Can Dogs Eat Ice Cream? When it is or isn’t an Emergency for Dogs

No, dogs shouldn’t eat ice cream. This applies to all flavors including vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate ice cream. The primary reason is due to ice cream containing dairy ingredients, which dogs have intolerance towards.

Can dogs eat vanilla ice cream?

No, dogs shouldn’t eat vanilla ice cream, whether that is in the form of soft-serve ice cream or in the form of a box from popular brands like Ben and Jerry’s. It’s not just the problem with lactose. Vanilla ice creams also contain a lot of sugar and fat. Dogs shouldn’t be fed a high-fat diet as that puts themselves at risk of developing disorders like pancreatitis. Vanilla ice cream may also contain ingredients that are toxic to dogs such as xylitol.

Can dogs eat strawberry ice cream?

No, dogs shouldn’t eat any fruit-flavored ice creams like strawberry ice cream. Dogs that eat these kinds of ice creams are likely to fall sick and suffer from gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea and stomach upsets.

Can dogs eat chocolate ice cream?

No, dogs shouldn’t eat chocolate ice cream. In addition to the concerns highlighted above, chocolate ice cream comes with an extra health risk because chocolate is toxic to dogs.

Can dogs eat coffee ice cream?

No, dogs shouldn’t eat coffee ice cream. In addition to the problems caused by ingredients like lactose, sugar, and artificial flavoring, coffee ice cream also contains a bit of caffeine, which can be fatal to dogs at certain doses.

Can dogs eat lactose free ice cream?

No, dogs shouldn’t eat lactose-free ice cream, even if it doesn’t introduce the same risks of lactose intolerance as regular ice cream. Some dairy-free ice creams could be made with nut-based milks, which could be harmful to dogs. Lactose-based ice creams may still contain secondary ingredients that are unhealthy or toxic to dogs. It’s much safer to feed your dog frozen pieces of fruits like blueberries if they are looking for a cold treat during a hot, summer day.

What to do if your dog ate ice cream

A trip to the vet is most likely unnecessary unless your dog ate a huge amount of ice cream (relative to the dog’s weight) or if the dog ate ice cream that contains ingredients that are highly toxic such as xylitol and chocolate. Keep a close eye on your pet for the next few days in case they do shows signs of sickness. In the meantime, learn about other human foods that dogs should or shouldn’t eat.