Dogs are part of your family and spend most of the time with you. As you sit down to enjoy your favorite meal, heaped up with sour cream, it is hard to resist the puppy eyes of your canine. But can dogs eat sour cream?
Yes! Dogs can have sour cream. It is not toxic to your canine buddy. It provides beneficial nutrients to them. But, it doesn’t mean that you should make it a regular part of their diet.
There are plenty of food options that we love to munch on but aren’t safe for our pets. But, in which category do sour cream fall?
Find out the answers and more information in this article!
Can Dogs Consume Sour Cream?
Sour cream is a part of human food for ages. It is also responsible for popping out the flavor in most of the dishes. However, the question is, do dogs feel the same way about this food? Is it even safe?
Sour cream doesn’t do any harm to healthy dogs. Just like marshmallows and granola are best in moderation. Likewise, sour cream isn’t something to make a regular part of their diet.
Sour cream is a dairy product like cream cheese, which is obtained from milk.
So, if your dog can easily drink milk, there shouldn’t be a problem with sour cream as it has much less lactose in it.
If you deliberately want to add sour cream to your dog’s diet, start slowly. Start with small amounts of the cream, so the dog’s digestive system gets used to the new item.
If you add a new element very swiftly, it can cause digestive upsets like diarrhea and vomiting.
Therefore, you should add sour cream should slowly and in a moderate amount to get the best out of it.
Nutritional Value Of Sour Cream
Sour cream is a product of the fermentation process. It is made from bacteria like B. Bifidus and L. lactose.
These bacteria are responsible for producing lactic acid. It gives a tangy taste to the cream. Hence, the name “sour cream.”
If we talk about the nutritional content of sour cream. Generally, one tablespoon of it contains:
| Calories - 23 | Fat – 2.5g | Saturated fat – 1.4g | Cholesterol – 6mg |
| Protein – 0.47g | Carbs – 0.64g | Vitamin A – 3% of daily values | Calcium – 1% of daily values |
3 Pros Of Feeding Sour Cream To Dogs
Sour cream is a guilty pleasure for all of us. We enjoy eating it because of the creamy texture and tangy taste. However, every food we eat has health benefits.
1) Vitamin A:
It helps in healthy growth, fetal development, better immune system. It also helps in regulating cell functions. The deficiency of vitamin A can cause blindness.
2) Calcium:
Calcium keeps teeth and bones healthy. It also helps in proper muscle functioning and a healthy nervous system.
3) Protein:
An ample amount of protein in your dog’s diet will lead to proper growth, healthy fur coat, skin, and nails. The essential amino acids help in the building of ligaments, tendons, and cartilage.
Sour cream isn’t the best option for the above nutrients. Because it contains little to no essential vital minerals.
Therefore, skipping your favorite food from your dog’s diet is acceptable.
3 Cons Of Feeding Sour Cream To Dogs
Like every other human food, you should give sour cream in moderation. As a general rule, your canine buddy should never have more than 10% of your daily calorie intake.
If your dog is of a tinier breed like Chihuahuas, a spoon of sour cream is enough. However, if your dog belongs to a larger breed like Samoyed. You can increase the quantity up to 3 tablespoons.
We talked about the minor benefits that sour cream has for your canine friends. But, does it have any downsides?
Have a look below!
1) It Has High Calories:
Two tablespoons of sour cream contain 60-90 calories. Too many calories for a dog is not a good idea as it can cause digestive issues.
If your dog consumes more calories than it should consume in a day, he might experience diarrhea and vomiting. In adverse cases, it can also cause inflammation of the pancreas.
The tablespoons we talked about are the official ones and not the heaped ones. The latter ones are those which we use to satisfy our guilty pleasure.
Suppose your dog eats a cup full of sour cream that will be around 400 calories. And, this much amount is not advisable for your furry friend.
Almost 90% of the calories in sour cream come from fat, which isn’t a good option.
2) It Has High-Fat Content:
As stated above, fat is also not a good idea. 90% of calories come from fat, and out of which, 60% belongs to saturated fats.
Saturated fats are considered “bad fats.” It can increase blood cholesterol concentration.
Fatty foods also increase the risk of clogging arteries, heart attack, and pancreatitis.
Obesity is not only limited to humans, but animals get affected by it too. Consuming a high amount of fat can constitute weight gain. Due to this, your pet might feel lethargic as well.
Even if you find a fat-free sour cream, it is not healthy as well.
Such products contain tyramine, which tends to cause irritable bowel syndrome.
Moreover, most of the companies use artificial gums. These can cause digestive problems in pups.
3) It Has Lactose In It:
We have a piece of bad news for some dogs!
If your furry friend is lactose-intolerant, do not let your dog anywhere near sour cream. And any other products containing lactose.
Sour cream is a dairy product, and almost all dairy products contain lactose.
However, some of the animal’s bodies do not produce the enzyme lactase. It handles breaking down lactose into smaller digestible components.
Dogs can eat sour cream. But, what if your lactose-intolerant pup has accidentally consumed sour cream?
Look for the following symptoms:
| Diarrhea | Vomiting | Abdominal pain |
| Excessive thirst | Lethargy | Bloating |
| Dehydration |
Avoid giving lactose to your healthy dog as well.
As puppies grow up, their ability to digest lactose decreases. Because they stop feeding on their mothers’ milk, which contains lactose.
Like lactose-free almond milk is available in the market, you can easily find such sour creams.
What To Do If Your Dog Overeats Sour Cream?
Dogs tend to eat anything which they see. Of course, they are animals and don’t know how much they should eat. Or whether they should eat it or not. Therefore, dogs will eat sour cream.
If you notice that your canine buddy has binged on your sour cream. Look for afore-mentioned symptoms. But, here are a few steps you should take:
- You do not need to panic as sour cream is not toxic for healthy dogs. Sour cream has a minimal amount of lactose. So, it will not immediately kill your lactose-intolerant dog as well.
- Do not give anything to eat to your pet for at least 12 hours.
- Offer plenty of water to flush out the food.
- Give them a bland diet like a boiled chicken with plain rice. Continue doing it for 1-2 days until their diarrhea stops.
- Avoid adding any other treatment apart from regular food.
If the symptoms don’t subside in 1-2 days, consult a vet immediately.
What Are The Options Available Other Than Sour Cream?
Sour cream was invented to satisfy the taste buds of humans. However, it is not a healthy food option for humans as well.
But, if something isn’t beneficial for you, how can you expect it for your pooch?
If you are willing to give some of your food, try organic sour cream over the regular. The organic ones have more vital nutrients than normal ones.
It contains omega fatty acids, which are amazing for their skin, fur, and healthy growth.
You can skip the sour cream and choose plain yogurt over it. It is full of probiotics and helps in promoting better digestion. Not only this, but yogurt also has a high amount of protein.
Thus, it is better to choose alternatives for a healthy lifestyle. So that your canine companion can have a happy life.
Final Thoughts:
All in all, we can answer the question “can dogs eat sour cream” with a yes. Nonetheless, moderation is the key.
Overconsumption of sour cream can create extensive health issues for your poor pooch.
Your dog can survive without this treat, so you don’t need to add it to their diet.
There is plenty of other human food available which you can give as a treat. Some of them are even more beneficial. So, be wise while choosing what is best for your dog.