Lactose Intolerance in Dogs

The symptoms of lactose intolerance are uncomfortable, but not generally life-threatening unless they continue for extended periods of time. Symptoms will start within just thirty minutes to two hours from the ingestion of the dairy product. The lactose concentrations in a female dog’s milk run about 3%, where cow’s milk contains 5%, so even unweaned puppies may not produce enough lactase to digest cow's milk properly, and may show signs of lactose intolerance, though they would be reduced in intensity.

• Toileting accidents in the house
• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Dehydration
• Diarrhea
• Excessive thirst
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Weight loss

Types

Butter

- The lactose content of butter is extremely low, around .8% to 1%. However the fat and salt content in most butter is too high for frequent feedings

Cheese

- Processing milk into cheese also reduces the amount of lactose in the product, but with widely diverse results. Cheeses like Muenster and Limberger have minimal concentrations of lactose, around 1% or less, where other cheeses, like American and Colby, have almost no reduction in the amount of lactose in the final product. 

Cow’s Milk

- Cows milk has about 5% lactose in it and can be very difficult to digest even for puppies. Lactose is not damaged by heat, and it can be found in the same concentrations in both full fat and fat free options.

Ice Cream

- Changing milk into ice cream does sometimes alter the concentration of lactose, but it’s just as likely to go slightly up as it is to go down. Couple that with the high amount of sugar and fat, and you can see why this particular treat should remain on the rare side. Either remove ice cream from your pet’s diet completely or save it for special occasions, like a birthday treat. 

Yogurt

- Transforming milk into yogurt does not destroy the lactose, but it does come with its own enzymes to help your system break down the lactose that is present. For this reason, yogurt is sometimes better tolerated than other dairy products.

Food intolerance

- An intolerance to a food type, like milk, has no immune system involvement and is more likely to cause a gastrointestinal response than allergies do. Changes in the color or consistency of the stools, gas and gurgling sounds from the digestive system are common with a food intolerance. These symptoms can be exaggerated in cases of lactose intolerance, progressing to vomiting and diarrhea. 

Food allergy

- An allergy to food is a response by the body’s immune system to defend itself against a threat. An allergic reaction doesn’t happen the first time an individual is exposed to the allergen but rather after repeated exposures. Dogs who continue to be exposed to milk proteins after showing evidence of intolerance may be more likely to develop an allergy later.

The primary diagnosis of lactose intolerance is often made due based on timing and symptomatology. Your veterinarian will probably want to do a physical examination, and will most likely listen to and palpate the abdomen. Most doctors will recommend that you eliminate all dairy from your dog’s diet for several weeks to see if the symptoms disappear. 

Other tests that may assist in a diagnosis are available, but rarely used, in veterinary medicine. A hydrogen breath test will check the amount of hydrogen in the digestive system, and will often remain high for longer after consuming dairy products for intolerant individuals. Lactose tolerance tests verify the amount of sugar in the patient’s blood after consuming lactose. The rise in blood sugar will not be as significant in intolerant canines.

Dairy itself is not required in a dog’s diet, so treatment is generally the removal of dairy from the diet. There are options for the pet parent that wants to find dairy or dairy-similar products:

Lactose-free milk and dairy

- There are several varieties of milk and dairy product that are formulated for the lactose intolerant, that may be suitable for your pet.

Soy milk products

- Soy is generally a safe food for most canines, but excessive amounts have been shown to increase estrogen-like activity and can lower thyroid levels. 

Almond milk products

- This is another alternative that can be stomached by lactase-deficient canines, at least in small amounts. Larger amounts may cause gastrointestinal distress due to the fat content in the milk. 

It is important to ensure that there are no added sweeteners or flavorings that can negatively impact your animal. Read the ingredient label to check for artificial sweeteners and other dangerous additives that may be blended in for sweetness such as raisins, cocoa, or even xylitol. These additives may be deadly to your pet, and should be avoided at all times.