Animal Update: The Truth About Ice And Your Dog
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— A recent article online that has gone viral makes a claim that ice water can kill dogs. For some truth we turned to Dr. Jennifer Scarlett from the San Francisco SPCA.
She claimed this rumor started (at least in its online incarnation) around 2010. "Every summer we see it come up over and over again," she said.
According to the article, ice water causes dog's stomachs to bloat. Scarlett said bloat in dogs is usually caused by heavy and frequent meals.
The ice cubes, if consumed very quickly can chip a dog's tooth, but it's generally not an issue to give your dog ice water.
As a reminder, Dr. Scarlett said in summertime dogs don't sweat like humans, instead they do it through their footpads and they need to pant. Make sure they always have access to cool water in these types of conditions.