Feeding Your Dog Ice Cubes: Good or Bad?

If you ever asked yourself “Can I give my dogs ice cubes to eat?”, you’re not alone. If we’re being honest, there’s no quicker way to help our dogs cool down on a hot day than a couple servings of these ice cubes. However, there seems to be some discomfort among pet owners, in regards to whether these small frozen cubes of water can pose health issues. In this article, we give our thoughts on serving up ice cubes for dogs.

A Lot of Uses for Ice Cubes

Ice cubes have a lot of good benefits for dogs. As Rover explains, one of the top benefits of dogs eating ice cubes is that it’s basically a cold treat that helps keep a dog from overheating. Other benefits include:

1. Helps teething dogs – the cool and crunchy treat helps with the pain
2. Source of controlled hydration – from the American Kennel Club, feeding your dog ice cubes can help dogs to avoid bloat from drinking too much water too fast
3. Source of entertainment – a fun toy to toss aroud and play with

But Be Careful with Ice Cubes

As PetMD explains, large and hard cubes of ice can be a cause of tooth breakage in dogs. If your dog also chews on anything hard too frequently (ice cubes included), this can significantly wear out their tooth enamel. Large pieces of ice can also lodge in a dog’s airway and take time before melting. Dogs who have lost teeth, or have severe dental issues may be unable to chew the ice properly and be at a high risk for choking. Using smaller ice cubes, or ice shavings (both served in moderation) can help avoid these issues. When in doubt, have a chat with your vet beforehand to check if your dog can safely chew and swallow ice cubes.

Creative Ways to Cool Down

We agree with Rover when they advise to make your freezer your friend. You can whip up a few cool treats with just a blender and silicone molds! Plus, you can choose healthy ingredients in making these treats that are good not just for your dog, but also for you. Go the easy route with just fruit, and blending it with plain yogurt before freezing, or be extra by adding a touch of peanut butter for extra indulgence. Get creative, furparent!

Sploot View: Ice Cubes in Moderation and With Supervision

There’s no harm in letting your dog enjoy a few ice cubes, as long as you don’t overdo it and they don’t ingest too much too fast. Stay tuned to our blog for more topics on how to keep your dogs cool and free from overheating!