[natalieb]

Hi, I am wondering if anyone can help me... my brother fed his 7 week old puppy a tbsp of yogurt a couple of hours ago,and she has been acting lethargic, hot and breathing heavy. He is currently at the Vet with her right now, but I am just wondering if you should even be giving a puppy yogurt or not (his vet told him to give her some so that she would grow faster). Thank you to anyone who can answer my question.

[labman]

I forget whether yogurt has the lactose dogs can't digest or not. Unless it is a case of a puppy failing to gain weight, none of the vets I know would ever suggest adding any human food to make a puppy grow faster. They say stick to dog chow and make an early switch to adult food to slow growth allowing sturdy joints more time to develop. The people mentoring me don't teach me which human foods are good and bad. They teach me it all adds calories and leads to unbalanced diet. It is not good to add this, that, and the other thing to a dogs diet. I see the results every year when hundreds of us gather that follow the regimen of no human food or other additives, an early switch to adult chow, and keep the dog lean. Our puppies are all lean, lively, and healthy. Most of the discussion of health problems center on what the puppy managed to forage on its own.

[doggie_poopie]

I am replying to this thread as my VET is looking over my shoulder! We tell people to give yogurt all the time, with antibiotics!