By Dawn Price, Registered Dietitian
Owner The Natural Dog, Newburyport MA
There are many options available to
consider when incorporating additional food supplements to your pets
diet. Many of these considerations are based on individual needs.
However, if looking for an overall healthy addition to enhance your
pet’s diet, raw goat milk is a great option.
Raw goat milk is the most complete food
known. It contains protein, essential fatty acids, enzymes, vitamins,
minerals, electrolytes, and trace elements in a live whole food form.
Compared to cow’s milk, it is very easily digested, having a digestion
time of only twenty minutes. This is due to the smaller fat globules and
high concentration of small and medium chain fatty acids. Raw goat milk
is also well tolerated by people and pets that can’t digest pasteurized
milk. This is due to the fact that raw milk contains ample amounts of
the lactase enzyme which breaks down the lactose milk sugar.
Pasteurization and heat destroy the lactase enzyme.
Raw goat milk provides an easily
digestible and highly nutritious source of fluid for dogs and cats that
enhances hydration. Dogs and cats bodies are about 65% moisture, and
unlike humans they are designed to obtain the majority of moisture from
the foods they eat. Supplementing raw goat milk to a kibble diet, which
contains very little moisture, is a great way to enhance the pets
hydration as well as providing many other raw nutrient benefits.
Raw goats milk contains beneficial
microorganisms that enhance intestinal and digestive tract support.
There is an increasing trend of digestive, intestinal and bowel issues
being experienced by companion animals resulting from the consumption of
highly processed diets cooked at extreme temperatures. The
fermentation process of goat milk provides additional probiotics.
Fermented milk aids in conditions such as colitis, diarrhea, and
irritable bowel syndrome, gastric ulcers and intestinal pathogens.
Raw goat milk may also be used as a
natural anti-inflammatory. The high percentage of fatty acids aids with
the reduction of inflammation in the digestive tract of mammals. It is
also beneficial in fighting off yeast. This is due to the probiotics and
high levels of caprylic acid, which is also a natural yeast destroyer.
By supplementing goats milk the overall
health of your pet is greatly enhanced. Not only is it palatable to most
dogs and cats, but raw goat milk has been shown to help with a number
of common ailments. Whether your dog is fed a raw diet, cooked diet or
kibble diet, supplementing raw goat’s milk can help to keep your four
legged friends healthy and happy, the natural way.