Can Dogs Eat Sour Cream or can dogs have sour cream?: Hello friends in today’s post we will see whether can dogs have sour cream or not and what are pros and cons of sour cream in detail. is sour cream healthy? calories in sour cream? can dogs eat sour cream? all these are answered below.
When you are having a good meal and your beloved loyal pet is staring at you with those puppy dog eyes so hard to resist, it is natural human nature you want to share your meal with your loyal pet family member. But these loving dog owners do not know that this food he is sharing may not always be in the best interest of their pet dog, so you are doing your research before feeding your dog his food.
Fortunately, sour cream is not harmful to dogs. When you are enjoying your fajitas with sour cream, can your dog lick the spoon of sour cream? Or maybe you’d like to put a dollop of sour cream on your food to cheer it up. That’s OK?
It won’t harm your dog and can even provide your pup with a good helping of healthy nutrients that can be beneficial. But that doesn’t mean you have to hand over the entire bathtub. Besides, there are a few cases where you definitely don’t want to supply your dog sour cream. Let’s investigate this food and its effects on your dog in a little more detail.
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Can Dogs Eat Sour Cream?
The simple answer is yes, sour cream is safe for dogs. It is not toxic to your loyal friend and will not cause any problems in most healthy dogs.
Like most new foods, Of course, you should add food to your dog’s diet slowly. Start with a small quantity so your dog’s digestive system or gut has a chance to get used to this new food. Introducing any new food too rapidly can result in adverse effects, regardless of the food. These can include an upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea.
When should you not feed your dog sour cream?
Although sour cream is fine for most healthy dogs, any lactose intolerant dog would do well to steer clear of this food. Lactose intolerance is quite common in dogs, especially in the transition from puppies to adults.
Sour cream is a dairy product and is made with lactose. If any dog is given lactose intolerance, it will most likely get sick. It will start with gas, then it will continue with vomiting and diarrhea.
Sour cream has much less lactose as compared to milk. So the simple idea is if your pet can drink milk without any problem then it should be fine eating sour cream too.
Another time you shouldn’t feed your dog sour cream is if he is already overweight. Sour cream is a very high calories meal and especially high in fat. It can naturally contribute to overfeeding and cause weight gain in your dog. Obese dogs should stay away from this fat-laden snack.
Does sour cream benefit your dog?
Primarily we eat sour cream for its natural taste and texture, although there are few health benefits for both ourselves and our dog companions.
Sour cream, like many dairy products, contains calcium. As you may already know, calcium helps keep your bones and teeth strong and does the same for your dog. Unfortunately, sour cream is not the best source of calcium. Each serving has only 13 milligrams of calcium for your dog, but it’s still better than nothing!
Apart from calcium, sour cream also contains traces of other vitamins and minerals. This includes vitamin A, iron, sodium, and phosphorus. No doubt, these minerals & vitamins are found in small quantities in sour cream, so they can’t provide your dog with any major benefits.
The Disadvantages of Feeding Your Dog Sour Cream
We discussed about the insignificant benefits your dog might receive from eating sour cream snacks occasionally, but what about the negative side or downsides?
While your dog may enjoy a few tablespoons of this tasty treat, it should only be administered in moderation. It has a great potential for weight gain, which can quickly lead to an overweight dog. This can be divided into two main problems with sour cream; it is high in fat and calories in general.
High in calories
2 tablespoons of sour cream, a small serving by many standards, contains a total of 60 to 90 total calories. That means you can easily consume several hundred calories in just a few bites. And remember, these are official tablespoons, not the heaping rations that most people serve.
High fat
While calories in general are a major concern, they are not the only nutritional concern. The other problem is that most of those calories come from fat. Worse still, most of the calories in fat come from saturated fat.
Compounding the problem is what is missing. There is almost no protein in sour cream. So basically, you are feeding your dog a large helping of pure fat. Also peanut butter contains protein to help make it a much more beneficial meal.
Alternatives to sour cream
What alternatives could you offer your dog to sour cream? Well, just like us, our dogs can often benefit from a liter version of the food that we would like to feed them. Going with light sour cream instead of a full-fat version can cut down a significant amount of excess fat and calories, making it a much healthier option that still tastes the same. Also, most light sour creams have more protein than the regular versions.
Even a minor change, like opting for organic sour cream over regular. Natural sour creams always have more omega fatty acids which are beneficial to help keep your dog’s fur or hair healthy and beautiful.
Another alternative would be to give your dog some plain yogurt. Yogurt is packed with probiotics that can help your digestive system. This can also provide a few additional benefits not present in sour cream. Plus, as a bonus, yogurt is much higher in protein than sour cream. This means that you will improve your dog’s nutrition while providing him with a tasty treat.
Conclusion of Can Dogs Eat Sour Cream or Not?
Can dogs have sour cream, as we have seen, sour cream is not toxic to your dog. so dogs can eat sour cream, It won’t hurt your pet, but there are a few drawbacks to be aware of. Mainly, you need to pay attention to the general high calories and high-fat content. Alternatives like light sour cream and plain yogurt can allow you to share your snack with your dog without exposing your beloved pup to the downsides of regular sour cream.
You may also be interested in: What Can Dogs Eat? 120+ Foods Dogs Can Eat and Can’t Eat.