Many of you may have been alarmed by the recent blogs and articles that are going viral online, as alarming things often do, warning you to NEVER give your dog ice or ice water because of it. can cause serious injury or even death. There are different accounts in the article, with different dogs and different results, but the story is pretty much the same with most of them saying their vet told them dogs NEVER iced.
When I came across this, I found it odd, since most of us have given our dogs an ice cube or two over the course of their lives, and of course, during the winter, we all saw his dogs eating/drinking snow as well as freezing. water from a bucket of ice without harm.
Another version claims that ice can cause flatulence in dogs:
So I went to ASPCA Center for Animal Poison Control and received answers to my questions from Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Tina Wismer.
Is it possible to feed your dog ice for the cause as the story implies?
This is not the truth. Do not give your dog ice water on hot days. Bloating can be caused by food or by gas buildup. Either way can cause the stomach to rotate and the dog to develop GDV (volumetric gastritis). The fontanelle is most commonly seen in deep-chested large-breasted dogs.
Factors that increase the risk of bloating include:
- Feed only one meal a day
- The familiar history of hypertrophy
- Eat fast
- Thin
- Moisten dry food
- Advanced loader
- Limit drinking water before and after meals
- Dry diet with animal fat in the first four ingredients
- Age (older dogs).
As you can see, there are many things associated with bloating, but the cause is unknown.
What about giving your child other “Frozen” foods such as snacks?
Many dogs love ice cubes. They can be given as snacks or added to a bowl of water. Some behaviorists even recommend freezing toys or treats in ice for dogs to chew on. The biggest risk with ice is that aggressive chewers can break teeth.
Frozen treats like ‘dog ice cream’ and yoghurt have a softer texture (the ice crystals are separated by the fat). They have a much lower risk of causing tooth damage.
Cure heatstroke with ice water
Now that we’ve debunked the ice myth, you might be starting to think great, I’ll fill my dog with ice if it gets too hot and save myself a trip to the vet. y. However, this would be a dangerous thing.
Dr. Wismer also mentions that owners need to use common sense and make sure they’re not trying to treat heatstroke with ice. “If you think your dog has heatstroke, you should take him to the vet right away. Don’t waste time trying to get the dog to drink,” she added.
Also, use feeling when it comes to things like a pool full of ice. You won’t want to go from 90 degrees to an ice bath, and neither will your dog.
