Last Updated on September 22, 2023 by Linda Richard
We know many people like plant-based milk but what about almond milk for dogs? Is almond milk bad for dogs or is this a great treat for your pooch? Is there even anything nutritious in almond milk for a canine? How much should you give your dog? And is there a difference between the various brands of almond milk? All these questions are quite important and the answers to some may surprise you.
Table of Contents
Is Almost Milk Bad For Dogs?
Not necessarily. In fact, the right almond milk in a well-measured serving can even be good for your dog! However, there are quite a few ways in which almond milk can be bad for canines. So, here are the three main things to watch out for:
- Does your dog have an almond/nut allergy? Some canines are allergic to almonds. In that case, giving your dog even just a sip of distilled almond milk can still be a problem. Consult with your vet about allergies before you try any nuts-based product with your dog.
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- Many manufacturers put additional ingredients in their almond milk products. So, instead of just almonds and plain water, some products include artificial sweeteners and thickeners that are (somewhat) acceptable for people but may be dangerous for your dog. The prime example is xylitol which Is highly toxic for canines. So, avoiding almond milk with xylitol is an absolute must. And, it’s generally advisable to stay away from any almond milk product that includes anything other than just almonds and water.
- The third thing to watch out for is quantity. Almond milk has fewer calories than cow milk but it’s still pretty rich in fats. So, giving your dog more than a few sips a day can introduce too much fat into your pet’s diet. This is bad for all the obvious reasons that apply to dog food in general. This means potential digestive problems and diarrhea in the short term. More worryingly, if you keep giving your dog lots of almond milk you can expect long-term problems typically associated with fat-rich diets such as obesity, pancreatitis, and more. So, even if you’ve determined that almond milk is perfectly safe for your dog, it’s best to not go above a few sips a day.
If you watch out for these three potential issues, however, almond milk can be a great treat for your dog.
Is Almond Milk Better Or Worse For Dogs Than Cow/Animal Milk?
Almond milk is definitely a better – or less bad – alternative for your dog than cow milk. Like other plant-based kinds of milk, almond milk is much lower in lactose and undesirable growth hormones. Cow milk also has way too much fat and sugars and often leads to health and digestive issues for adult dogs. Add the risk of antibiotics and other additives often found in cow milk and it’s just not a good inclusion to a dog’s diet.
Almond milk, on the other hand, lacks most of these problems. It includes much fewer calories and sugars, and lactose is far from a problem. It’s still quite fatty, however, and it’s generally less nutritious than cow milk. Still, while almond milk is far from a necessary part of a dog’s diet, it’s generally safer and better as a treat for your dog than cow milk.
Why Give Your Dog Almond Milk Anyway?
If almond milk is not that nutritious and is still pretty rich in fat, why give it to your dog at all? The answer is simple – you don’t need to! Neither almond milk, nor cow or another animal/plant-based kind of milk is a necessary part of a canine’s diet. Once dogs stop suckling, they don’t really need milk anymore. However, many dogs love the taste of milk so a bit of almond milk can be a safe and cool treat for your pooch.
In Conclusion, Is Almond Milk Bad For Dogs?
Is almond milk bad for dogs? No, not unless your dog is allergic to almonds or you’ve picked a product with xylitol in it. Is almond milk good for dogs, however? Eh, not particularly. It does have some nutritional value but is nothing exceptional for a dog. There may be some added calcium and vitamins which is nice but you can get those with other types of dog food. All in all, almond milk is typically just a neat treat that is usually safe but should be used in moderation as it’s also a bit fatty.
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FAQs
Is almond milk good for dogs?
It kind of depends on the milk and your dog. Pure almond milk (with just plain water) is harmless for dogs unless they are allergic to it. It’s, therefore, safer than dairy milk but it’s also not as rich in nutrients. So, it’s akin to a relatively harmless treat – neat but not necessarily “good”.
That being said, almond milk can come with various extra ingredients in it – some good, some bad. Many manufacturers put artificial sweeteners and thickeners in their almond milk which is quite risky for canines. Be especially wary of almond milk with xylitol as that’s toxic for dogs.
Other brands of almond milk are not only free of harmful additives, however, but also come with stuff such as added calcium, vitamins A and D, and more. So, it depends on the milk.
Can dogs drink almond milk?
Most can, in moderation. Provided that your dog isn’t allergic to almonds, this is actually a safer alternative to cow milk. Still, the amount you give your dog matters.
Almond milk is fairly rich in fats. So, giving too much almond milk to your dog can lead to the same problems that come from too much fat anything – diarrhea first and then additional problems such as obesity, pancreatitis, and more.
Another potential issue to watch out for is the extra additives some manufacturers put in almond milk. These include all types of sweeteners and thickeners. Xylitol is especially dangerous as it’s highly toxic for dogs.
All that being said, if your dog isn’t allergic to almonds, if there are no dangerous additives in the milk (so it’s just almond milk plus plain water), and if you don’t go beyond a few sips a day, this should be a perfectly safe treat for your dog. Even then it’s advisable to talk with your vet first, of course – just to be safe.
