Lactose Intolerance and Your Dog

Summer is one of those months where some of our canine pals sometimes got to have the so called lactose intolerance. Feeding them much ice cream and cold dairy products can make them uncomfortable and in pain because of the condition called lactose intolerance.

What is lactose intolerance?
Lactose intolerance or hypolactasia is the inability of adults to digest lactose. Lactose is the sugar found in milk and other dairy produce.

Why does the body need lactose?
Lactose is needed in the body because of their high nutritional value and bioactive properties in improving health and wellness. The lactase enzyme in our body system and those of our pets are in abundance at birth and helps us thrive on our mother’s milk. But as we grow old the body production of the enzyme diminishes and drops to a level of about 10% of its peak production making us prone to lactose intolerance.

How does lactose intolerance affect dogs?
Lactose intolerance is a common digestion disorder in dogs because dogs don’t have the key enzyme called lactase needed to digest lactose. Since the undigested lactose can’t be absorbed by the body system it remains in the intestines causing symptoms like upset tummies, bloating, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea which can lead to severe dehydration. However, depending on the dog’s metabolism, the effect and symptoms varies in several ways for different type of dogs.

Lactose in milk.
Although lactose is found in milk, this does not however mean that milk is ‘unhealthy’ for dogs. In fact it is an excellent source of protein and calcium for dogs that are able to tolerate it.

First aid relief for lactose intolerance in dogs.
The best rule of thumb in detecting if your dog is lactose intolerant is simply to limit or discontinue the particular dairy produce to help your dog recover. While limiting is the immediate relief, moderation is the key to health in in the intake of lactose replenishing food.