This is not my dog nor situation but with all the attention this article has gotten and the impression that this information is False because of Snopes.com and other Veterinarians is not entirely True either. What they claim False is this particular story and the fact ice water or an ice cube in moderation is not an issue or an issue on relaxed, cooled dogs. But they do go onto state that the amount of any kind of water can cause an issue or vigorous drinking.
I will put parts of the article in bold print to show that the dog wasn’t cooled down and before the ice in water was given, the dog had already drank the bucket of water and a bit later symptoms were noticed.
I will also add a link to how to treat a dog over heating. Within that part of the article.
Per AKC Canine Health Foundation comment down below, they had stated….
We at the Canine Health Foundation have noticed a lot of internet activity involving this article alerting dog owners to the alleged dangers of giving ice or ice water to dogs. The exact cause of bloat is not understood and to date only risk factors have been identified. It is clear that large-breed and/or deep chested dogs are at higher risk, and it is consensus opinion that these anatomical features may predispose certain breeds to disease. Beyond anatomical features, genetics, feeding practices, exercise, gut motility and stress have been proposed to be associated with development of bloat, but definitive studies are lacking. There have been no studies involving ice or ice water. To better understand bloat, CHF launched a major initiative funding two research teams that aim to identify the underlying mechanisms of the disease.
What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know About Bloat, a free webinar: http://www.akcchf.org/news-events/multimedia/video/bloat.html
While adding an ice cube to the dog’s water is not by itself a risky situation, a mistake dog owners may be guilty of, is giving cold, icy water to dogs that are over heated or after extensive exercise. Dog owners may feel compelled to quickly cool their dog down and their first thought is often to give them access to cold, icy water. However, this is not the optimal approach.
Rather, it is preferable to offer small amounts of water that is cool, not cold, explains veterinarian William Grant in his Dog Heat Stroke Survival Guide . However, when dealing with a heatstroke case, cooling down the dog with cool water is the top priority, whereas hydration is the next.
So, is it good to give your dog ice water? The answer is that by itself, the practice is not harmful, but the outcome really depends on the circumstances for every individual dog. Per https://suite.io/adrienne-farricelli/61qq2q5
The letter below as follows in Italic:
I had received this some time ago but was just talking to someone about how not to allow ice cold water or ice cubes in the water in extreme heat/humidity like we’ve been having or an over hot dog after running when they are panting heavily. They had never heard of this. So with that I thought it would be a good idea to post this as a warning and precaution in hopes this will be valuable advice to someone.
CROSS POSTING OK
Hello Everyone,
I am writing this in hopes that some may learn from what I just went through. We were having a good weekend till Saturday. On Saturday I showed my Baran and left the ring. He was looking good and at the top of his game. He had a chance at no
less then one of the two AOM’s.
It did not work out that way. After showing we went back to our site/setup and got the dogs in their crates to cool off. After being back about 30 min. I noticed Baran was low on water. https://suite.io/adrienne-farricelli/61qq2q5 I took a hand full of ice from my cooler and put it in his bucket with more water. We then started to get all the dogs Ex’ed and food ready for them.
I had Baran in his 48″ crate in the van because this is the place he loves to be. He loves to be able to see everyone and everything. After checking him and thinking he was cooled off enough, we fed him. We walked around and one of my friends stated that Baran seamed like he was choking. I went over and checked on him. He was dry heaving and drooling. I got him out of the crate to check him over and noticed he had not eaten. He was in some distress. I checked him over from head to toe and did not notice anything. I walked him around for about a minute 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 rushed Baran to a vet clinic. We called ahead and let them know we were on our way. They were set up and waiting for us. They got Baran stabilized very quickly. After Baran was stable and out of distress we transported him to AVREC where he went into surgery to make sure no damage was done to any of his vital organs. I am very happy to say Baran is doing great, there was no damage to any vital organs, and he still loves his food.
