leftover/expired bm and pets.. would you?

[hildare]

just curious.. would you give leftover/expired bm to pets?

[MilkbarMom]

Yup! I have also given freshly pumped milk to sick animals. Works great!

[mambera]

People milk for people! I recycle mine.

[Xavismom]

I give a tiny bit of BM to my dog everytime I pump. It makes my DH crazy, but my mom understands. I dont have much of myself to give to the dog right now, who was previously my 'baby' and he is so sad and lost. He has learned it comes from me, and he looks forward to it. I cant give him the time an attention he needs from me, so I give him a little treat from his 'Mama'.

Thankfully between my mom and my DH, my poor dog still gets played with and walked, but I still feel so bad for him.

[JamieCatheryn]

Yes sounds right to me. Soured raw cow's milk is great to give pets, so why not human milk?

[mommajb]

I wouldn't but only because I would worry it would give them loose stools (like a toddler when the new baby is born) and I don't need one more thing to deal with right now.

[craft_media_hero]

I don't see why not.

There was an article on Peaceful Parenting about one mom making breastmilk popsicles for her tot with "old" breastmilk.

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by mommajb

I wouldn't but only because I would worry it would give them loose stools (like a toddler when the new baby is born) and I don't need one more thing to deal with right now.

If I had fresh bmilk and an infant animal who needed milk--- sure. Expired bmilk or an older animal (who may be lactose intollerant, after all, mammals are not designed to have milk past their nursing days)--- no way.

[Llyra]

Most adult cats and dogs are lactose-intolerant, so no, I wouldn't. I would be concerned about intestinal discomfort and/or loose stools. With a puppy or a kitten, perhaps, but only fresh milk, not old milk.

[sunnygir1]

If I don't get the milk into the baby or the freezer soon enough, the dog totally gets it. It is never scary, just a little stale-smelling.

My dog eats much grosser things than sour milk, by the way. And how much lactose is in human milk? Since many lactose intolerant humans do fine with goat milk, I'd think a small amount of human milk on occasion would be fine.

[Reubsmum77]

I have done...with my first child I had over supply so pumped some excess every time I fed DS. He wouldn't take a bottle so the dog got it as I didn't want to throw it away. She loved it and got excited when I got the pump out! Her coat looked so healthy while she was on it.
Doggy remembered the pump when I had DD but tandeming DS and DD and pumping for my niece - she hasn't had a look in

[rlmueller]

Mos Def

I work to get that stuff out so I'm not throwing it away.
Dog only eats human food so breastmilk counts. Other dairy she gets is cottage cheese and yogurt in small amounts once or twice a week.

No loose stools involved.

I also threw it in a smoothie that I made for my older son and I. Shhhh, don't tell my hubby.

[katerinro]

Yes! I gave fresh pumped bm to a feline leukemia positive cat and she is doing fine now, true story!

[averlee]

Considering my dog eats turds and my cat will eat her own barf, I'd feed them breastmilk so old it had cheesed. They are pretty gross beasties, but remarkably healthy. I'd also use expired breastmilk as after-sun lotion, hair conditioner, athlete's foot cure, or plant food.

[hildare]

averlee! plant food!!! i never thought of that, does it work?

[rlmueller]

Averlee--You are hilarious!! I'll have to try all of those.

[ashleybess]

I guess I would. Our chihuahua will rush in and start licking if my five month old son spits up - she loves it! Our other dogs don't seem terribly interested though.