I have been around to see the birth of many adorable puppies come into the world as I lived in rural Canada. As I was with individual breeders, I definitely noticed different methods to take care of these pups. I once noticed that one breeder to my surprise used goat milk, and I had to look further into it.
It is safe for puppies to drink goat milk to supplement dog milk or other milk replacers. Goat milk can not be used exclusively but is still a widely used option among puppy owners for the drink’s distinct nutritional value.
We will be giving you information that you need to know about using dog milk and using goat milk. After this, we will go more into depth on why goat milk is a popular option among humans and animals, and some alternative milk replacers that can completely satisfy your puppy’s nutritious needs.
Using Dog Milk
Dog Milk is definitely the most ideal option for puppies or any kind of dog. However, puppies need a balanced ratio of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates to survive (which can only be provided satisfactorily through dog milk). Also, puppies need to feed with a lot of calories so that they will be able to have the sufficient energy they need. Source
Using Goat Milk
What You Need To Know:
Using goat milk all at once may not be the safest option for newborn puppies, so be sure to use puppy goat milk powder mixed in with the goat milk before you start giving your brand new newborn puppy goat milk. Just like human babies need and should have powders and formulas to digest things properly, so do puppies. Every animal is different and has various allergies and sensitivities. You can find puppy goat powder for goats at most retailers.
Professionals recommend that the best way to use goat milk is by just using a little bit of goat milk mixed with formula at first and then determine the puppy’s reaction. If the puppy reacts negatively, the puppy should avoid all forms of goat milk. If the puppy reacts positively, gradually give the puppies more and more goat milk and you can ditch the formula as needed.
There are two predominant types of goat milk; raw and pasteurized. Both types of goat milk can be used by puppies. The most popular option for puppy owners is raw goat milk because pasteurized goat milk loses a lot of its nutritional value. Others have also recommended dehydrating raw goat milk to make it easier to digest. Source
The most ideal time to feed goat milk to puppies is during the transition from dog milk to regular milk. This process can help puppies get used to the new routine and rely less on using the mother’s milk.
Advantages of Using Goat Milk:
If used appropriately (as stated above), goat milk can help puppies:
- Goat’s milk is very high in nutritional value
- Goat’s milk contains a lot of good digestive enzymes and proteins for a healthy puppy. Source
- Goat’s milk is very rich in vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes
- Goat’s milk digests quickly and safely (within approximately 20 minutes) compared to other types of milk.
- The goat’s milk does not have allergenic proteins. Source
- Trace elements are found in goat’s milk, which helps increase the overall health of your puppy.
- Goat milk contains a lot of healthy fatty acids.
- Goats milk is full of probiotics. Source
Goat Milk can also help reduce the treatment of common illnesses such as:
- GI disease
- Heavy metal poisoning
- Malnutrition
- Diabetes
- Liver disease
- Heart disease
- Kidney disease
- Kidney stones
- Digestive issues
- Diarrhea
- Fighting off yeast
- Cancers
- Allergies and skin irritations
- Arthritis and joint pain
- Over accumulation of mucous
- Inflammation
Nutritional Comparison Of Each Type Of Milk
To better illustrate the reasoning behind using dog milk as opposed to using goat milk, check out this table.
| Macronutrients | Dog Milk | Raw Goat Milk | Pasteurized Goat Milk |
| Total carbohydrates | 3.3g | 4.53g | 4.5g |
| Dietary fiber | – | 0g | 0g |
| Sugar | 3.3g | 4.53g | 4.5g |
| Proteins | 7.5g | 3.63g | 3.6g |
| Total fats | 9.5g | 4.2g | 4.1g |
| Saturated fat | – | 2.7g | 2.7g |
| Polyunsaturated fat | – | – | 0.1g |
| Monounsaturated fat | – | – | 1.1g |
Alternative Milk Replacers For Your Puppy
You can not use goat’s milk as a complete alternative to feeding puppies, but there are specific chemical formulas that you can use to satisfy this requirement. Milk replacers are typically used for puppies (when dog milk is not available for any reason), the runt of the litter, and for dogs who simply need more nutritional value.
Here are the top rated milk replacers that are typically available:
- PetAg Esbilac Puppy Milk Replacer: This milk replacer is by the far most popular option on the market. This milk replacer is specifically built for newborn puppies and puppies up to six weeks in age. This milk replacer avoids the typical preservatives and adds a top of additional prebiotics and probiotics. The formula is easy to digest and highly palatable, which makes puppies more willing to drink it long term. You can find the PetAg Esbilac Puppy Milk Replacer for about $20 at PetCo.
- PetLac Milk Powder Replacer: This milk replacer is built for all types of newborn puppies and also older puppies that lack the nutrition that they need. The PetLack Milk Powder is rich in microorganisms and enriched in different types of vitamins and minerals. You can find the PetLac Milk Powder Replacer for about $15 at most online retailers.
- Sav A Caf Puppy Milk Replacer: This milk replacer is built for any type of animal or cattle that needs different types of food. This milk replacer has a balanced amount of protein, fat, and carbohydrates (like any sort of replacer milk), but it also contains a wide variety of vitamins for your dog to grow. You can find the Sav A Caf Puppy Milk Replacer for about $25 exclusively through Amazon.
- Nutri-Vet Puppy Milk Replacer: This milk replacer was created by veterinarians for animal owners, and has been proven to be very beneficial for puppies that are in the intermediate stage of growth to a dog. This milk replacer has a balanced ratio of what a puppy needs plus also some balanced minerals and amino acids within the formula. Nutri-Vet is widely available almost everywhere for on average $18.