Cheese doesn’t make the world go round. But cheese is what makes the ride worthwhile.
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We appreciate cheese being used from different cuisine perspectives — from pizza, kinds of pasta, to desserts — cheese can contain the delight that we didn’t expect we needed.
The origin of cheese has various sources, such as cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, and goat’s milk. The least among the variety, goat cheese is an underrated type.
Being one of its kind, goat cheese has been used in delivering our favorite dishes, such as salads and pasta.
Yet, an inquiry comes in: can dogs eat goat cheese?
Goats may not be a dog’s enemy, but let’s try to check if a goat’s milk turned into cheese can be suitable for your dog’s diet.
Hence, this article is your guide in finding out whether or not brie is suitable and how you can safely prepare brie for your dog.
What is Goat Cheese?
Goat cheese is a type of cheese sourced from goat’s milk. Unlike other cheeses like cheddar cheese and Swiss, goat’s milk is more acidic than cow’s milk.
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The distinct taste of the cheese comes from its high content in butterfat – ranging to about 40%.
Goat cheese is commonly used in food mixtures, such as salads, pasta, omelets, and desserts.
As mentioned above, Goat Cheese has a higher fat content than other cheeses, which causes it to have fewer carbs.
This is why some people who are on a diet prefer Goat Cheese over other types of cheese. The fat content in goat’s milk makes up more than half of its calories.
And because it has lesser carbs, you can also expect that it will not cause an excessive insulin release or blood sugar levels to spike.
This makes it a healthier option than other cheeses.
Food family of Goat Cheese
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Goat cheese completes the family food of dairy products — a particular food group that best sources calcium, vitamins A and B12, phosphorus, and selenium — essential to our body and critical in promoting healthy bones and teeth development.
Even though it has a high-calorie content and is not low in carbs, goat cheese can be an alternative to those looking for something different from their usual diet.
Moreover, goat cheese is classified as soft and unripened cheese. Therefore, it is usually consumed by people who have a strong taste preference for cheese or love eating something with an acidic flavor.
Other types of goat’s milk products include:
- Fresh Goat Milk (similar to cow’s fresh milk)
- Pasteurized Goat Cheese (comes in different types, including cream cheese)
- Dried Goat Milk (powder form of the milk that can be used for cooking).
With the given facts, can we agree that goat cheese is suitable for your dogs?
Can dogs eat Goat Cheese?
Yes, of course! Dogs can eat goat cheese but not in large quantities.
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Goat cheese brings dogs a healthy dose of essential nutrients while providing them with a tasty treat.
Unlike humans, who can only benefit from the components in goat cheese that promote their health and well-being, dogs need these types of food to satisfy basic needs such as energy requirements and taste preferences.
However, we need dog owners not to feed our furry friends too much of it. A little bit of goat cheese in your dog’s diet is manageable, but feeding them in large quantities will cause adverse effects on their health and well-being.
With this, we bring you the best ways to feed your dogs with goat cheese:
Best Ways to Feed your Dogs with Goat Cheese
Use goat cheese as a food topping.
Goat cheese is an ideal food topping since it has a distinct flavor and taste.
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Please do not use too much at first as you might overwhelm your dog’s palate, making them feel sick afterward.
Gradually introduce the new food to your pet by mixing goat cheese with the usual meal; this way, they will get used to its taste over time.
Increase the protein content in your dog’s meal
Unlike other types of cheese, goat cheese has fewer carbs. This means that it does not cause excessive insulin release or blood sugar levels to spike.
Goats milk also contains more protein than cow’s milk, making it a healthier alternative for dogs with health issues like diabetes and obesity.
Use the food as a treat during training.
Dogs love cheese, and this makes it a great treat during training. You can add some powdered form of goat milk to your dog’s meal on days when you need them to be more active or become fitter — just like what we humans do with chocolate powder in our shakes!
Use the food as a treat if your furry friend has been behaving well.
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Reasons Why Dogs Can Eat Goat Cheese
The health benefits of goat cheese speak in volumes. Aside from its delectable taste, the following are health reasons why dogs can eat goat cheese:
High calcium content
This makes goat’s milk an ideal supplement for lactose intolerant or allergic to cow’s milk.
People with this condition often suffer from bone loss. But with the help of goat’s milk, they will be able to prevent this from happening because it contains high levels of calcium that are easily absorbed by the body.
Rich source of Omega-Three
The high content of omega-three fatty acids can help reduce the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
Goat Cheese is also rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which can fight cancerous cells and aid in weight loss.
Mice studies have shown that animals fed with CLA could lose more than 30% of their body fat.
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Polyunsaturated fats
Goat Cheese is high in polyunsaturated fats, making it a heart-healthy food. It also contains the essential amino acid tryptophan, which can help regulate mood and sleep cycle while promoting a positive outlook on life.
It has been proven that tryptophan — which can help improve serotonin levels which results in better mental health — is found in cheese and is more readily available for the body than the kind ingested in other sources like turkey.
Contains phosphorus and selenium
Goat Cheese is a rich source of phosphorus and selenium, which are essential for good heart health.
It contains the latter, an antioxidant mineral that can help dogs maintain normal thyroid function — making goat cheese one of the best dog foods around!
