• If you're a past member of the board, but can't recall your password any more, you don't need to set up a new account (unless you wish to). As long as you recall your old login name, you can log in with that user name then select 'forgot password' and the board will email you at your registration email, to let you reset your password.

Warning - don't feed ice cubes

Nicki

Nicki

Moderator
This was posted on a breeder list, but with permission to share with everyone.

This incident involved a Siberian Husky - but I know I and many others have given ice cubes and frozen kongs to our Cavaliers on hot days - Cavaliers are not generally prone to bloat {although Sadly I am aware of one elderly Cavalier who died from this condition :(} but it's not something I would want to risk - and please share this with anyone you know with deep chested breeds

Hello Everyone,

I am writing this in hopes that some may learn from what I just went
through. We went to the Steel Valley Cluster this past weekend {july 2007}

After showing we went back to our site/set up and got the dogs in their
crates to cool off.
After being back about 30min. I noticed Baran was low on water. I took a
hand full of ice from my cooler and put it in his bucket with more water.....
We all then started to get all the dogs Ex'ed and food ready for them.

After checking the dogs and thinking they were cooled off enough we fed
everyone. As we were walking around picking out the feed dishes from the crates, one of my friends stated that Baran seemed like he was choking. I went over and check on him and he was dry heaving and was real drolly.

I got him out of the crate to check him over I noticed he had not eaten, he was in some what distress. I checked him over from head to toe and did not notice anything. I walked him around for about a min. when I noticed that he was starting to Bloat. I did everything I was taught to do in this case. I was not able to get him to burp, and we gave him Phasezime.

We jumped on the golf cart to take him down to the Show vet to find out that he did not have a bloat kit, He referred us to the clinic that was to be on call, but we found out that the clinic was closed.

After finding another clinic that was open we rushed Baran to that
one. We call ahead and let them know that we were on our way. They were set up and waiting on us and got Baran stable very fast. After Baran was stable and out of distress we transported Baran to AVREC were he went into surgery to make sure no damage was done to any of his vital organs. I am very happy to say that Baran is doing great, there was not damage to any vital organs, and he still loves his food.

In surgery the doctor found that Baran's stomach was in its normal anatomic position. The Doctor and I went over the events of what happened up to the point of Baran's Bloating.

When I told him about the ice water he asked why I gave him ice water, and have I always did this. I told him my history behind this practice and his reply was "You have been very lucky for the past 15 years."

The ice water I gave Baran caused violent Muscle spasm in his stomach which caused the bloating. Even though I figured his temp was down enough to feed and give him this ice water his internal temp was still high. Dr. Vogf stated that giving dogs ice to chew or ice water is a big NO, NO; there should be no reason for them to have ice/ice water.

Normal water (room Temp.), or cooling with cold towels on the inter thigh. This is the best way to help cool a dog.

I felt the need to share this with everyone, in the hopes that some may
learn from what I went through, I do not wish this on anyone. Baran is home now doing fine. He does not like the fact that he has to be walked on lead in the yard to keep him from running. He hates not being able to go out and rough house it with the others, but is doing great. So please if you do use ice and ice water, beware as what could happen.

Sorry so long and excuse the mispellings…
 
That's so scary. Do you think it's ok to give them icecubes to play with if they arn't overly hot? Like the ones that always seem to end up on the floor when you fill a glass?
 
I think if they are only playing with them and not eating them then that would be ok - but just supervise closely - as you would with any treat.
 
It's really scary!

But the dangerous thing is the difference between the temp of ice cube ore ice water and the temp inside the dog. The higher the difference, the higher the danger.

@ melissa

When your dog don't swallow the ice cube than is it okay. Then the water from the melting ice cub isn't so cold just like the cube self.

It is even with the frozen kongs. Inside of the kong are ice, and very low temp, but the dog have a warm tongue. On the way in the stomach the frozen food are melting and so warm enough and riskless.
 
