Can Dogs Drink Oat Milk – What You Need To Know

Dogs are one of the most simple, loyal, and adorable pets that one can have. Give them a ball, and they will be happy. They can stay fit in a fairly basic diet, but that doesn’t mean you can stop caring about their health. If you are a vigilant dog parent, the chances are that you are already taking care of their diet to make them healthier.

But have you ever questioned if every healthy human food is also beneficial for dogs or not? Have you ever wondered whether dogs can drink oat milk? Is oat milk safe for dogs? If not, then this article is for you.

In this article, we will answer questions like is oat milk okay for dogs, what is the quantity in which dogs should drink it, and other essential details. So buckle down, and let’s begin without further ado.

Can Dogs Drink Oat Milk?

Much like almond milk, oat milk is an excellent drink for dogs on a controlled diet or for dog owners who want to add a bit of additional nutrition to their dog’s diet due to its high nutritional goodness. Additionally, drinking natural oat milk that is made from oat grains soaked for a long time is safe because it has practically no toxic components.

However, excessive amounts can pose a serious hazard to their health as not all human food is healthy for dogs. So if you want to be safe, avoid giving your dog oat milk altogether.

However, if your dog likes the flavor of milk, you can offer him a small quantity as an occasional treat. Even if your dog appears to have no adverse reactions to milk, it is still not a good idea to give him too much or too often.

How Healthy and Safe is Oat Milk for Dogs?

As mentioned earlier, oat milk is healthy for dogs only if it is taken in limited quantities. Now talking about if drinking oat milk safe for dogs or if flavored oat milk safe, then the answer is yes. It is safe, but only if you don’t feed them regularly and only in limited amounts. You must also know that too much sugar acts as a toxin for dogs and can cause severe damage; therefore, you must try to choose unsweetened oat milk.

In short, if you want to ensure your dog’s safety while giving him this non-dairy milk, ensure that there is no sugar or sugar substitute present in it. You must also ensure that you give unflavored oat milk in limited proportions.

How Often Can You Give Oat Milk to your Pooch?

Wondering how much oat milk is suitable for your pup? Well, the answer is minimal quantity is okay.

After dogs have been weaned, they don’t require milk. But If your dog prefers the taste of milk, a small amount of milk alternative or non-dairy milk, such as oat milk, soy milk, or almond milk, would suffice as a treat for most dogs.

Remember that you should only offer your dog oat milk in moderation. Although it is not harmful, your dog may be unable to digest the excessive amount.

The recommended amount varies, but half a cup every two or three days is a good rule of thumb.

What can Happen by Overconsumption of Oat Milk by Dog?

As you might know, overconsumption of any milk, be it soy milk, almond milk, or sweetened oat milk, is not good for health. So, it is best to give your dog oat milk in regulated amounts.

Wondering what can happen by overconsumption? Here are a couple of effects that drinking too much oat milk can have-

Gastrointestinal Problems

Oat milk has a lot of fiber and carbs, which your dog can have a hard time digesting. As a result, your dog may have an upset stomach.

If your dog has just had a small bit of oat milk, though, this shouldn’t be a severe problem and should go away quickly. If y our dog, on the other hand, is sensitive or allergic to oats and grains, it could be dangerous.

This gastrointestinal digest’s severity might range from nausea to diarrhea and vomiting.

Obesity and Diabetes

If your dog is given too much sweet oat milk for an extended period, he or she may develop obesity and diabetes.

Obesity and diabetes are serious disorders that can last a lifetime or possibly put your dog’s life at threat. Diabetes can also cause excessive urination in dogs.

Hyperactivity

There are a wide variety of oat milk products available on the market like flavored oat milk, chocolate oat milk, oat milk ice cream, and even simple sweet pet oat milk. And, most of the time, we don’t think about the difference that unsweetened oat milk and a sweet one can bring individually.

In general, higher sugar content in any dog food can make them hyperactive, and the same is the case with oat milk. In this situation, the dog might not behave properly, and his heart rate might increase. As a result, it will become difficult to get a hold of the dog, and it might also try to escape the yard.

What is the Nutritional Value of Oat Milk?

Oat Milk is one of the plant-based milk alternatives that are made by extracting liquid from oats. Soaking, blending, and filtering are all steps in the production of oat milk which is a creamy liquid.

The nutritional goodness of oat milk is slightly different from regular oats. Here is what your dog will get from drinking organic oat milk-

Calcium

Calcium is required for dogs to build bone mass and protect it from fractures.

Hence, by giving oat milk, you will be providing sufficient calcium for the growth and development of your furry doggo.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is beneficial to your dog’s eye health. The correct nutrients may also aid in the maintenance of their night vision.

Vitamin A is also required for the healthy function of the skin, coat, muscles, and nerves.

Potassium

The dog oat milk contains a good amount of potassium which is essential for your dog’s diet. It will help in strengthening the muscles and act as a healthy wet food.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a nutrient that aids in the regulation and retention of calcium and phosphorus in dogs.

However, please keep in mind that too much vitamin D might be dangerous.

Iron

Iron is necessary for your dog’s overall development. Iron is a mineral that your dog’s body needs to perform critical processes, including transferring oxygen throughout the body in the hemoglobin or via red blood cells so that its cells can make energy. Thankfully, oat milk is rich in iron, and when your dogs drink milk, the iron in the diet dissolves, thus allowing oxygen to reach all regions of their bodies for optimal development and function.

If you need more information, then here is a table that shows the nutritional value of 240 milliliters of oat milk-

Should You Consider Oat Milk Over Dairy Milk?

If you want to decide between the two options i.e., plain oat milk or dairy milk/cow’s milk, you should first try to understand the difference between these two.

Oat milk has fewer nutrients than cow’s milk, and the nutrients it does have are mostly fortified. All of the nutrients in oat milk are fortified, with the exception of iron. That is, they are introduced during the manufacturing process rather than occurring naturally. But this shouldn’t be an issue as your pooch will get essential nutrients anyway.

On the other hand, regular cow’s milk contains more fat than oat milk, which can lead to health problems. It is also difficult for dogs to digest cow’s or goat’s milk for the same reason. Moreover, you must know that most dogs are lactose intolerant.

As a result, regular milk appears to be a healthy and optimal source of nutrients for dogs on the face. However, as nutritious as milk is, giving it to dogs isn’t always a good idea because it might create gastrointestinal issues and lactose intolerance in dogs.

In simple words, oat milk is a better option than regular milk in the case of dogs.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are a lot of questions around the safety of different kinds of milk for dogs and oat milk in particular. We have already covered all the questions, but we have still briefly answered the most famous questions. Have a look-

Will oat milk hurt dogs?

Oat milk will not hurt your dog if given in limited quantities. It is entirely safe for dogs to drink oat milk. However, if your pup has accidentally consumed too much milk, you must consult a vet immediately.

What kind of milk is good for dogs?

Dogs can drink all kinds of milk like dog cow’s milk, goat milk, or any other plant based milk. However, you must note that dairy milk and products can cause lactose intolerance in dogs if given in excess amounts.

What is the safest milk for dogs?

Generally, dogs should not be given cow’s milk in excess amounts because it can cause problems in the dog’s stomach. Goat milk is a better alternative. Additionally, plant-based milk(oat, almond, or soy milk) is a healthy substitute. However, you must note that there is no such thing as the safest milk for dogs because only limited quantities are considered okay.

Conclusion

There are many benefits of oat milk as it contains the goodness of whole oat grains. This plant based milk is undoubtedly a better option than regular milk or other dairy products.

Now that you know the answer to your question- can dogs drink oat milk and other necessary details, feed oat milk to dogs wisely.