Quaker oats are a healthy and safe meal for dogs. However, the meal can be a risk in the way you prepare or serve it. Below are two ways in which Quaker oats can be risky to dogs. Cooking in milk When cooking Quaker oats, you may decide to use milk in place of water. This is risky for dogs because milk contains lactose and dogs are lactose intolerant. Their systems lack lactase that breaks down lactose. Feeding them Quaker oats cooked in milk causes abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea. Feeding them uncooked Quaker oats Uncooked Quaker oats are crunchy and may seem tasty to dogs. However, they're hard to chew because their teeth can't grind them up well. They'll end up swallowing them, leading to choking. In addition, raw oats are hard to digest in the system.