Everyone knows that puppies are inclined to lick and eat just about everything they see – and that often includes baby formula.
Sometimes, an enthusiastic puppy might lick some spilled powder off the floor or try to grab a made-up bottle.
Or, you might have a puppy who you think needs a little extra milk – either because they’re small and you’re worried they aren’t getting enough milk from their mom, or they’re curious about the milk you feed your baby, and you’re wondering if it’s OK for them to try it.
Feeding your puppy with baby formula
It’s not a good idea to deliberately give a puppy formula. Just as human babies benefit most from breast milk, so puppies are best off with their mom’s milk too.
And since baby formula is designed to be as close to human breastmilk as possible, it’s not suitable for dogs. Most formula contains lactose, and many dogs are lactose intolerant – meaning that they cannot digest dairy products easily, including formula. They’re likely to end up with gas, diarrhea and possibly make an unpleasant mess for you to clean up.
If you’re worried that your puppy isn’t getting enough nutrition or growing well, consult your veterinarian.
What if your puppy accidentally has formula?
If your puppy decided to ‘help’ you clean up by licking up some spilled powder or made-up formula, don’t panic. This is likely to be such a small amount that it won’t do any harm and they’ll have ingested only a tiny amount of lactose.
If they have somehow got into a formula tin, this might be more of a concern. While your pup will probably be OK, we recommend that you give your veterinarian a call for advice.