Can my dog eat Vanilla ice cream? It might be tempting to let your dog have a few licks of your ice cream cone to help them cool down on a hot summer day, but ice cream is not suitable for dogs. However, it’s not toxic either.
So, the answer to the popular question, “Can my dog eat vanilla ice cream?” is no and maybe. This answer most likely sounds confusing and not straightforward, but it’s because ice cream and dogs don’t always mix well.
Can Dogs Eat Vanilla Ice Cream
What is vanilla Ice Cream
Delicious vanilla ice cream contains fresh cow’s milk, sugar, cream, egg yolks, vanilla bean, or flavoring. Sometimes it includes artificial flavors too. It’s often served on a cone or a small bowl.
Reasons Dogs Shouldn’t Eat Ice Cream
Vanilla ice cream contains lactose, and dogs don’t have digestive enzymes that can break down the food to absorb the nutrients. This is also referred to as lactose intolerant. Dogs that eat ice cream and are lactose intolerant will experience gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, cramps, and nausea.- The ice cream can be cross-contaminated with chocolate which is toxic for dogs. Cross-contamination happens when someone uses the same spoon in one ice cream flavor then uses the same one in a different taste. Even the smallest amount of chocolate is harmful for dogs and can lead to heart failure, muscle tremors, and death.
- Vanilla ice cream contains added sugars that make this a delicious and refreshing treat for most people. However, the high sugar level can increase the risk of your dog developing diabetes, metabolic disease, and dental disease.
- Some vanilla ice cream brands sneak in artificial sweeteners such as xylitol. This specific artificial sweetener causes insulin to release rapidly and decrease blood sugar levels, leading to developing hypoglycemia, which can be life-threatening.
DIY Frozen Treats for Your Dog
After just learning the scary reasons your dog shouldn’t eat ice cream, you now know the answer to the question, “can my dog eat vanilla ice cream?” is actually no! But you can still make some fun and tasty frozen treats for your dog that can be enjoyed.
Try the DIY frozen recipe ideas below:
- Raw cubes – This might sound boring, like just giving your dog an ice cube, which they usually love. However, you can add taste to ice cubes by including bone broth, chicken broth, beef broth, apples, bacon, or your dog’s favorite treats.
- Frozen fruit – Blend your dog’s favorite fruit such as apples, strawberries, blueberries, banana, watermelon, or pineapple. You can choose to blend only one fruit or combine a few together, like banana and strawberries. Blend the fruit of your choice completely and place it in ice cube trays until frozen, then serve to your dog in their food bowl.
- Frozen vegetables – Blend cooked dog-friendly vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, asparagus, or carrots. Then place it in an ice cube tray until fully frozen and serve to your dog.
Bottom Line
Dogs shouldn’t eat vanilla ice cream or any other flavor. Once dogs are weaned from their mother’s milk, their bodies are not designed to digest any animal milk.
It’s best to avoid feeding your dog ice cream to help prevent them from experiencing the severe digestive symptoms mentioned earlier. Instead, be creative and try the DIY frozen treat options or make your own recipes that you know your dog will love!
When creating recipes for your dog, make sure you use dog-friendly ingredients to avoid toxic poisoning. If you are not sure what ingredients are safe for dogs, check with a veterinarian or animal nutritionist for further assistance. Visit the DogStruggles homepage for more expert advice and information.
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