Possible Concerns When Eating Goat Cheese
Goat cheese may be suitable for other dogs and for others may not. This is because not all dogs can tolerate this food in either way.
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That’s why here are some possible health concerns to watch out for when your dog eats goat cheese:
Obesity
Goat cheese is high in fat, so it should only be used as an occasional treat. If your dog is on a weight loss program or obese, you must not give them goat’s milk because excess calories can cause more harm than good.
Allergies to lactose
This type of allergy is common among dogs, making them unable to digest lactose, a sugar found in goat’s milk.
As such, their immune system will be triggered every time they consume the product, which can cause them extreme discomfort and pain.
Stomach issues
Goat cheese can trigger stomach problems in dogs because of the high levels of lactose and casein present.
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Dogs that are allergic to cow’s milk products might also get a similar reaction when they try goat’s milk, so it should be given only as an occasional treat.
Liver damage
Dogs with liver problems should not eat goat’s milk because it is high in vitamin A which may affect the organ when consumed excessively.
Liver disease caused by excessive consumption of this substance can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite, leading to death if not treated immediately.
Signs your dog is sick from eating Goat Cheese
When possible concerns occur, signs of sickness may manifest externally, bringing some emergency response for your dog:
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is one of the first and most common signs of food poisoning. Dogs can contract this condition if they eat spoiled or poison — like goat cheese, which may contain listeria bacterium that causes this type of infection.
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Pale gums
A sign of poison in dogs is when their gum color changes to pale or white than the usual healthy red appearance.
This condition occurs because some substances are present that can change how blood circulates through an animal’s body, which causes them to lose vital oxygen supply and nutrients from not having enough blood.
Swollen abdomen
A swollen belly in dogs is a sign that they have eaten something harmful, which has caused them to bloat and become bloated.
In this case, it may be goat cheese if your dog overeats the food item at once because it contains lactic acid, so high ingestion can cause stomach upset or diarrhea.
What to do if your dog is sick from eating Goat Cheese?
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If your dog gets sick from eating Goat Cheese, take action and do not wait to see if they get better on their own.
Here are some steps you can take:
- Provide lots of water when your dog suffers from diarrhea
- Offer smaller meals at a go which will help alleviate the stress from overeating food in one sitting. This is vital for those who have bloated bellies because it’s essential to move the food through their system.
- If your dog has swollen bellies, bring them immediately to a vet as soon as possible so they can prescribe some medicine that will stop this condition from getting worse and help heal any existing damage already caused by goat cheese.
- Consult a table diet with your vet before feeding your dog goat’s milk products. This way, you can be sure if the food is safe for consumption and whether there are any other concerns you should watch for when giving them this type of treat.
Avoid similar foods from this family.
Mozzarella Cheese
Like goat cheese, mozzarella is another type of dairy product that can cause health problems in dogs.
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This substance contains high levels of lactose found in cow’s milk, so it could trigger similar reactions when they eat either of these food items.
Swiss Cheese
Dogs should not be fed with Swiss cheese because it too can contain high levels of lactose. This ingredient is not safe for consumption in dogs, so avoid feeding them this type of dairy product when possible.
Processed Cheese
Dogs are also advised against eating processed cheeses since they have high amounts of sodium that could cause serious health concerns, especially if consumed excessively.
High-sodium foods can cause problems like high blood pressure and heart disease.
How to Make Goat Cheese Safe To Eat
To extend our learnings into an application, we crafted ways on how to make goat cheese safe to eat for your dogs:
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Check your dog’s appetite and response to goat cheese.
First, it’s essential to check if your dog has a strong appetite and is interested in goat cheese. Second, if your dog feels sick after taking even just one bite of this dairy product, don’t take any risk by feeding them more since you could make things worse for their health!
Be sure not to feed them with anything else after this experience and if they still feel under the weather, consult a veterinarian right away for further advice.
Only feed them small portions at a time.
Another way to keep your dog safe from goat cheese poisoning is by feeding them smaller amounts of the food item, so there’s less risk of getting sick or having side effects that can worsen their health.
This allows you to monitor their reaction and make changes accordingly.
Limit the dairy products in your dog’s diet
It’s best not to feed dogs with other types of cheese or milk because they could get sick from overeating lactose at once, which is likely what happens when there are high levels found in goat cheese.
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This ingredient can cause various health issues, so it’s best to avoid feeding them with anything containing high amounts of lactose even if they seem fine after eating a small amount.
Key Takeaways
The presence of cheese doesn’t shape the world. But the way we transform cheese into a dish can make a meaningful living.
Let’s admit it or not. We have enjoyed and experienced the delight that goat cheese brings to our friends and our family.
But of course, we can share it with our dogs, too!
To answer our question, YES, dogs can eat goat cheese but not in large quantities. Goat cheese brings dogs a healthy dose of essential nutrients while providing them with a tasty treat.
This type of cheese is high in calcium content and a rich source of omega-three, polyunsaturated fats, phosphorus, and selenium.
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Goat cheese may be suitable for other dogs and for others may not. This is because not all dogs can tolerate this food in either way.
That’s why your dog may suffer from obesity, allergies to lactose, stomach issues, and liver damage.
When signs of sickness occur like pale gums, vomiting, and swollen abdomen, don’t hesitate to bring your dog immediately to your vet for faster relief.