In surgery the vet found that Baran’s stomach was in its normal anatomic position. We went over what had happened. When I told the vet about the ice water, he asked why I gave him ice water. I said that I have always done this. I told him my history behind this practice and his reply was, “I have been very lucky.” The ice water I gave Baran caused violent muscle spasms in his stomach which caused the bloating. Even though I figured his temperature was down enough to feed, and gave him this ice water, I was wrong. His internal temperature was still high. The vet stated that giving a dog ice to chew or ice water is a big NO, NO! There is no reason for a dog to have ice/ice water. Normal water at room temperature, or cooling with cold towels on the inner thigh, is the best way to help cool a dog. http://goldenretrieverrescueofsouthernmaryland.org/2011/heat-stroke-in-dogs/comment-page-1/ The vet explained it to me like this: If you, as a person, fall into a frozen lake what happens to your muscles? They cramp. This is the same as a dog’s stomach.
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. So please, if you do use ice and ice water, beware of what could happen.
Responsible dog owners understand the importance of making sure their canine companion always has fresh, clean water to drink. But what a surprising number of pet owners don’t realize is that it’s actually possible for a dog to ingest too much water.
Water intoxication, which results in life threatening hyponatremia (excessively low sodium levels), is a relatively rare but frequently fatal condition in dogs. At highest risk are dogs that enjoying playing in the water for long stretches. But believe it or not, even a lawn sprinkler or hose can pose a hazard for pets that love to snap at or “catch” spraying water. To learn more click following link http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/10/28/water-intoxification.aspx
Thank you for taking the time to inform us.
Thanks for posting this — I have re-posted on The Daily Corgi!
Laurie
I just commented on this to the Daily Corgi, but this story is nonsense. It’s been passed around for years. Ice is not deadly to dogs any more than you die from drinking cold Coke.
I didn’t read the whole thing, but we all knwo ice isn’t deadly, but you should NEVER give a dog ICE WATER or ICE cold water if you believe that they are having a heat stroke. The cold shocks their system and can be deadly. That is a fact. I had a pet die from a heatstroke and as soon as I called the vet the 1st thing they said was no ice water or ice cold water. AS it shocks their system
thank you very much for this information. I had a beautiful white german shepherd die of bloat and it is scary. Now we have our wonderful corgi and I am fearful of bloat. I appreciate your story and am SO GLAD your Baran is doing so well.
Hate to say this, but this internet meme was already debunked by the vet blogger Dolittler: http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2010/july/internet_myths
Exerpt: “Why so sensitive? Because the story needed to be outed for what it was: a simple tragic anecdote. Because it annoys me when people feel the need to pass along their personal tales of woe without consulting the science behind the tragedy. And because people should probably think before playing a viral game of online Cassandra with respect to everyone else’s pets.”
Thanks for the advice, I have given one of my dogs ice cubes in the past and have not had a problem. I will not do so now, having read this. It is very easy to assume that what we enjoy is ok for dogs there are many things that are not.
Dogs can fracture their teeth chewing on ice cubes. For this reason, veterinary dentists recommend never giving dogs ice cubes because the tooth fractures could necessitate a root canal or exodontia (tooth extraction).
Bloat that needs surgical intervention is identifiable on a radiograph (X-Ray). I’ve treated plenty of dogs that looked like they were going to need surgery, but after the x-rays, they just needed their stomachs pumped (too many cookies with water added=tight stomach pressing on caudal vena cava causing decreased blood return to the heart and shock), or needed a nice sedative or muscle relaxant.
The smallest dog I ever treated for a “twisted stomach” was a Pekingnese! Glad your Corgi feels better!
Yours,
Doc Truli
I was surprised to read this, as I had read a series of fiction books written by Lauren Berensen, and in her series she gives her show poodle ice water when it is too hot. It had never occured to me to do this until I read it. Thanks for sharing, and educating us.
My daughter and i have always iced our dogs with no repercussions i think it makes a difference if the dogs are over-heated seems like the dogs i just read about were over heated
I have a 17 year old Irish Setter; 18 in March. He has had ice water every minute of every day, summer or winter. He’s almost 18! There’s something other than ice water that’s causing these things to happen. What do “animals” do in the winter? They drink ice water, eat snow…there’s something else going on…I Lived on a farm and all the other animals had ice water all year round, or right out of a very cold pond/lake fed by ice cold springs…and my dog eats raw beef, and occasionally raw fish, and always we share a can of Salmon the first of every month…he’s close to 18 years old. Something else is happening…
I think the subject was not to give an ‘overheated dog’ ice water or ice cubes. If the dog is of normal temperature the stomach spasms won’t happen.
