Can Dogs Eat Vanilla Ice Cream?

Dogs are the most adorable creatures on earth, but they also have some of the most peculiar eating habits. Many of us don’t know if it’s safe to feed our pup ice cream or not. Although it might be harmless for some dogs, others could suffer from diarrhea and vomiting. So what do you need to know before feeding this sweet treat to your dog? Read on to find out more.

Dogs could suffer from lactose intolerance if they consume too much ice cream, which usually causes diarrhea and vomiting. Although most dogs are not harmed by a scoop of vanilla ice cream as a treat, some dogs can get a severe allergic reaction to vanilla extract.

Is vanilla safe for dogs?

Vanilla extract and imitation vanilla have a high alcohol content that is toxic to your dog. Dogs can’t break down alcohol in their system, and your dog is at risk for alcohol poisoning if he consumes too much. (Source: Rover)

Even though you may think “vanilla” is as plain as it can get, it’s actually risky for dogs to eat vanilla ice cream.

What ingredients of vanilla ice cream may be bad for your dog?

Two of the main ingredients that you might want to be alert about vanilla ice cream are sugar and dairy. Many people assume that these two ingredients are dog friendly but they are not.

In fact, both of these ingredients are harmful to dogs, especially for little ones who have sensitive stomachs. Sugar is a naturally occurring substance found in many foods, but too much sugar can cause serious problems for dogs.

What other flavor of ice cream is dangerous for dogs?

Flavors you should absolutely stay away from are chocolate, coffee, green tea, grapes, nut, or anything that is “sugar-free”.

Chocolate, as you may know, contains chemicals called methylxanthines, specifically theobromine and caffeine—which can lead to chocolate poisoning.

Macadamia nuts can lead to the development of inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).

Coffee and green tea are also high in caffeine, which dogs cannot be fed with.

Anything that has grapes or raisins (poisonous for dogs) and various nuts should be avoided.

Sugar-free products may contain artificial sweeteners like xylitol, a sugar substitute that is toxic to dogs.

That said, vanilla seems to be a rather safe choice. Just because it is not toxic does not mean that your dogs can have as much as they like.

What if my dog eats too much ice cream?

Many adult dogs are lactose intolerant to varying degrees, which prevents them from properly digesting dairy products. And if you feed your dogs dairy products, they can experience anything from severe to mild gastrointestinal discomfort—loose stools, diarrhea , vomiting , upset stomach, or gas. 

These symptoms could be signs that your dog has eaten way too much ice cream. While this is uncommon, it’s worth taking your dog to the vet to make sure he isn’t suffering from some sort of food poisoning.

Most dogs couldn’t resist the temptation of any ice cream, especially when it’s a hot summer’s day.

However, it’s usually not very healthy to consume too much of anything, including vanilla ice cream.

In fact, dogs can become ill if they eat large amounts of ice cream because it contains a lot of fats and sugars. Dogs can also become overweight from eating too much ice cream. This is especially common with small dogs, like terriers and pugs.

How to treat a dog with diarrhea or vomiting?

In the case of diarrhea, the first thing to do is figure out the cause. Many factors can affect the digestive process of your dog, including, but not limited to, a food allergy or intestinal dysmotility (the inability to digest nutrients).

According to AKC, Some tried-and-true home remedies for treating diarrhea in dogs include: 

Fasting: Withholding food for 12 to 24 hours, and providing water in small amounts frequently, can clear the cause of the upset and allow the gastrointestinal tract to settle.

Rice water: Boil high-quality rice in a lot of water, remove the grains, and offer the dog the creamy white soup that’s left. A splash of broth or a bit of baby food will make it more palatable.

Plain yogurt with active cultures can help dogs who can tolerate milk and milk products.

Boiled potatoes without skin

Plain protein sources such as egg (prepared with no butter or oil) or chicken (without skin)

Pumpkin (100% pumpkin puree from the grocery store, pumpkin powder, or a pet-specific canned pumpkin for dogs) has the odd distinction of being effective both for diarrhea and for constipation. 

Vomiting, on the other hand, is usually caused by stomach upset or irritation. If you suspect your dog has eaten vanilla ice cream, there are a few things you can do. Take your dog to the vet In severe cases, giving your dog fluids is one of the first things to do.

A vet’s suggestion to treat vomiting in dogs:

What are the ice cream alternatives for dogs?

The good news is that dogs can still enjoy ice cream, but they can’t always consume as much of it.

This is because some ice cream can contain toxic ingredients, such as chocolate, nuts, and animal fats, which can harm dogs. To be safe, only give your dog ice cream alternatives such as:

“Dog” ice-cream

There are a commercial ice creams designed for dogs; these usually use lactose-free milk and dog-friendly ingredients like peanut butter. However, you should only see them treats for your dog occasionally.

Frozen banana

 Another possibility is to throw a couple of bananas into a food processor and blend them, then freeze them. Once hardened, you’ll have a sweet, healthier alterative that will actually have good nutrients in it.

Frozen cube with dog-friendly food

Fill ice cube trays with low-sodium chicken broth, plain canned pumpkin with no spices or seasoning or, peanut butter.

Home-made frozen yogurt

Freezing some fat-free plain yogurt might also be a good alternative. If you want to give your dog a cold treat, freezing some fat-free plain yogurt might be a better choice.

Check out this video to learn how to make frozen treats from natural ingredients like banana, peanut butter, strawberries, blueberries, and plain yogurt.

Conclusion

While some dogs can tolerate a small amount of vanilla ice cream as a treat, there are other options you can give them that are not as likely to cause digestive problems. If you feed your dog vanilla ice cream, make sure you keep a close eye on how much you’re giving him. Like everything else in life, too much will cause problems.

Do you feed vanilla ice cream to your dog? How has it affected your dog?