Calcium milk bones for dogs are a great way to provide extra nutrition for your dog. They’re much healthier than real milk bones and can help keep your dog’s teeth clean.
Your dog can live a long and healthy life if you give it something to chew on. Most likely, you’ve heard this before. You also know that chewing bones can be a great source of minerals and proteins for your dog; not to mention the benefits they gain from chewing in general. But I’m pretty sure you have no idea what a calcium milk bone is.
Calcium Milk Bones For Dogs
Just like cats with fish and mice with cheese, dogs are often associated with bones. Though wild canines and their ancestors happily gnaw on bones, domesticated dogs have developed a taste for alternative bone-free treats.
One of the most well known examples of this is the Milk-Bone. Milk-Bones are crunchy, bone-shaped biscuits that are a staple in many dogs’ households. Their popularity cannot be denied, but are these biscuits healthy for dogs to eat?
Over the next few decades, the Milk-Bone was expanded to include a number of different flavors, such as chicken and beef. The marketing focus was also shifted from Milk-Bone being merely a dog treat to a product that promoted cleaner teeth and better breath. Nabisco, under the ownership of Kraft Foods, sold the Milk-Bone rights to Del Monte Foods in May 2006.
Del Monte Foods renamed their pet products division Big Heart Pet Brands. This division was spun off in 2014 to create “Del Monte Pacific Limited”.[1]
What Are Milk-Bones?
Despite the name, Milk-Bones are not actual bones, nor are they made from them. Milk-Bones are bone-shaped dog biscuits made from minerals, meat products, and milk. The classic treats are dry and crunchy in texture, but a wide variety of options are now available.
Created in 1908, these classic treats have been making tails wag and tongues drool for over a century! Now there are a variety of bone-shaped biscuits available from many different suppliers, but Milk-Bone has remained a household name for dogs and dog people.
Are Milk-Bone Biscuits Bad For Dogs?
Who doesn’t love seeing their dog’s tail wag with a treat in hand? We love making our canine companions happy and, let’s face it, few things make dogs happier than treats. However, as the old adage goes, “everything in moderation.”
What Are the Best Sources of Calcium for Dogs?
Calcium deficiency is a common problem among domesticated canines. Dogs need calcium to ensure good health, facilitate proper bone development, and prevent health complications. Calcium is found in enriched products such as canned and bagged dog food. Incorporating dairy items like cheese and yogurt into a dog’s diet can also provide a substantial amount of calcium for dogs. Fish and bones are other sources of calcium, but these foods should be properly prepared by the owner before the dog consumes them.
Prepackaged dog foods found in most supermarkets usually contain at least small amounts of calcium from their numerous ingredients. These ingredients, however, undergo processing that results in a significant loss of essential vitamins and minerals. Adding other foods to a dog’s diet is recommended to ensure that it consumes enough calcium. Dairy products, like yogurts, cheeses, and cottage cheese, are a great source of calcium for dogs and can be mixed in with dry dog food.
Vegetables and legumes such as broccoli, spinach, and beans are rich in calcium, but many dogs will refuse to eat them, finding their taste unappetizing. Some fish are also acceptable for consumption and a good source of calcium for dogs. Tuna and salmon contain high levels of calcium nutrients and are affordable options for dog owners. Sardines and trout also provide essential vitamins and minerals, are high in protein and calcium, and taste great to dogs. Raw fish can cause stomach problems in dogs, so the dog owner should thoroughly cook the fish prior to feeding.
Should You Give Your Dog Calcium Supplements?
If you don’t think your dog is getting enough calcium in their diet naturally or you want to guarantee they are getting an adequate amount their are a variety of supplements you can add to your dog’s food or snacks to help boost their supply.
3 Reasons Why Milk Bones Are Unhealthy for Your Dog
Milk Bones… You’ve seen them dominating your local grocery’s pet food aisle. They are easily the most popular dog treat on the market. And if you’re not careful, feeding your pup loads of these unhealthy snacks can result in an unhealthy pet.
That can mean shorter life, skin disease, lack of energy and more!
Here are 3 reasons why milk bones are unhealthy for your dog.