Ya this is very much not true.
at least someone knows the truth. why dot people google stuff lol
I recently lost my pug/min pin mix after two emergency trips to the vet and all kinds of tests they decided to do a barium x-ray because of severe bloat…it was not from ice water.it was due to extreme pancreatitus ( spelled wrong ) and in the middle of the night ( at the vets office) he passed away. So if you notice severe bloat please have your dog checked for pancreous problems
We have Dobes and yes we also learned twice the hard way. Both were given ice and both bloated. Thank goodness my vet had taught me how to insert the needle to relieve the pressure until we get them there. Both had surgery to tack the stomach and are fine. NO ICE rule in this house.
I’m inclined to think the issue would be the “handful” of ice cubes mixed with the fact the dog is actually overheated…. If I wanted to cool water down for my pets I would only use a SMALL amount depending on size of dish to mildly cool the water down just so that it’s not hot or a little below room temperature… I think there’s a good chance the handful might’ve been the equivalent of like a slurpee/slushie. We often use straws to drink those rather than try to eat it and even then we hold it in our mouths til it mounts so we don’t get a brain freeze… Dogs (animals) can’t do that.
Bloat is a gastric dilatation,in which the stomach distends with gas and fluid while the distended stomach rotates on its long axis, preventing fluid and air from escaping from the stomach. This twisting also prevents the dog from vomiting. Gas and fluid are trapped in the closed-off stomach, which becomes hugely distended as the material ferments.
Bloat can occur in any dog at any age, but typically occurs in middle-aged to older dogs. There may be a familial association. Large-breed dogs with deep chests are anatomically predisposed. These breeds include the Great Dane, German Shepherd Dog, St. Bernard, Labrador Retriever, Irish Wolfhound, Great Pyrenees, Boxer, Weimaraner, Old English Sheepdog, Irish Setter, Collie, Bloodhound, and Standard Poodle. Chinese Shar-Pei and Basset Hounds have the highest incidence among midsize dogs. Small dogs are rarely affected, with the exception of Dachshunds, who are also deep-chested.
Bloat develops suddenly, usually in a healthy, active dog. The dog may have just eaten a large meal, exercised vigorously before or after eating, or drank a large amount of water immediately after eating.There have been rumors that ice and ice water causes a spasm of the stomach muscle in dogs, leading to a a swollen stomach, and potentially fatal bloat. These rumors are not true, for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, while ice may cause a muscle spasm, this is more likely to cause vomiting. Secondly, if ice caused bloating, then we’d see more cases of bloat during winter in dogs that live outdoors in cold parts of the country, where their water bowl ices over, and this isn’t the case.
It is more likely that the dog from the link was given ice or iced water to drink when they are hot and thirsty, for example after heavy exercise. Under these circumstances, they are very likely to drink a lot of water very quickly, and this is a known risk factor for bloat. To prevent your dog getting bloat, feed several small meals a day instead of one or two large ones, don’t let them drink lots of water at once, and avoid exercise for an hour or so after mealtime …
You are 100% correct ! My father is a vet for 30+ years and very very good at what he does and it’s called “torsion” he’s always warned us about it after running our dogs or playing ! I hope people see the REAL issue of giving water after or before increased activity and not focus on ice and water temp !
If any animal (including humans) is overheated it is not good to get ice cold in/on them. This can lead to shock which can lead to the body shutting down. body temperature and slightly lower than body temperature compresses, bathes, and clear fluids. I learned this from many briefings on treating and preventing shock, cold and hot weather injuries, etc.
