Hi there
just a question about milk... have tried to search the subject but search not working....

i was told by my breeder that i had to feed puppy milk with his brekkie in the morning and also a small drink of milk in the evening with some pedigree markies....

now i have always given the milk in the am (which he loves) but have stopped the evening drink.

I have heard a lot of talk about  Lactose intolerance and just negativity about milk which is a shame as its really my puppy's favourite thing.

the thing i don't understand is that the breeder has been rearing dogs for over 30 years and MUST know what she is talking about>????? so why would she suggest feeding something which seems to be so contraversial!

help.. should i cut milk out once and for all?

I had a look at Markies when this was brought up by someone else and I can think of few things I am LESS likely to give any dog at any time than these! :(

As for milk, it is, like everything else one decides to feed, a matter of personal choice.  I prefer to feed a species appropriate diet which, in all cases bar man, excludes the feeding of milk or its products.  Some dogs cannot breakdown the milk sugar (lactose) as they lack the enzyme for this purpose (lactase); also some are intolerant of the milk protein (casein); lactase breaks lactose down into glucose which can then enter the blood stream; when this does not happen (because of lack of lactase) the lactose ferments and leads to the formation of gases one of which is methane which is the cause of pain and flatulence and diarrhoea.

Protein allergy to casein can be manifested via the skin, stomach/intestinal or respiratory tract.

Dogs, like humans, are often misdiagnosed with IBS when in fact they are lactose intolerant and could be cured by feeding nothing which contains milk.

I am sure that chocolate may well be your dog's favourite "thing" but that does not mean it is good for him or that you should feed it!

Duration of service is not necessarily a reflection of expertise I am afraid;  nd studies in nutrition, like everything else, have advanced greatly during this time.

At the end of the day you must feed what you feel comfortable with and what suits you and your dog after weighing up all the facts and pros and cons.   

If nothing else milk is a prime trigger of diarrhoea and therefore, IMHO, to be avoided anyway.

 

regards

Hi tohme, what is the problem with Markies? My lot love them and I give them for 'special' bribery & corruption treats.

1 of my dogs had a drink of milk every afternoon for the first yr of his life, this was the diet from his breeder & they`ve been breeding more than 30yrs ;) & had/has no probs with it :)
There is no doubt some dogs cannot tolerate milk & goats milk is better suited for them. Unless you`ve done some research about dog food you might be better sticking with your dogs breeders advice. Have a chat with them & voice your concerns about milk :)

Christine, Spain.

My aunt's Beagle had milk to drink most days throughout his life and about a quarter of a pint of double cream every Sunday :D :D He lived to a very healthy 17 (was paddling in the sea on Boxing Day - his 17th birthday) . However I don't condone this and don't give my dogs milk (or cream) :)

Daisy

The only difference between goats and cows milk is the amount of fat and the taste. Both contain lactose and casein.

A quick google brought this bit of info on the differences between goat & cow milk.  :)

Christine, Spain.

http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/15/25/09.html
http://www.goatworld.com/articles/whygoatmilk.shtml

This is interesting with regard to the casein difference between goat and cow; would be even more interesting if this info contained data with regard to raw v pasteurised/homogonised/sterilised/UHT treated milk as I believe that again this poses a difference in digestibility in some individuals.

Another quick google brings the link below.

http://fiascofarm.com/dairy/rawmilk.htm#betterraw

Christine, Spain.

I work in the dairy processing industry. The content of raw,past, homo should be the same - pasteurisation just kills the bugs but temperature is too low to make any chemical difference. Homogenisation process just smashes up the big blobs of fat into little ones that don't float to the top. UHT/Steri should also be largely the same  - the taste difference is due to some caramelisation of the sugars at the higher temperatures involved.

I give my dog a little milk every morning diluted with warm water from the kettle - he loves it and doesn't seem to have a problem.

Excellent Christine!

This information clearly demonstrates the pitfalls of heated foods over raw.  Just like cooking meat the pasteurisation destroys enzymes, reduces or alters vitamin content and most worryingly kills beneficial bacteria (hence why live yoghurt is so good).  Even more disturbingly the valuable amino acids of lysine and tyrosine are altered reducing their bio availability as well as the trace minerals.  Therefore it would seem on this information that the whole point of feeding treated milk at all is lost!

Thanks very much for looking it up.

Some people say raw milk is nicer - the whole point of processing is to a) get rid of bits of fur, udder cells etc b)kill the harmful stuff. If you can get the milk fresh from the cow (before the bugs have had the chance to multiply) it's probably still not too bad but, considering the incidence of TB in the British herd at the moment, I would not recommend it.

The UHT stuff does taste like £*^$& though.

:) :D I agree with you about the UHT stuff.  Having drunk milk fresh from the cow in my youth I would agree that most people would not like the "bits" you get in it :D

A bit like sugar, when it is processed it is a horrible dirty grey, the addition of lime makes it snow white (or sulphur nice and brown)!

Just caught something on the radio yesterday which said organic milk has been proved to be healthy than ordinary milk. Something about Omega fatty acids?
I prefer untreated milk - used it for 20yrs, but now I can no longer obtain it.

It can only be sold from farm shops or milk floats and they are looking to ban it all together soon :(

You make it sound as if I`m advocating raw tohme, would I do that?    :D

Christine, Spain.

Hi Bulllphi, hubby`s family are dairy farmers in Somerset & the milk is brought up to kitchen fresh untreated straight from the cows each morning ;) :)

Christine, Spain.