Bovine colostrum

What is bovine colostrum?

Colostrum is the first milk produced by a mammalian mother after the birth of her young. This milk contains many valuable nutrients and antibodies that strengthen the newborn's immune system and protect it from diseases. Bovine colostrum is the first milk of cows. It is often used as a food supplement for humans and animals.

How does bovine colostrum work in dogs?

Bovine colostrum can benefit your dog in various ways:

• It strengthens the immune system and helps fight off viruses, bacteria and fungi.
• It promotes wound healing and the regeneration of skin and mucous membranes.
• It aids digestion and alleviates gastrointestinal complaints such as diarrhea or flatulence.
• It has an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect on joint complaints such as arthrosis or rheumatism.

When should you feed bovine colostrum to dogs?

Bovine colostrum can always be given to dogs, not only when they are ill, but also to prevent and strengthen their health. Dogs with a weakened immune system or increased susceptibility to infections in particular benefit from colostrum therapy.

Puppies can also benefit from bovine colostrum if, for example, they were separated from their mother too early or have received too little mother's milk. In this case, colostrum can help them to build up their immune system and develop healthily.

How can bovine colostrum be fed to dogs?

There are various ways to feed bovine colostrum to dogs:

As a powder: You can simply mix the powder into the food or mix it with a little water and give it as a treat.
As capsules: You can either allow the capsules to be swallowed whole or break them open and mix the contents into the food.
As a liquid: You can squirt the liquid directly into the mouth or drizzle it over the food.
The dosage depends on your dog's weight. It is best to follow the manufacturer's instructions or ask your vet.

Are there any side effects or risks when giving bovine colostrum to dogs?

Bovine colostrum is considered to be very well tolerated by dogs. Nevertheless, you should pay attention to a few points:

Pay attention to the quality of the product: The colostrum should be as fresh as possible (obtained within the first 24 hours after calving) and come from a controlled source (without antibiotics and hormones).
Pay attentionto possible allergies: If your dog is allergic to cow's milk, be careful when feeding bovine colostrum to dogs with cow's milk allergy: If your dog is allergic to cow's milk, be careful when feeding bovine colostrum. It is possible that he may also react to the proteins in colostrum and show symptoms such as itching, skin inflammation or gastrointestinal complaints. In this case, the colostrum should be discontinued and the advice of a vet sought. There are also colostrum products that are defatted and decaseinated, i.e. they contain less fat and casein (a milk protein). These products may be better tolerated by dogs with a cow's milk allergy.