Mary Allen
Whether dogs are allowed to eat cheese seems to be a question on which the dog nation is divided.
What may be meant as good advice causes uncertainty among other dog lovers. One of these tips states that dogs should not eat cheese. There is even talk of loss of smell and blindness.
As a dog owner, are you constantly confronted with clever advice from other dog owners? In this article, we get to the bottom of the statement and clear up the truisms once and for all.
What cheese is good for dogs?
Straight away: Cheese does not harm the dog’s sense of smell, nor does it cause your dog to go blind.
Cheese is often discredited simply because it is a dairy product. Some cheeses contain lactose, i.e. milk sugar. And many of our dogs cannot tolerate lactose. The reason for this is the lack of the enzyme lactase, which can break down milk sugar.
Lactose intolerance manifests itself in diarrhea, flatulence, and colicky abdominal pain. Any dog of any age can be affected.
If the dog suffers from lactose intolerance, it must no longer eat dairy products. You should also be careful with special types of cheese, milk, and yogurt.
Why do dogs like to eat cheese as a treat?
However, many dog owners believe that any type of cheese is harmful to the dog’s health. Luckily that’s not true.
Dogs love cheese and like to take it as a treat between meals. Even dogs that suffer from lactose intolerance do not have to do without the delicacy.
What kind of cheese for dogs?
The different types of cheese can be sorted according to all sorts of criteria. The most common distinction is made according to the origin of the milk. According to the German Cheese Ordinance, the varieties are divided into the following groups based on their water content, each type of cheese, and lactose content in grams:
- Hard cheese (below 0.1 g to 0.5 g lactose)
- Sliced cheese (less than 0.1 g)
- Semi-hard cheese (less than 0.1 g)
- Soft cheese (less than 0.1 g)
- Sour milk cheese (0.0 g)
- cream cheese (2.6 – 3.4 g)
- Boiled cheese/cooked cheese (3.4 – 3.8 g)
- Processed cheese (3.6 – 7.0 g)
- Brine cheese (0.0 g)
In Switzerland, there are further subcategories for hard cheese, such as semi-hard cheese and extra-hard cheese. Swiss semi-hard cheese would be counted as semi-hard cheese.
When foods are considered lactose-free is defined by law via the detour “absence of lactose”. For cheese, this means that if no more than 0.1 grams of lactose can be measured per 100 grams of cheese, the cheese can be advertised as lactose-free. Currently, valid measurement methods are used as a basis.
The term “lactose-free” does not mean that there is no lactose at all.
You can read the exact residual lactose content from the table. The lactose content in grams of lactose per 100 grams of cheese is indicated after each type of cheese.
hard cheese
- Appenzeller less than 0.1 g to 0.4 g
- Emmental less than 0.1 g to 0.5 g
- Cheddar under 0.1g to 0.3g
- Mountain cheese less than 0.1 g
- Parmesan less than 0.1 g
- Grana Padano less than 0.1 g
- Pecorino under 0.1 g
- Manchego less than 0.1 g
cut cheese
- Butter cheese under 0.1 g
- Edam less than 0.1 g
- Gouda less than 0.1 g
- Leerdammer below 0.1 g
- Tilsiter less than 0.1 g
- Maasdammer less than 0.1 g
- Provolone less than 0.1 g
- Babybel under 0.1 g
soft cheese
- Brie 0.1g
- Camembert 0.1g
- Gorgonzola less than 0.1 g
More varieties
- Harz cheese/hand cheese less than 0.1 g
- Limburger less than 0.1 g
- Mozzarella 3.0g
- Goat cheese less than 0.1 g
- Feta cheese 0.5 – 0.6 g
Hard and semi-hard cheeses contain hardly any lactose
The longer the cheese matures, the lower the lactose content. Hard cheese, therefore, contains almost no lactose at all. The lactose is almost completely broken down during the long maturation.
Cream cheese, on the other hand, still contains a residual amount of lactose. If your dog is sensitive to lactose, you should simply avoid cream cheese. They contain the most lactose.
Cheese for dogs?
Apart from the small amount of lactose, cheese is healthy for dogs. Cheese contains many essential amino acids and is particularly high-quality food.
In addition to the important protein, minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium can be found in cheese. Iron, copper and zinc, vitamin A and vitamins from the B group make cheese a very nutritious food.
Better no cheese rind for dogs
With some cheeses, you will cut off the edge. Of course, it would be obvious to simply leave the cheese rind to your begging dog.
However, cheese rind is not suitable as a treat for dogs. This has to do with the manufacturing process of cheese. Many types of cheese are washed and brushed several times with salt water during ripening.
This creates the characteristic taste in each case. However, a particularly large amount of salt collects in the bark. And that’s why you should refrain from giving your dog the cheese rind.
Most dogs tolerate small amounts of cheese quite well. So you can give your dog cheese as a snack without hesitation. Cut small, most dogs love it as a training treat.
But always make sure not to feed too much cheese. Depending on the variety, it contains a lot of fat, which promotes obesity. Also, some hard cheeses contain a lot of salt, and salt is one of the foods you shouldn’t feed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when a dog eats cheese?
Attention lactose: Can dogs eat milk and cheese? Dogs do not tolerate milk very well due to the lactose it contains. In larger amounts, it can cause bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. The same goes for dairy products.
How often can dogs eat cheese?
Most dogs tolerate small amounts of cheese quite well. So you can give your dog cheese to snack on without hesitation. Cut small, most dogs love it as a training treat. But always make sure not to feed too much cheese.
Can dogs go blind from cheese?
While some give the tip that dogs are allowed to have cheese, others are unsettled and tell horror stories in which dogs lose their sense of smell or even go blind. But what is right now? Of course, dogs can eat cheese.
What cheese should dogs not eat?
All blue mold varieties are toxic to dogs
During the maturing process, however, the living fungus in the cheese produces various metabolic degradation products. These are mycotoxins that can be toxic.
Is goat cheese toxic to dogs?
Sensitive dogs should therefore not eat soft cheese. Goat’s cheese and sheep’s cheese have a very high-fat content. Digesting these cheeses puts a strain on the pancreas and can cause obesity. Certain additives, such as onions or garlic, are toxic to dogs.
Is cream cheese good for dogs?
Cottage cheese is indeed a dairy product. However, this grainy cream cheese contains only small amounts of lactose. This makes it easy for dogs to digest.
What does Harz cheese do for dogs?
Harz cheese contains a lot of protein and little fat and is made from sour milk quark. It contains lactic acid bacteria and yeast, which are probiotics. It has not been scientifically confirmed that Harz cheese helps against eating feces.
Can a dog eat camembert?
Camembert is very salty and also contains a lot of lactose. Dogs have trouble digesting lactose. That’s why you shouldn’t give your dog Camembert. Lactose is also called milk sugar.