Can Dogs Eat Ice Cream

Can Dogs Eat Ice Cream

Let’s know about Can Dogs Eat Ice Cream. Just about everyone loves to eat ice cream—what’s better than a cool, sweet treat on a hot day? When you make your next trip to the local creamery, you may be wondering whether or not it is okay to buy your dog a puppy. In other words, is it safe for your dog to eat ice cream?

Can Dogs Eat Ice Cream
Can Dogs Eat Ice Cream

potential health concerns

The main takeaway is that ice cream is not a healthy snack option for dogs. While the occasional small amount of vanilla ice cream or mango sorbet probably won’t send your dog to the vet, ice cream should not be a regular treat for your dog. Adult dogs do not have stomachs that are really equipped to handle lactose. While they can digest milk as pups (they are mammals, after all), they really can’t digest milk as adults. An inability to handle dairy can lead to bloating, gas, diarrhea, and vomiting. In most cases, your dog will probably be a little gassy. But if you give a small dog a lot of ice cream, your dog’s reaction to dairy could be more severe. Also, dogs with diabetes or weight issues should stay away from ice cream.

Warning

The high level of sugar in ice cream is not good for your dog either. Even “sugary” ice cream is dangerous because Xylitol is toxic to dogs. In fact, ice cream with any kind of artificial sweetener is probably a no-go for your pup. Many flavors of ice cream are also potentially dangerous to dogs. Chocolate is dangerous because dogs cannot digest theobromine. Both coffee and green tea ice cream are dangerous because of their caffeine levels. And any ice cream with grapes or raisins is potentially dangerous and can cause acute kidney failure in even small doses. Lastly, some nuts are dangerous for dogs. Macadamia nuts are dangerous for your dog – although scientists don’t know why. Pecans, walnuts, and almonds are not toxic to dogs, but are too high in fat to be healthy.

How to safely serve ice cream to your dog

If you decide to give your dog ice cream, stick with fruit-flavored ice cream or plain vanilla. Be sure to feed a small amount first to make sure it doesn’t upset your dog’s stomach. You will probably notice symptoms in the form of bloating, gas, vomiting, gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea within two hours if your dog’s stomach is not agreeing to dairy. If you want to give your dog a cool treat to sample during the summer, consider making homemade ice cream for your pup. Poring bananas, peanut butter, and a bit of yogurt (which has less lactose than ice cream) will create a delicious treat you can freeze at home. You can also add in some oats, applesauce, or other healthy, dog-friendly ingredients. Vegan “good cream” and frozen yogurt are both better for your dog as well, as they often have less sugar and are lower in (or free of) dairy. As with any rich new treat, start by feeding your puppy a little bit. Wait a few hours to see how she responds to food before giving her more.

What to do if your puppy ate ice cream on its own

If your dog ate ice cream without your permission, try to stay calm. Find out what flavor of ice cream and how much your dog ate. If your dog didn’t eat any dangerous ingredients, they’re probably going to be fine. They can be gassy or need some extra time to go potty, so you might want to spend the afternoon with them in the yard. But if your dog ate ice cream with artificial sweeteners, macadamia nuts, coffee, chocolate, grapes, or raisins, you may have a serious situation on your hands. Animal Poison Control can help you determine what to do next. That said, don’t delay the vet. If possible, have someone else drive while you call poison control or vice versa. The bottom line is that, as a general rule, ice cream is not a good treat for dogs. Peanut butter, banana, and yogurt mash can be a delicious frozen treat instead. There are too many potentially dangerous ingredients in ice cream for dogs.