Whenever we want to enhance the taste of our salad, bread, sandwich, etc., cream cheese is always on our mind. When we keep a spoon with leftover cream cheese, we often see our dogs licking it. This makes us think, Can dogs have cream cheese?
The good news is that dogs can enjoy cream cheese like us but in small quantities. Since it is a dairy product and all dogs can’t have it, you must first test if your dog can have it. Well, we will discuss more about it later.
Now that we know cream cheese is safe for dogs with some concerns, we must also know about its downsides. All of these will be visible in this article.
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Can Dogs Have Cream Cheese?
Like most other cheeses, cream cheese is also a safe alternative for dogs, but with some exceptions. Firstly, dogs can have this cheese in small amounts, and all dogs can’t have it. For example, if your dog is highly lactose-intolerant, cheese will be dangerous for him. Besides, some cottage cheeses have additional ingredients that pose health threats to dogs. It means you can feed certain cream cheeses to dogs.
Another aspect of cream cheese is that it is full of calories, which overweight dogs don’t need. Hence, you can offer it to your chubby dog, but not to slim dogs.
Can Cream Cheese Be Good For Dogs?
Before we get to know about the benefits of cream cheese, we have to understand its nutritional facts first. Well, cream cheese is made from milk, cream, cheese, salt, and whey. Some people even add vitamin A palmitate and mould inhibitors to cream cheese. These make the cheese have more vitamin A and stay away from contaminants.
Anyway, vitamin A can help with your dog’s nerves, muscles, and coat. Besides, the cream cheese has some calcium content, which again promotes muscle and bone health.
Vitamin B complex is also a key ingredient in this cheese, which maintains different body functions. Along with mutational benefits, it is great in taste, which attracts our canine friends.
One of the main reasons why dogs get baffled seeing cream cheese is because of its texture, which is a bit similar to peanut butter. If your dog loves peanut butter, he will surely love cream cheese.
Can Cream Cheese Be Bad For Dogs?
Cream cheese cannot be the healthiest choice every time for paw friends. As you can see, one serving of cream cheese contains 2% calcium, 2 grams of protein, and 10 grams of fat. On the other hand, mozzarella cheese has 14% calcium, 6g protein, and 6g fat per serving. Parmesan has 26% calcium, 10g protein, and 7g fat per serving.
Cream cheese inevitably offers fewer nutrients and more fat than other cheeses. That’s why we keep cream cheese as the last option when it comes to offering cheese to dogs.
One problem that can be apparent in all cheeses is lactose. Some dogs can’t tolerate dairy products and milk when they lack the lactase enzyme. But sometimes we see that lactose-intolerant dogs are eating dairy products even though they can’t have milk. Let’s say your dog can withstand dairy products, but that doesn’t mean he can consume cream cheese as much as he wants. This can cause him diarrhoea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
As said earlier, cream cheese is high in fat. It means eating cream cheese can make your dog gain weight. If he is already overweight, this cheese can cause him obesity and even pancreatitis.
How To Choose The Right Cream Cheese For Dogs?
Unless you maintain the safety concerns of feeding cream cheese to your dog, it will only have side effects on him. So first, you have to make sure that you are offering the right cream cheese to your dog.
Some cream cheese has additional ingredients for flavour. Such as garlic, chives, salt, and other flavours of cream. Dogs can’t have them, as they can pose health threats to animals.
In short, you have to offer plain cream cheese to your dog. For this reason, always check the ingredients and avoid cheese that has additional flavours. Also, look for dog-friendly ingredients; some stores even sell cream cheese, especially for dogs.
It would be best if you chose a low-fat cream cheese for your canine friend. So check the fat percentage on the label.
How To Offer Cream Cheese To Dogs?
Cream cheese is only going to be good for dogs when they have small amounts. Before you offer it to your dog, introduce him to this cheese first. You can let him eat a small amount of cream cheese for two days and watch for symptoms like vomiting and an upset stomach. If he does not have any adverse reactions, maybe he is okay with this dairy product.
Well, you can offer cream cheese to your pet as a reward. You can give some light strokes of this cheese over a plain cake and offer it to your dog. Some dog owners even use cream cheese over medicines because some dogs hate medicines. You can also add this cheese with veggies to enhance the taste.
When Can Dogs Have Cream Cheese?
Unfortunately, all dogs can’t enjoy the goodness and taste of cream cheese. This cheese is high in fat, and dogs with pancreatitis can’t have this much fat. So you must not offer cream cheese to your four-legged friend when he is dealing with pancreatitis.
The fat content in cream cheese is also dangerous for overweight and obese dogs. So offer this cheese to your dog only when he is of good weight.
Some lactose-intolerant dogs can’t digest both milk and dairy products. If you see your dog vomiting and having diarrhoea after eating a small amount of cream cheese, it means this cheese is not for him. Besides, dogs can be allergic to cheese. This can also restrict them from eating a luscious treat, like cream cheese.
Well, cream cheese is not bad for dogs every time. If your dog is non-allergic and needs more fat in his diet, cream cheese would be one of the best options for him.
Frequently Asked Questions: Can Dogs Have Cream Cheese?
How much cream cheese can dogs have?
Dogs with a proper weight or underweight can have cream cheese. If they are small breeds, one teaspoon is enough, and if they are large breeds, two teaspoons are enough.
Do dogs love cream cheese?
Like other cheeses, cream cheese forms a peptide known as casomorphin when it goes to our intestines. This peptide releases dopamine, a happy hormone. That’s why when dogs eat cream cheese, they feel happy and want to eat it more.
What cheese is best for dogs?
Low-fat cheese is the best option for dogs. For example, cottage cheese and mozzarella have less fat, i.e., less than 6g per serving. They can be good options for your canine friend. Again, the Swiss cheese has less lactose, which can be good for lactose-intolerant dogs.
Can dogs have cream cheese with bagels?
Dogs love bagels and cream cheese, and luckily, both are safe for them in small quantities. You may offer a piece of bagel by stroking some cream cheese over it and seeing a smile on your dog’s face.
Final Verdict
After knowing many concerns related to cream cheese, we still have the question, Can dogs have cream cheese? The answer is yes if your dog is not overweight, does not have pancreatitis, does not have allergies, obesity, or diabetes.
Even if you think your dog is healthy enough to consume cream cheese, let your vet know about it. Sometimes, dogs’ health record is a crucial part of deciding whether they can have certain foods or not.
By any chance, if your dog eats too much cream cheese, give him medications prescribed by your vet.
