A hot summer day calls for an ice cream treat. But what’s great for you might not be good for your dog.
Know the difference between what’s good and what’s bad for your canine friend before indulging in ice cream treats.
It’s a scorching summer day, and your only respite is a bowl full of ice cream. While you may enjoy ice cream every now and then, your dog won’t. Most dogs have low lactose tolerance, and ice cream may be best avoided. Can dogs eat ice cream? No.
Let’s dive into the top reasons why ice cream could be harmful to dogs.
A puppy possesses enzymes that dissolve its mother’s milk. However, as it grows older, its body loses the ability to digest milk. Lactose intolerance becomes a major concern.
What could happen if your dog consumes ice cream?
Well, the milk in the ice cream can lead to stomach issues. In some cases, it can also cause intestinal discomfort and issues like gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or vomiting.
Your dog’s metabolism differs from yours.
While ice cream flavors appeal to your taste buds, some of them are highly toxic to dogs. A big no-no on this list is chocolate ice cream and other things like chocolate sauce and chocolate chips.
Your dog’s body cannot process ingredients like theobromine and caffeine. You cannot feed your dog rum raisin ice cream either because raisins negatively impact its health.
Xylitol is a sweetener found in some ice creams. This is also very dangerous for your dog. A single lick can do severe damage.
Ice cream is a sugar-heavy treat. Sugar is bad for your dog. It may cause your dog to gain excess weight and eventually it could suffer from obesity.
Excessive sugar consumption messes with your dog’s digestive system as well as its diet.
There are sugarless ice creams available in the market which you could consider for your dog. But you might want to check the ingredient list before feeding it to your dog.
Every dog has a different tolerance capacity.
The proteins in the ice cream milk could trigger food allergies in your dog.
Your pet would suffer from vomiting, diarrhea, or painful skin rashes.
If you’ve been wondering whether dogs can eat ice cream, here are some safe alternatives.
Nice cream is a fun alternative to keep your dog cool in the soaring heat.
It is usually made from frozen bananas, but you can use any non-toxic fruit your pet likes.
Nice cream is very easy to prepare. All you do is put the frozen fruit in a processor or a blender. Wait until it dissolves to become creamy like ice cream. Keep it in the freezer, and you are all set to scoop it out for your dog.
As a pet parent, you may also like alternatives that don’t contain sugar. The best option in such cases is ice cubes.
You can also cool their water by adding a few cubes of ice to it.
There are ice creams that are safe for your pet as well. These ice creams come in a variety of flavors.
These lollies are a delicious dog treat and cause no harm to your four-legged friend.
However, it is still advisable to take a look at the product label and ingredients.
Home-made frozen plain yogurt is another great chilly treat for your dog.
The fermented yogurt is low on lactose and can be easily digested by the dog’s system.
Remember to stay away from any kind of commercial flavored yogurts for your pet.
Still, confused whether you can feed your dog some ice cream? Take a glance at the common questions raised by several pet owners like you.
Vegan ice cream may look like a good alternative as it does not contain dairy. However, it is not the most suitable option.
Vegan ice creams are often made with nut-based milk and also contain sugar and additives. These products are equally hazardous to your pet.
If your dog ate a basic ice cream flavor like vanilla, the chances of any issues are minimal. But, if the ice cream is made up of ingredients like artificial sweeteners, macadamia nuts, coffee, chocolate, grapes, or raisins, visit the vet immediately.
Either way, it is recommended that you have a word with your vet if your dog accidentally consumes ice cream.
When your dog consumes toxic compounds, you can also take help from Animal Poison Control.
Xylitol, when consumed, passes into your dog’s bloodstream rapidly. This can lead to a boost in insulin production that lowers sugar levels.
When sugar levels are reduced, your dog could develop a fatal condition called hypoglycemia.
Fruits like apples, blueberries, strawberries, watermelons, bananas, and pineapples are safe and healthy.
Can dogs eat ice cream? No. Why take a risk. Ice creams are health hazards for your pet. In some extreme cases, ice cream ingredients can prove highly toxic and fatal.
Check out Can My Dog Eat Carrots?
A digital marketing expert by profession, Andrews is a gifted writer and animal lover at heart. A self-confessed "pawrent", Andrews is well-versed in all things dogs. He uses his years of experience of raising puppies into show-quality dogs to help guide first-time pet parents. He believes in spreading the joy that comes with being a dog dad and advocates more families to adopt pets.
