Many dog owners ask can dogs have vanilla yogurt? The short answer is Yes, but before you let your pup eat it, there are some things you should know!
Yogurt, yoghurt or yoghourt is a food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk, fermented and has less lactose than milk! Yogurt has plenty of benefits to your dog, besides it contains calcium which support bones strength, zinc and other vitamins and minerals. Yogurt is also a good source of protein, which is a crucial part of your dog’s diet.
So can dogs have vanilla yogurt? Yes and no! Unless your dog doesn’t have a problem with lactose, a little vanilla yogurt shouldn’t bother her. If your dog ate a vanilla yogurt, she’s probably fine and there is no need to worry.
The vanilla bean itself is not toxic to dogs, it only becomes toxic once it is turned into an extract. This is due to the alcohol content in it. You must have been aware that alcohol is toxic to dogs.
But vanilla yogurt is loaded with sugar, which not only provides zero nutritional benefits for your dog, but also can result in making them over weight. Also the sugar in vanilla yogurt can cause your dog tooth decay. In addition, some yogurt brands contain artificial sweeteners, which can be harmful to dogs.
Quick tip: Always read yogurt ingredients label carefully before feeding your dog a yogurt.
That’s why a plain or Greek yogurt is a far better option. A plain Greek yogurt is better and safer for dogs than other types of yogurt, as it contains more protein, a high consistency and more concentrated levels of probiotics, that can help improve the digestive system, boost the immunity system and replace the unhealthy bacteria in your dog’s tummy that lead to some bad symptoms, such as Diarrhea, with good ones.
In general, here is a list of thing to take into consideration before feeding your dog a yogurt:
- Make sure it’s free of any added sweeteners, especially Xylitol!
- Avoid Full fat yogurts, since they can lead to weight gain. Low or non fat yogurts are better.
- Make sure it has no sugar, and it’s loaded up with probiotics.
- Avoid any yogurt that is chocolate flavored, you must have been aware that chocolate is toxic to dogs.
This was “can dogs have vanilla yogurt” see also: Can dogs eat peanut butter cookies?