Dogs are known as carnivores, which means that their bodies are designed to digest and use mostly protein from animal sources. That said, processed Cheese is a permissible food for dogs in small quantities, providing they don’t have any allergies or sensitivities to it. But can dogs eat processed cheese as part of food?
Processed Cheese is a type of Cheese that has been modified to have a longer shelf life. It’s made by adding emulsifiers, such as milk solids, whey, and sodium citrate, which keeps the fat and water from separating.
While processed Cheese isn’t the healthiest snack option for you or your dog, it’s fine to give your pup a small piece every now and then. Just make sure that he doesn’t overindulge too much.
It’s not the healthiest option. There are better things you can give your dog to snack on.
Inexpensive gifts for dog lovers is a collection of new ideas that you might like to visit.
What cheeses are good for your dog?
It’s important to choose appropriate Cheese for your dog since salt or sodium levels are kept in mind. High-salt cheeses include:
- Aged cheeses like Cheddars
- String Cheese
- Parmesan
- Swiss
- Romano
- Feta
- Havarti
Cheeses with lower salt are:
- Ricotta
- Cream Cheese
- Goat Cheese
- Fresh Mozzarella
- Cottage Cheese
These are also lower-fat cheeses, making them excellent for overweight dogs.
Feeding Cheese Safely to Your Dog
Like other high-fat dairy products, Cheese can be harmful to your dog’s health. Cheese is rich in fat and should not be fed to your dog too frequently. It might also induce pancreatitis, a severe and sometimes deadly illness in dogs.
Some cheeses include plants or other items that are toxic to dogs, such as garlic, onions, and macadamia nuts.
As a result, feeding your low-fat dog cheeses like mozzarella, cottage cheese, or soft goat cheese is better. Cottage cheese is lower in fat and salt than other cheeses, helping to prevent obesity.
Cottage cheese is also less lactose-rich, lowering the chance of stomach upset.
When Cheese Is Never A Good Idea
Lactose intolerance is common in dogs. This implies their digestive system can’t break down natural sugars in milk. To digest lactose, your dog requires a digestive enzyme called lactase.
However, not all dogs have enough of this enzyme. At the same time, raw milk has lots of lactase. Therefore, most producers pasteurize their dairy products, which depletes them of lactase.
The good news is that Cheese is lower in lactose than milk. Cheddar, parmesan, and swiss cheeses tend to have the lowest amounts of lactose. However, this does not negate the potential for aged Cheese to irritate dogs with a severe allergy.
If you’re offering your dog cheese for the first time, start with a little amount. Then, wait 24 hours before determining whether he has a negative reaction. Symptoms of lactose intolerance in dogs include:
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Abdominal discomfort
- Gas
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
If you have a lactose-intolerant dog (especially if it’s severe), consider avoiding Cheese as a treat.
Snack Time! Best Ways to Serve Cheese to Your Dog
Your dog may love Cheese, but we’ve got a few other tasty suggestions you can use to give him a special treat.
Stuff his Kong toy with low-fat KONG cheese spread and freeze it for an afternoon chew or snack. You can also place small pieces of soft goat cheese inside, which creates a creamy consistency your dog will love.
Make your own cheese chips by cutting up string cheese or mozzarella cheese sticks into thin pieces, placing them on a baking sheet in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes, and serving it to him when they’re baked (but not too crunchy). These are great for training sessions since they make an excellent high-value treat.
You can even mix some peanut butter with this snack to make it tastier for him (and more filling). So not only will your pup love the flavor, but he’ll get a nutritious boost of protein and healthy fats.
If you’re looking for an enjoyable way to keep your dog busy, try popping pieces of apple or other fruit in the food tray of his Kong toy. With all the fun he’ll have to remove the threat, he won’t realize that it’s also a healthy way to keep him busy.
7 Tips To Help You Choose The Best Cheese For Your Dog
Before you share Cheese with your dog, there are a few things to look at. This will help prevent digestive upset or worse.
- Watch The Salt Content
- Choose Lower Fat Cheeses
- Be Careful Of Added Ingredients
- Steer Clear Of Processed Cheeses
- Check The Label For Added Colors
- Beware Of Mycotoxins
- Choose Organic Grass-Fed Dairy
1. Watch The Salt Content
Salt is sometimes added to Cheese during the curing process, which helps make it last longer.
High-sodium treats are bad for dogs because they can lead to health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, etc.
2. Choose Lower Fat Cheeses
Processed Cheese usually contains many unnatural ingredients that enhance flavor or speed up production in factory settings. These include oil, additives, salt, preservatives, colorings, and emulsifiers.
Such flavors aren’t natural and have no place in your dog’s body. In addition, the higher the fat content of the processed Cheese you buy your dog, the more likely there will be adverse side effects when he consumes it.
3. Be Careful Of Added Ingredients
Margarine cheese combines yellow and white processed Cheese with enhanced flavors by adding ingredients.
The extra ingredients make this type of Cheese bad for dogs, but they’re also not good for humans.
4. Steer Clear Of Processed Cheeses
When shopping, look at the ingredients lists on cheese packages to ensure they’re safe to eat. Cheese containing onion or garlic powder should be off-limits since these are toxic for dogs.
5. Check The Label For Added Colors
Dyes are added to Cheese during processing and packaging. They make the food look better, but there’s no reason your dog needs them.
6. Beware Of Mycotoxins
Mycotoxins are naturally occurring fungi found on moldy grains and food products.
While some mycotoxins are beneficial, others can lead to cancer, liver disease, kidney failure, neurological problems, wasting illness, and death in animals (including dogs). Luckily, low-fat hard cheeses like cheddar tend not to contain harmful toxins.
7. Choose Organic Grass-Fed Dairy
Organic Cheese is the healthiest option for dogs since it’s free of antibiotics, and hormones are commonly given to cattle in factory farms.
A cow raised organically will never receive any artificial additives – only exceptional care from farmers who value their livestock. So if you’re not sure what type of dairy your Cheese comes from, it’s best to steer clear.
There are plenty of healthy treats that are just as good or better than regular Cheese if you need something to give your dog quickly.
However, if he seems particularly hungry, this may be the perfect thing to help him feel satisfied after a quick snack – especially if you mix things with other goodies!
If possible, it’s best to give your pooch natural cheese (that hasn’t been enhanced) for the best outcome.
Please Also Read
So Can Dogs Eat Cheese?
Yes, Cheese is edible by dogs. However, there are a few things to keep in mind before offering some to your dog:
- Dogs can be lactose intolerant. If your dog has never eaten Cheese before, start with a little bit and observe his reaction. Choose something else if your dog shows any sign of digestive upset.
- Look for low-fat Cheese with minimal ingredients.
- Check if any of the extra items are hazardous to your dog’s health.
- Please don’t give your dog processed cheese products since they have no nutritional value.
- Examine your Cheese carefully for color-changing additives. Artificially colored cheeses should be avoided, especially if they have a distinct flavor.
- Don’t give your dog ripe, moldy cheeses.
- Choose Cheese produced from 100 percent organic grass-fed milk.