Dogs are mammals possessing five pairs of mammary glands to feed milk to their young ones. It means that puppies can drink their mother’s milk without any risk, however what about other different kinds of milk, for example, what about almond milk? Can dogs drink almond milk?

Well, the simple answer is yes, dogs can drink almond milk if provided in moderation. You can easily find almond milk everywhere; grocery shops and coffee stores included, so giving almond milk to your pup as an occasional treat may sound like a great idea. But could there be any potential health benefits or ill effects if your dog drinks almond milk?

Let’s find out.

Can Dogs Eat Almonds?

Almonds serve as healthy and tasty snacks for humans, but what about dogs? Simply put, dogs can’t eat almonds. Almonds aren’t particularly toxic, however, for dogs, it’s hard to digest. The digestive system of dogs is designed to digest high protein diets with limited carbs efficiently. And while many dogs might love eating almonds, it can cause some adverse reactions in your pooch that might include:

• Vomiting
• Lethargy
• Diarrhea
• Gas
• Loss of Appetite

Too much fat-rich food is always a NO when it comes to your dog, and since almonds are high in fat, regular feeding can put your pup at the risk of developing pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is a life-threatening condition that may lead to severe organ damage and even death.

Other than that, feeding almonds have a risk of obstruction. Almonds can block your dog’s windpipe and intestines, especially in smaller breeds. If not treated soon, the situation can quickly escalate to a life-threatening state. So, feeding raw almonds to your pooch is a definite no.

Can Dogs Drink Almond Milk?

Almonds, in their raw form, can prove to be quite challenging to digest for your dog, but almond milk is a much more diluted form of almonds. So, as long as your dog isn’t allergic to almonds, drinking some almond milk doesn’t pose any problems.

Almond milk is rich in calories. So, feeding your dog with almond milk on a regular basis can prove quite problematic. Moreover, some kinds of almond milk are sweetened with the help of artificial sweeteners like xylitol. Xylitol is toxic to dogs, so while buying some almond milk, check the nutritional facts on the pack.

Can Puppies Drink Almond Milk?

Puppies have an abundance of lactase to break down their mother’s milk. So, could they possibly drink almond milk? No, you should avoid feeding your puppies with almond milk. In the case that the mother isn’t producing enough milk or if she’s neglecting to feed her puppies, you should try feeding the pups with vet-recommended puppy milk replacement formulas.

Is There Any Benefit of Feeding Almond Milk to Your dog?

To be honest, there are more health risks of feeding your dog with almond milk than benefits.

Firstly, almond milk is quite costly. Premium brands can cost you $10 per liter. Making almond milk at home might sound like a good idea, but almond itself costs around $4 per pound. The reason for almonds’ costliness is the time and effort it takes to cultivate.

Secondly, dogs do not need milk and nuts in their diet. As a puppy, a mother’s milk is necessary for survival, but milk doesn’t play much of an essential role in the canine’s diet after reaching adulthood.

Thirdly, it may contain harmful ingredients for dogs. Some manufacturers include vanilla or chocolate in the almond milk for better taste—the harmful elements to look out for include Carrageenan, Chocolate, and Xylitol.

Fourthly, almond milk is high in fat and calories. Some brands have as much as 7 grams of sugar per cup and others even more. Regular ingestion of almond milk can cause diabetes and obesity. If your dog has weight issues, it might be better not to add almond milk to their diet.

And finally, almond milk isn’t as nutrient-dense as almonds in their nut form. Since most of the nutrients are filtered out from the nuts, almond milk isn’t as nutritious to your pup as you might expect.

But there are some benefits too.

Almond milk can be used as a natural remedy for some common health ailments. It can help relieve constipation in dogs, much like in humans. But too much almond milk can lead to stomach issues, so still it can be quite dangerous if you don’t know how much is too much.

Almond milk can also serve as an alternative to animal-based milk. Lactose-intolerant dogs can easily drink almond milk as it doesn’t contain any lactose.

Despite there being more demerits of feeding almond milk to your dog, the decision is solely yours to make. If you want to provide some almond milk to your dog, exercise caution, and feed it in moderation.

My Dog Had Some Almond Milk. What Should I Do?

If you spotted your dog taking a sip of some almond milk, note how much they ingested as soon as possible. If he/she had a small amount, there isn’t much to worry about. Check the ingredients present in the milk. If it contains any toxic ingredients like Xylitol and Chocolate, contact your vet as soon as you can.

Drinking too much almond milk can also cause adverse effects on your dog. If your dog drank a large amount, contact the vet as soon as possible. Watch out for other symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, yes, your dog can drink almond milk. As long as they’re fed in moderation, there isn’t much to worry about (that is if they’re not allergic), there are more demerits of feeding almond milk to your pup compared to the advantages. Dogs don’t need milk and nuts in their diet. Some kinds of almond milk are sweetened with the help of artificial sweeteners like xylitol. Xylitol is toxic to dogs, so while buying some almond milk, check the nutritional facts on the pack.

Be thoughtful before feeding almond milk to your dog and always check the nutritional value of the pack before buying one.

Thank you for reading the article.

To explore more, here are some other milk-related articles that you might be interested in.

How often do you feed almond milk to your dog? Did you know about the harmful effects? Or is your dog lactose intolerant? We would love to hear from you. Please share with our community in the comment section below.