Last edited:
I recently read that a major cause of broken teeth in dogs is giving them ice cubes.

Now when I drop one on the floor, I pick it up and throw it in the sink immediately.
 
I think broken teeth in dog can have many causes, not only ice cubes.
It's also possible with stones, bones ore sticks.
 
Last edited:
Years ago (I’m showing my age) I was always told to use rock sulphur in the water bowls during hot weather. One of the first things as a kid was learning to clean the rock every day for the water bowl. But I never see it recommended anymore. Is it now one of those things consider bad?
 
I always give my dogs icechips when we go to shows in hot weather - Although after reading that, I'm going to have to watch them very closely and make sure they're not actually eating the ice!!!
 
Wow that is scarey. I didn't know you weren't supposed to feed dogs ice cubes or iced water. I do both. :eek:
 
thats really scary! i give lexi pieces of ice all the time. not to cool her down but we have tile floors and she likes to chase the ice all over the house until she "captures" it and then she chews on and eats what's left of it.
awww...shes gonna be so let down:( , thats one of her favorite "toys" haha
 
I wonder if the problem is only caused by a large amount of very solid ice, as we humans eat icelollies and drink really cold water and don't get bloat.
 
I found the easiest way to give cooler water on warmer days was to invest in a Deluxe "Fresh Flow" larger size electric water filter fountain system for Dogs and Cats.

It keeps the water oxygenated, (thought to be good for their health) cooled and fresher by filtering out the little dirty bits that get caught in a normal bowl, and with six little tongues a lapping it has become invaluable in our household! they love to drink from the fountain of water as it flows.
Rock sulpher can still be bought in some pet shops and I have used that successfully through warmer months before I found the filter system.

Alison.
 
Davy said:
It supposed to replaces minerals the body has lost in hot weather.

it supposed to help the dog cool down?
Click to expand...

oooh, never I heard from.
The only wat I found with sulphur is MSM = methyl sulfonyl methan. This is good for articulation, rheumatism, tendons, muscular system, dyspepsia, problems with liver etc.

But I found nothing about to help the dog cool down or to replaces minerals the body has lost in hot weather.
 
Barbara Nixon said:
I wonder if the problem is only caused by a large amount of very solid ice, as we humans eat icelollies and drink really cold water and don't get bloat.
Click to expand...

No, we don't get bloat, but our heart circulation system can be break down (or fall down?? what is correct in english???) .... aaaaah, i found the correct word ... to collpase.
The heart circulation system can be collapse.


Always the docs are warning sportsman to trink ice water!! Because the body are hot!
In the summer we don't swallow an hole ice cube. We lap up an ice cream or trink cool drinks, but not ice water.

Ice cream is warmer than an ice cube.


I hope you understand what i mean.
 
Last edited:
thank you for posting this! i had worried a little about indy's teeth before, but I've never heard of bloat before now!

my mother is going to be so disappointed! giving ice cubes to indy to play with and eat is yet another way that she enjoyed spoiling the 'grand-dog' that i have to now tell her is dangerous!
:sl*p:
 
My two LOVE ice cubes. I usually break them up for them because otherwise I think they would swallow them whole. They are going to be soo upset now :(
 
We have given candi a couple of ice cubes to cool her gums, and like others we also put the cubes on the tiles for her to play with, but i think it's to much of a risk to keep giving them to her, so we'll be stopping as well. Thank you for this information.
 
I am not a Vet and certainly not an expert, and everyone should check this out for themselves and with their own Vet, if needed, but I do not think it is ice cubes per se that are bad for dogs but rather giving them ice cubes when they are overheated and/or understress. Ice cubes are okay treats and good way to put out water on trips, to keep liquid in dogs who are sick, etc. Our Cavalier Buddy does not really like them much, unless they are frozen with some chicken broth, but our Clumber Hadley has a bowl of ice cubes almost every day and has since she was a puppy when I was looking for non-caloric things for her to chew on. She loves her ice cubes!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top