Is Ice Good for Dogs?

It depends. If it is on top of an 18-year-old Scotch, then yes! 

We’re kidding. Don’t ever try to feed alcohol to your dog. But ice? Yes, you can sometimes feed some. It is completely safe for your dog, assuming that the water comes from a clean and uncontaminated source. 

Who doesn’t love an ice cube on a hot summer day? You would probably see your dog panting like they ran a marathon just after a short 10–15-minute walk on such a day. Can you imagine your dog’s excitement when you pull out an ice cube and toss it towards them instead of a normal treat? Your dog would probably be confused at that moment about whether to put bone or ice on top of their favorites list. 

The best thing here is that you can do this without any guilt. It is completely okay and actually good to give your dog a couple of ice cubes to cool down on a hot, sunny day. You may want to be cautious about the size, though. If your dog is small, like a Chihuahua or a miniature Poodle, keep the size of the ice cubes small to avoid a choking hazard. Ice shavings could be a better option then. ⁽¹⁾

You can also give your dog some homemade ice lollies as an occasional treat. Take an ice tray and mix a bit of xylitol-free peanut butter, salmon, lean chicken or tuna along with water and freeze it. What will come out in some time is tasty ice licks for your dog! Remember to only give small portions to your dog and occasionally. ⁽¹⁾

Does that mean you can give them ice anytime anywhere any amount? 

No. First of all, ice cubes should only be given as an occasional treat in case of dehydration. They are okay to give them on a sunny day but not if your dog is experiencing a heat stroke. It is a condition when the dog’s body temperature rises too high and cannot be cooled effectively. It can cause damage to some organs and can even be fatal. ⁽²⁾

Do not try to cool your dog down by offering ice in such a case. Cooling down a dog too quickly can cause them to go into shock. Water would be a better option, followed by an urgent vet visit. 

Is Ice Bad for a Dog’s Teeth?

Ice can be hard on your dog’s teeth. Hard objects usually cause the enamel on the teeth to wear down or even break a tooth. With ice, the chances of them happening are low. But you can further reduce the risk by using smaller moulds to avoid big chunks of ice. If your dog has a dental history, you may want to put the ice into a blender and serve it to them as a slushie bowl.  

Is It Okay to Give Dogs Ice Cold Water?

It would raise a lot of questions if we said that ice cubes are safe for dogs to eat occasionally but not ice-cold water, right? Don’t worry, we won’t be saying that. Just like ice cubes, ice-cold water is also safe for feeding dogs as an occasional treat as long as the dog is healthy and not suffering from a heat stroke.

The same cautions apply here as well if you’re putting some ice cubes in the water. Make sure that the ice cubes are not too big. Prefer chipped ice over cubes.  

Is It Good to put Ice in a Dog’s Bowl?

You’ll see a lot of posts on social media claiming that putting ice in a dog’s bowl is extremely dangerous and can even lead to the dog’s death. You may even see some vets saying the same. There is little truth in it. Such posts try to feed on human emotions by triggering the fear of the death of a loved one and making people believe it. In reality, there is nothing wrong with putting some small ice cubes in your dog’s bowl. ⁽²⁾

The way to spot fake news is by checking the source of information. If someone is claiming such information to be true, check if they’ve mentioned the name of the vet or a respective authority with it. You can also identify fake news by looking at the way the post is written. Vets don’t usually make mistakes such as calling it ‘bodily temperature’ and not ‘body temperature.’ 

Just avoid using ice or ice-cold water in your dog bowl as a solution to get your dog to cool down quickly if they seem to be overheated. It can trigger blood vessel constriction and can lead to hypothermic shock if you cool them too far. 

By the way, there are alternatives for ice cubes as well for your dog. You can try – 

If you don’t have the ingredients available, a cool (but not freezing cold) towel always works. Just remove it once it is dry. 

More about Spot Pet Insurance 

While ice cubes and ice water are safe for your dog to eat as an occasional treat, there may be times when you feed something inappropriately to them. Your dog can also end up eating stuff not meant for them just because you forgot to clean the dining table at night. Such instances can cause a lot of trouble for you and your dog. Some can even cause severe illness to your dog. 

At such times, worrying about your pet would be more important than worrying about all the medical bills. This is where pet health insurance helps. You can save up to 90% of all expenses and much more. 

Spot accident and illness plans can be used with any licensed vet in Canada or the U.S. Whether you are home, or traveling to the U.S., veterinary services your pet receives for the diagnosis, treatment, or management of covered conditions can be eligible for reimbursement. Spot’s accident and illness plans can help cover a variety of conditions including broken bones, lacerations, aggression, kidney disease, diabetes, and more. With the addition of Wellness Riders for an extra cost, you can also receive reimbursements for wellness exams, certain vaccinations, dental cleanings, and more. 

Learn more about dog insurance or get a free quote!