Humans love cheese, from grating it atop our meals to enjoying it as a cracker accompaniment. It’s a staple in many of our diets, but is it safe for our canines to consume? They’d certainly like to think so; if you offer your dog a slice of cheese, you’ll soon see that they enjoy the taste just as much as you do.
In some circumstances, a small piece of cheese might be okay, but in other scenarios, allowing your dog to eat cheese alongside you could be severely detrimental to their health. Discover when you should and shouldn’t let your dog eat cheese and the best types to treat them to.
Can Dogs Eat Cheese?
Your dog can eat cheese as long as they only have a small piece occasionally; cheese is not a good food to include in your dog’s daily diet. Cheese by itself is not a toxic food or poisonous to dogs, but you should always check the ingredients thoroughly before giving any human foods to your canine.
Avoid cheeses that contain ingredients such as garlic, onion, and herbs, as these can seriously impact your dog’s health.
Some health benefits of a piece of cheese include calcium, protein, essential fatty acids, and vitamins A and B. But remember that not all dogs digest cheese easily, and those with lactose intolerance may struggle to process even small amounts of cheese.
Talk to your vet before you make any changes to your dog’s diet and monitor them for signs of intestinal upset after feeding them cheese for the first time.
Which Types of Cheese Can Dogs Eat?
In some circumstances, cheese can be a great food for dogs. For example, a small piece of cheese can provide a great incentive as a high value treat when training a dog. Keep this reserved for special occasions rather than an everyday treat, though. Is there a particular command your dog struggles with? Use a small piece of cheese as an incentive to complete the task and create a positive association with this behavior.
You can also use this tasty treat to help soothe an anxious dog; try smearing a small amount of tube cheese inside a Kong toy for a delicious and engaging treat that your dog can enjoy while you’re away at work.
One of the biggest problems with cheese is it’s high in fat. Therefore, low-fat cheese options make the best treats to give to your dog. Cottage cheese is lower in fat and salt than several other kinds of cheese, which reduces the risk of becoming overweight. And the lower lactose levels in this cheese mitigate the risk of intestinal upset.
Avoid feeding blue cheese to your dog; the mold used in the manufacturing process can make them very sick. Cheeses like stilton are made with a fungus that produces a substance called roquefortine C; this substance can cause vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and seizures in your dog.
When Should Dogs Not Eat Cheese?
While a small piece of cheese can make a good treat for your dog, there are some circumstances where they should avoid this dairy food. If your dog is lactose intolerant or has pet allergies, you should not feed them cheese. Also, if you have a dog who requires a special diet or experiences frequent tummy upsets, avoiding cheese is a good idea.
Cheese has a high-fat content, so it’s not a good treat for overweight dogs or on restricted diets; if you want to give your dog a healthier reward that’s just as yummy, try chicken, tuna, or ham.
In addition, avoid feeding cheese to dogs with kidney issues. Many kinds of cheese contain a high salt content, which is not ideal for dogs with kidney disease.
Some people suggest using cheese to conceal your dog’s medication; this can work well if you push a tablet into a lump of cheddar. However, it does not work so well for antibiotics which can bind to the calcium and make the medication less effective.
What Happens If My Dog Eats Too Much Cheese?
If your dog eats a large amount of cheese in one go, it will most likely become sick, including symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Call your vet as soon as possible in this scenario to get the best advice on the next steps to keep your canine safe.
It’s important to remember that cheese is high in fat and salt, which can cause problems for your dog if you feed them too much regularly. Not only is your dog likely to put weight on, but it could lead to pancreatitis, a potentially fatal condition for your dog.
Excessive body fat and obesity are common problems for canines, but they are entirely preventable. If you think your dog is becoming overweight, consult your vet, who can help you construct a healthy eating plan.
Signs that your dog is overweight include:
- Sagging around the abdomen
- Struggling to see your dog’s waistline, ribs, or spine
- A rounder face
- Tiredness
- Excessive panting
- A reluctance to go for walks
- Playing less than usual
