Can Dogs Eat Sour Cream? Is Sour Cream Healthy for Dogs? (2023)

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Your dog is part of your family, and he is usually always there with you.

We can’t resist those puppy eyes when we eat.

Like most dog owners, if you don’t share what you have with him, you always feel like you’re not honest.

We end up sharing our food with our puppies, even though they’ve already eaten!

What we have learned, however, is that not all foods that are safe for us are safe for our dogs.

So we’ll try to answer one of the most frequently asked questions we often get from fellow dog parents: Can dogs eat sour cream?

Sour cream is a dairy product and evokes controversial attitudes in dog owners. One group believes that dairy products should never end up in the dog’s food bowl, while others even swear by the many positive qualities of sour cream, cottage cheese, and Co and feed them regularly to the dogs.

Let us dive into some details on this topic.

Can Dogs Eat Sour Cream?

Yes, but in moderation. Sour cream is a fermented dairy product that we can eat in multiple ways, and the good thing is that dogs can eat it too.

There are, however, a few rules.

Sour cream is not the most nutritious food for dogs. It is high in fat and can adversely affect lactose intolerant dogs due to milk.

This means that if your dog generally cannot digest dairy products or anything containing lactose, sour cream is not safe for him/her.

It is also important that your dog has pure sour cream and that no other added ingredients are added (onions, chives).

This also applies to dogs with sensitive stomachs. It can cause diarrhea and vomiting.

That’s why it’s important to talk to the vet before giving your dog sour cream.

Is Sour Cream Healthy for Dogs?

For us humans, sour cream is considered healthy. Unless you are lactose intolerant, sour cream can provide more energy (due to its high-fat content) and provide you with trace amounts of minerals such as calcium, sodium, iron, and phosphorus.

1 tablespoon of sour cream contains 2.4 g of fat and 23 calories. It also contains 6 mg of cholesterol and 1.4 g of saturated fat. Proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and calcium are present in trace amounts.

Some sour cream brands also contain probiotics, which can help reduce stomach upset.

It’s not much different for your dog, actually.

Unless your dog has issues with dairy in general, he can also enjoy the featured benefits of this great dog.

Is Sour Cream Bad for Dogs?

One of the biggest dangers of dairy products, as mentioned before, is lactose intolerance. Since dairy products are not a nutritional requirement for dogs, it is not common for dogs to consume them, including sour cream.

Because of this, you may not know whether your dog is allergic to it or not.

However, you will immediately know if it will be a problem or not if you give them a small serving of sour cream or other dairy products and observe them for a few hours.

During this time. It would help if you kept a close eye on them for symptoms that could indicate lactose intolerance.

High-Fat Content

As mentioned above, excess fat is not good for your dog. Dogs are not used to a high-fat content in their diet, and any high-fat meal causes a wide variety of health problems, including weight gain, heart disease, and pancreatitis (or inflammation of the pancreas).

Even feeding your dog fat-free sour cream is still unhealthy because it contains tyramine, often associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Artificial gum commonly used in fat-free sour cream to enhance flavor can also cause digestive problems in dogs.

A side note: every 50 grams of fat-free sour cream contains less than 0.5 grams of fat. So it does not mean that fat-free sour cream does not contain fat.

High Calories

Sour cream is also high in calories, and while your dog needs a lot of energy to function, too many calories are not good for your dog.

You want to be sure to give them small amounts of sour cream, say two to three tablespoons maximum.

Lactose

Many dogs have no problem digesting lactose, a type of sugar in milk and dairy products that can cause intestinal upset in dogs and humans.

However, for some unfortunate dogs, anything with lactose content will wreak havoc on their stomach, causing diarrhea, vomiting, and other symptoms (such as weakness, stomach pain, excessive thirst, bloating, dehydration, and weight loss).

As a dairy product, sour cream also contains lactose (although in a smaller percentage and often counteracted with probiotics), which can irritate your dog’s gastrointestinal tract.

Is Sour Cream Poisonous for Dogs?

No, sour cream is not toxic to your dog. Due to the listed properties, sour cream is not one of the healthiest foods for four-legged friends. However, don’t worry if your furry friend steals the empty cup of sour cream from the trash and licks it out.

Even if he gets a little more sour cream, usually nothing happens. If your animal cannot tolerate sour cream at all, it will vomit. If symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting do not improve after a day, it is still better to go to the vet.

Does dog food contain sour cream?

Sour cream is unlikely to be found in industrial dog food. The most common types of dog food are cheese, yogurt, or skyr. Buttermilk and low-fat cottage cheese are also dairy products increasingly found in dog food.

What Are the Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance in Dogs?

After your dog ate sour cream or other dairy products, you may have noticed that he got sick. This could be because they are lactose intolerant, which causes a reaction to dairy products. Some dogs have as little as a drop of milk, and their stomach reacts negatively, while other dogs drink bowl after bowl and show no signs.

Suppose you gave your dog sour cream or something else. Dairy products for the first time, I’m sure they licked it, licked their lips, and treated it like any other meal. However, some symptoms may follow that will indicate whether your dog is lactose intolerant or not.

Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance:

• Excessive Stool
• Gas
• Abdominal Pain
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

If they show these symptoms, it may be a good idea to contact your vet to run some tests to determine if your dog is lactose intolerant or not. In the meantime, you should consider cutting out dairy from your dog’s diet and seeking out non-dairy products.

Sour Cream Alternatives

In addition to a full-fat sour cream, there are other alternatives that you can offer your dog. One of them is slightly sour cream. This type of sour cream has less fat, fewer calories and a better alternative than the above.

The Lite version also has a very high protein content compared to the regular version and can be beneficial for your dog.

Another alternative sour cream is the organic kind. This type of sour cream contains more healthy fatty acids (omega), which is a plus for your dog’s health.

Yogurts contain probiotics that are very beneficial for your dog’s intestines. That’s why plain yogurts are an excellent alternative, as they are said to provide additional benefits not found in sour cream. By offering your dog yogurt, you add a healthy protein content to your dog meal, which is a plus.

Finally, giving your dog snacks won’t hurt; there are better alternatives, and you should always feed your dogs in moderation.

What if My Dog Accidentally Eats Sour Cream?

If your dog has had milk before without ill effects, he will likely be able to eat sour cream because it contains less lactose than milk. If your dog accidentally ate some sour cream, don’t panic; he’s probably okay.

Sour cream is not toxic to dogs. However, it would help if you kept an eye on your pet, as many dogs have problems digesting dairy products. If your dog is experiencing vomiting or diarrhea, it will likely be short-lived and will go away on its own. However, it is essential to consult a veterinarian if you have any concerns about your pet.

Conclusion

While sour cream is a nutritious food we can add to many recipes, it is not healthy for dogs.

It is likely best for your dog’s sour cream, as this will likely cause a side dish effect.

Most veterinarians would advise against feeding dairy products to animals; the potential benefits of sour cream such as energy and trace amounts of calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals are offset by high amounts of calories, fat, lactose, and artificial flavors.

Your dog should be fed good quality dog food that meets all of its nutritional needs without the addition of sour cream.

So if you want to share sour cream with your dog, do it. Sparingly and certainly not as a regular part of his diet.