- Some brands pack sugar into their milk bones – Milk Bones Essential plus Oral Care lists sugar as a third ingredient in their milk bones. That’s right, they are putting sugar into a product that is supposed to help our pups teeth!! Imagine if a toothpaste company did that? The problem, according to Dr. Ernie Ward is that “sugar is incredibly attractive to dogs. If a dog gobbles a treat quickly, an owner is more likely to give another – and another. This adds up to more sales – and profits. In the race for pet treat profits, our pets’ health is being bankrupted.”
- Milk Bones can contain BHA – Now we want to be careful here but, some iterations of Milk Bones contain BHA, a preservative that is a known carcinogen. This preservative consistently produces tumors in lab animals. While the FDA asserts that BHA is safe in low doses, dogs are being fed these tainted foods day in and out. Milk Bones also contain wheat which, along with soy and corn, dogs have even more difficulty digesting than humans. And while the verdict may be out on BHA, would you want to take the risk?
- More than BHA, there are a ton of chemicals in certain brands – For this final point we’ll just leave this picture here with a list of all the chemicals included in some of America’s most popular pet treats.
If that’s not enough proof for you, according to a study by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention 53.9% of dogs in the US are overweight.
Want a nutritious, 100% natural, American made, grain, salt, soy and artificial flavoring free substitute for milk bones??? Try our Sweet Potato Bone!
Our pups deserve better! That’s why we at Gaines Family Farmstead are committed to healthy, natural dog treats that your pup will love.
Our sweet potato dog treats contain one ingredient… sweet potatoes! No additives, no chemicals, no risk. Be sure to try a bag for your pup. If they don’t love it, return the bag for a 100% refund, no questions asked.
Bones are another healthy source of calcium for dogs but require some preparation before they can be fed to them. For their safety, dogs should not chew on small or large bones. Most veterinarians agree that bones should be processed with a blender into a fine powder and then added to the dog’s food. Whole bones can splinter as a dog chews them and cause internal puncture wounds and bleeding. Some dog owners avoid bones altogether, choosing to grind up eggshells instead.
Calcium supplements are an option reserved for when other methods fail. Most vets recommend supplements if a dog is unable to maintain recommended calcium levels from a balanced diet or if a calcium deficiency has been diagnosed. Dog owners do not require a prescription to obtain the supplements. They can easily purchase supplements at local and online pet stores.
How Much Milk Can Dogs Drink?
Milk is a safe treat in small quantities. A few tablespoons of cow’s milk or goat’s milk on an occasional basis can be a nice reward for your dog without the side effects of overindulgence. But, you should probably hold off on offering your dog an entire bowl in one sitting, as it can cause unpleasant reactions, including diarrhea, vomiting, and loose stools.
The beverage is high in fat and natural sugars, which is another reason to feed it to your pup in small quantities. Too much fat in your dog’s diet can lead to obesity and pancreatitis, which are serious conditions.
Lactose Intolerance in Dogs
Dairy products are a leading source of food intolerance in dogs, and many canines are lactose intolerant, which means they have difficulty digesting milk. Some lactose intolerant dogs have trouble drinking milk, but can handle dairy products like cheese and plain yogurt, which are typically easier to digest than straight milk. Others have adverse reactions to dairy in general.
Many owners don’t find out that their dogs are lactose intolerant until they feed them milk. Trying to determine if your dog is lactose intolerant can also be tricky if your pup has consumed a large amount of milk, as this can also trigger vomiting and diarrhea in dogs that are not lactose intolerant. However, if your dog shows signs of these symptoms after drinking a small amount of milk, you should find a different treat.
How to Tell If Your Dog Is Lactose Intolerant
Dogs can have varying degrees of lactose intolerance; some might experience only mild symptoms, while other cases may be more severe. The most common symptoms are:
A box of Milk-Bone treats makes an early product placement appearance in the 1924 silent film The Tomboy and this product was the basis for a line from the TV sitcom Cheers, spoken by George Wendt’s character Norm: “It’s a dog-eat-dog world and I’m wearing Milk-Bone underwear.”