Milk is generally considered a healthy drink for people that is packed full of calcium and other beneficial nutrients, but is milk safe for Boston Terriers?
As a veterinarian, I usually recommend that pet owners avoid giving their pets milk as it can cause stomach upset. Dogs are considered lactose intolerant so allowing your dog to drink milk could give them vomiting and diarrhea.
In this article, I will discuss the risks and benefits of giving milk to your Boston Terrier.
Is Milk Good For Boston Terriers?
Milk has some beneficial nutrients including calcium, protein, Vitamin D, and Vitamin B12.
While these nutrients are considered healthy for dogs, the risk of stomach upset from drinking milk may outweigh the benefits.
In addition, most maintenance dog foods that you can buy at the store will contain a complete and balanced amount of nutrients for your Boston Terrier so there is no need to supplement with additional nutrients.
Is It Safe For Boston Terriers To Drink Milk?
Milk may give your Boston Terrier an upset stomach.
Milk contains high amounts of lactose which can be very difficult for Boston Terriers to digest.
While it may not be extremely dangerous for your dog to drink a little bit of milk, there are much healthier treats available for dogs including small pieces of mango, apples, or carrots.
In addition, certain milk can contain high amounts of fat and sugar which can be unsafe for Boston Terriers if consumed in large quantities. If fed large amounts of high-fat milk, your Boston may develop obesity or pancreatitis.
If your Boston has any medical conditions or if they are on a veterinary prescription diet, you should not allow them to drink milk until you first consult with your veterinarian about the safety of milk for your Boston Terrier.
Should I Give My Boston Terrier Milk As A Treat?
I do not usually recommend giving milk as a treat to your Boston Terrier because it can cause stomach upset in dogs.
Many other treat options are much healthier for your dog and don’t come with a risk of stomach upset.
How Much Milk Can I Give My Boston Terrier?
In general, I do not recommend giving more than 1 tablespoon of milk to your Boston Terrier. A general rule of thumb is to never give your pet more than 10% of their daily calories in the form of treats.
If you feed your Boston Terrier more milk than that, they may start vomiting, diarrhea, or flatulence.
Also, this should only be given as a very rare treat, and in general, I recommend trying to find other healthier treat options for your Boston.
Never give milkto a Boston that has an underlying health condition, and if you are in doubt about whether or not milk is safe for your Boston, you should speak with your veterinarian.
Can I Give My Boston Terrier Milk Every Day?
You should not give your Boston Terrier milk every day. Milk should only be given in very small amounts as a very rare treat.
Also, if you wish to add anything to your Boston Terrier’s daily feeding regimen, you should consult with your veterinarian first.
Risks Of Milk For Boston Terriers
You may be wondering, “what happens if a Boston Terrier drinks milk?”
It is important to use caution if you plan on giving milk to your Boston Terrier. Too much milk or milk with harmful ingredients could be dangerous for your Boston.
These are three things to watch out for…
1) High In Sugar
Milk contains high levels of naturally occurring sugars. Also, low fat milk usually contains added sugar.
Because Boston Terriers are particularly prone to developing diabetes, intake of added sugars can be harmful. Over time, too much excess sugar in the diet could increase your Boston’s risk of developing diabetes.
2) Stomach Upset
Dogs are lactose intolerant. If you give your Boston Terrier milk, they may not be able to digest it very well which could result in an upset stomach.
They may develop vomiting, diarrhea, and flatulence after drinking milk.
Avoid giving your Boston Terrier milk to decrease the risk of stomach upset.
3) High In Fat
Milk can contain high-fat concentrations.
Fat is not good for Boston Terriers and excess consumption of fat can trigger conditions such as pancreatitis or obesity.
Here are some low-calorie treats that your Boston Terrier may love, Zuke’s, Blue Buffalo Bits, Hill’s Baked Biscuits, and Fruitables Baked Treats.
Other Key Milk Questions
Can Boston Terrier Puppies Drink Milk?
Puppies drink their mom’s milk as they are growing up, so is it safe to give other forms of milk such as cow’s or goat’s milk to a Boston puppy?
In general, I do not recommend giving puppies other forms of milk because of the risk of stomach upset. Puppies are not able to digest these other forms of milk very well, and as they age, their ability to digest milk decreases.
The only form of milk that Boston Terrier puppies should drink prior to weaning is their mom’s milk and puppy milk replacer.
Can Boston Terriers Drink Almond Milk?
I do not recommend giving your Boston Terrier any almond milk. Almonds can be difficult for dogs to digest, so almond milk may cause your Boston to get stomach upset including vomiting and diarrhea.
In addition, almond milk may contain other harmful ingredients such as chocolate, xylitol, and excess amounts of sugar.
Can Boston Terriers Drink Coconut Milk?
According to the ASPCA, coconut milk contains oils that can cause your pet to get an upset stomach including loose stool and diarrhea.
Because of this, I do not recommend giving your Boston Terrier coconut milk.
Can Boston Terriers Drink Chocolate Milk?
Any form of chocolate can be extremely dangerous for dogs because chocolate contains a toxic compound known as theobromine.
Chocolate toxicity can cause a wide range of symptoms including:
- Stomach Upset
- Restlessness And Panting
- Increased Peeing And Drinking
- Increased Heart Rate
- Tremoring
- Seizures
- Death
Conclusions
Milk can cause stomach upset in dogs because dogs cannot digest lactose well. Therefore, I usually recommend avoiding giving your Boston Terrier any milk.
While it may not cause severe disease, milk is high in sugar and fat and is not a healthy treat option.
If you plan on giving your Boston milk as a treat, feed no more than 1 tablespoon as a rare treat.
Also, before giving your Boston Terrier milk, I recommend consulting with your veterinarian to ensure that milk is safe for your Boston Terrier especially if they have any underlying health conditions.