Yogurt

[CLee]

hey guys,

i've got a question about yogurt.

i just picked up a small cup of organic plain yogurt by "liberty"...

i was told yogurt fed to dogs should be low-fat... it has a 2.5% M.F.... is that good enough?

and is it okay if its completely non-fat yogurt? i noticed they had a non-fat one as well...

also, how much of it can be fed?

and can it be fed on a daily basis long-term?

 

[Mordy]

Yogurt fed to dogs doesn't have to be low/non fat. Whole milk yogurt supplies a few more calories from fat, but that's no reason not to freed it - in reasonable amounts of course.

 

[CLee]

what about in terms of calcium content?

the label says 20% of daily recommended (human) amount of calcium for a 175g serving...

will a tablespoon or two of the yogurt, mixed with kibbles, affect the calcium balance?

 

[Mordy]

Yogurt contains calcium, but also phosphorus and other minerals. The average calcium to phosphorus ratio of yogurt is around 1.3:1, so you won't be "unbalancing" anything since commercial dry foods generally fall into a range of 1.2:1 - 2:1.

 

[patience2]

I had heard that yogurt is good for dogs that are prone to ear infections,
anyone know anything about this?

 

[Mordy]

Cultured yogurt contains probiotics (live, beneficial bacteria) that support the immune system and balance the digestive tract.

They may have some effect on yeast infections in the ears, but for that you generally need to feed a high-dosed probiotic supplement, since yogurt doesn't have that high of a concentration. It also helps to sprinkle a powdered probiotic into the ears directly.

 

[Herschel]

Cultured yogurt contains probiotics (live, beneficial bacteria) that support the immune system and balance the digestive tract.

They may have some effect on yeast infections in the ears, but for that you generally need to feed a high-dosed probiotic supplement, since yogurt doesn't have that high of a concentration. It also helps to sprinkle a powdered probiotic into the ears directly.

Can you suggest a supplement that could be sprinkled into a puppy's ears? Thanks!

 

[Mordy]

You can crush any probiotic in tablet form (or open capsules) or use a powdered one. The brand I use is NOW Acidophilus 4x6 powder.

Jou just take a small amount (1/8 teaspoon) and sprinkle into the ears. It's best done after they have dried when you're done cleaning.