forever…
Excess calcium disease
The calcium content in milk just introduced is very high—3 times higher than human milk—so drinking milk has the effect of supplementing calcium, but dogs are not humans, and the main cause of excess calcium in dogs is supplementing too much. High in calcium, calcium intake interferes with the absorption of other minerals, which can lead to joint disease and bone abnormalities, especially in large dogs. Absorbed calcium levels, regardless of common phosphorus levels, can cause cartilage ossification and adversely affect bone remodeling, putting stress on joints. The main manifestations are lameness, difficulty walking, osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, scoliosis, joint pain, etc.
Pebbles
Many people say milk causes stones mainly due to excess calcium, but this is not true. In dogs, it is not calcium that causes stones but potassium, which is found in milk; too much potassium will interfere with magnesium absorption and increase the likelihood of magnesium ammonium phosphate stone formation.
Magnesium poisoning
Magnesium poisoning, if potassium does not interfere with magnesium absorption but there is too much magnesium in milk, is easy to cause. When the pH is greater than 6, it will cause urinary system diseases, difficulty urinating, hematuria, dysuria, cystitis, and urethral obstruction.
Excess vitamin A
Excess vitamin A, due to consuming foods rich in vitamin A (liver, eggs, carrots, milk, etc.), leads to the body storing a large amount of vitamin A, or using cod liver oil for a long time, or getting excess vitamin A due to drugs. Symptoms include loss of appetite, drowsiness, weight loss, difficulty walking, limping, inability to move the front legs normally, swelling of the limbs, etc. Once a skeletal deformity has formed, it is irreversible for life.
Syndrome of excess vitamin D
The syndrome of excess vitamin D, the cause of which is not mentioned, is the same as above. Symptoms include loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, heavy drinking, and frequent urination; severe poisoning causes kidney and lung damage, kidney failure, pneumonia, soft tissue calcifications, and easy fractures; and some patients die a few days later.
What kind of milk can your pet drink?
After helping you know whether or not to give your pet human milk, below we will help you know what milk your pet can drink.
Dogs can drink yogurt, which is a milky drink made from fermented milk. The lactic acid in yogurt can completely break down the lactose in milk, and the nutrients are not lost and can be absorbed by the body.
It can be said that yogurt solves the indigestion problem of milk thanks to “lactose receptors,” so dogs can drink yogurt. But before giving yogurt to your dog, it’s best to give it a taste first to see if it’s allergic.
Choose yogurt and as much fresh milk as possible; fresh milk is yogurt fermented from milk, and without adding any other substances, the nutritional content must be more pure. If you have time, you can also make your own milk. Dogs prefer sour foods that are low in sugar.
Many yogurts now have some fruit, vegetables, or grains added to improve the taste of the yogurt, but if it is a grape or chocolate flavored yogurt, it will be very harmful to dogs, so when choosing yogurt, avoid some types of yogurt that dogs cannot eat.
You can read more: Knowledge about dry cat food you should know.
Conclusion
The above article has helped people know Should pets drink human milk. I hope everyone gets useful information after watching.
