Fact check: Ice cubes are safe for dogs, contrary to alarmist social media claims

Daniel Funke, USA TODAY
·5 min read

The claim: Giving overheated dogs ice cubes is dangerous

Chill out – giving ice cubes to your hot dog isn't going to hurt them.

That's according to organizations such as the American Kennel Club. But if you get pet advice only from Facebook, you may have heard the opposite.

"PLEASE do NOT give your dogs ice cubes or other frozen items in the heat to cool them down!" read text in a July 9 post, which was shared nearly 3,000 times before it was deleted. "Giving ice cubes to dogs in the heat has the opposite effect of cooling."

The recently resurfaced warning about ice cubes dates to 2010, and has circulated online since at least 2014.

But veterinarians say giving dogs ice cubes in moderation is a perfectly acceptable way to cool them down.

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"(I) was just trying to be a good person, maybe it’s not true," Lindsey Racher Tanner, the Facebook user who shared the post, said in a message to USA TODAY. "Didn’t realize it would be shared a ton. Guess I’ll delete (it because it) looks like it may be false. I’m no vet."

USA TODAY reached out to other social media users who shared the post for comment.

Ice can help cool dogs down

The rumor that ice cubes are bad for dogs has circulated online for years. Veterinarians, news outlets and independent fact-checking organizations have debunked it, saying small amounts of ice – given as treats or put in water bowls – can help dogs cool down.

Citing experience with "animal clients," including the death of a 7-year-old dog, text in the social media posts says ice cubes actually make dogs warmer by triggering something called the canine anterior hypothalamus. In extreme heat, a dog's temperature should be "reduced gradually" by giving them tepid water, according to the post.

There's some truth to the idea that dogs should have limited access to water when they're overheated. But the claim that ice is harmful has been debunked for years.

"While it is theoretically the case that eating cold things can warm you up, that’s only to maintain your core temperature," David Harris, a veterinarian in the United Kingdom, wrote in a 2018 blog post for Vet Help Direct. "If the dog is already uncomfortably warm, their cooling systems are already working to the max. By cooling them down – very slightly! – with ice cubes, you’re actually helping them."

But that doesn't mean you want to give your dog a huge bowl of ice water after a long, hot walk.

Overdrinking or drinking too rapidly may cause bloat, a term used to describe gastric dilatation-volvulus. The potentially life-threatening condition occurs when a dog's stomach dilates and expands, building up pressure that could lead to a rupture, prevent the lungs from expanding or cause the stomach to rotate in the abdomen.

"Dogs should always be allowed to cool down after they exert a lot of energy and excitement prior to being offered free access to food and to water, much like racing horses are walked and cooled down after a race," Jerry Klein, chief veterinary officer at the kennel club, wrote in a June 23 blog post. "You can offer them water, but only small amounts at a time until the dog is calmer and rested, at which time free access can be allowed."

More: How to keep pets safe in the heat, according to a vet

Ice cubes can actually help prevent bloat because they "slow down the rate of ingestion of water by overly excited dogs," Klein wrote. But pet owners shouldn't put their dogs in an ice bath, as that may cool them down too quickly.

If your dog is exhibiting symptoms of heatstroke – such as heavy panting, drooling or vomiting – the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends moving them to shade, pouring cool water over them and giving them small amounts of water to drink.

"Animals are at particular risk for heatstroke if they are very old, very young, overweight, not conditioned to prolonged exercise, or have heart or respiratory disease," the Humane Society says on its website.

Our rating: False

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that giving overheated dogs ice cubes is dangerous. Veterinarians and independent fact-checking organizations have debunked the rumor, which has circulated online for years. Giving dogs ice cubes as treats or in water bowls can help them cool down in hot weather, as well as moderate their water consumption.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Ice cubes safe for dogs in hot weather