I’m a former Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman – an FMF (Fleet Marine Force) Corpsman to be exact. The standard treatment for a sailor or Marine suffering from heat stroke is immediate immersion of all but mouth and nostrils in an ice bath. I know that for a fact as I’ve personally participated in administering several such immersions at Marine Corps Base, 29 Palms, California, where actual daytime temperatures routinely hit 125-130 degrees F. In the field, we used half of the clam shell casings for 10,000 bombs filled with ice and a little water. In Naval Hospitals and Marine boot camps, there are special deep tubs for the purpose co-located with ice machines. Getting the core temperature (as measured with a LONG, digital rectal thermometer) down ASAP is critical to survival and prevention of brain damage.Your assertion that such cooling is dangerous to any mammalian species suffering from heat stroke is is 180 degrees out from the truth.
Your prescribed pussyfooting treatment would unnecessarily slowly eventually work for a victim of heat exhaustion but kill a victim of heat stroke. I learned this from ACTUALLY treating victims of both in concert with Naval Medical Officers who knew what they were doing, in both clinical setting and in the field..
Jay Moreno
St. Marys, GA
I Corps, RVN, ’68-9.
And any dog facing heat stroke isn’t going to drink water. There are plenty of documentation on what to do and what not to do with a dog over heating and the consequences of doing to much. Just the same as with cold/chilled puppies we do not warm them quickly nor ever feed them for it will kill them. Also well documented.
You are entirely correct, Jay. But the originator of this blog has no ability to learn from the many intelligent entries here. I am a physician and I have used ice water as a gastric lavage to help lower the core temperature, in humans, of course. If I had a dog suffering heat stroke I would not hesitate to do the same. What “wendtworth” refuses to understand is that just because a dog drinks ice water and dies, does not mean that the ice water killed him!
This is absolutely true! My dog will have violent vomiting if he gets into very cold water or ice. My vet said it shocks the stomach. My dogs only get cool water.
Vasoconstriction — Dr. Jeffrey Levy tells us that cold can cause some vasoconstriction. In addition to being counterproductive when a dog is trying to cool down, it could inhibit heat exchange and the perfusion of nutrients to tissue. It could also slow many metabolic activities in cells and inhibit the contraction of the muscular components of certain organs (and the neurological activity associated with the organ). He also says cold and constriction are bad for the activity of lymphocytes, which are cells that have immuno-protective properties.
Every Dentist and Hygienist will tell you chewing ice cubes is bad for your teeth…it destroys enamel with its razor edge crystals damaging enamel that protects the tooth.
Just like with Aids…secondary issues are the killers. Ice cold water with a heavy panting hot dog can cause secondary issues. Bloat isn’t that well known for its causes.
It is well documented what ice cold water can do to a system…Google a bit further
https://suite.io/adrienne-farricelli/61qq2q5
We are talking about over heated and dogs thirsty..not just lapping a few licks for maintenance…talking dogs hot and drinking large amounts..body temps increased…not dogs at rest nor panting in cold weather…comprehend all the information in the article and don’t add different situations.
Thank you wendtworth! Sanity prevails! I don’t drink ice in any beverages because it causes my throat to constrict. (and hurts my teeth) Best advice is to not let your dog get overheated. Paying attention to our pets is the best advice and prevention is always best. I don’t think there is a general “rule” that applies to every pet or every person. As a vet tech in the 70’s for a clinic in Watsonville California, I saw a lot of heat issues as well as poisonings from the agriculture in the area. One lady even backed over her dog in the driveway and thought she was still on him so pulled forward. Thankfully she had a sandy driveway. We treated the dog successfully but, another clueless owner she was, the dog died from distemper. Another person brought in his dog after “the neighbor ran over it” in front of the dog’s yard. He wanted to sue the neighbor BUT his dog was running loose and not with the owner. Keep your pets with you and they won’t get overheated or run over… My pets have always been my best friends and I treat them like they are. ’nuff said.
Reblogged this on indigoblue69 and commented:
I am glad that Baran is okay and this is a very important lesson for all pet owners to learn from! I have always given my dogs cool water, not cold and I have learned from various vets about cooling my dogs down. I always get a wet cool towel and pat their belly, inner thighs and even sometimes down their back, just to help them cool down internally a bit quicker~
I am a Vet Tech and work in an emergency clinic. I have never heard if ice causing a dog to bloat. We give dogs ice so they don’t gulp their water, or a couple cubes to cool the water down. If a dog is over hearted you shouldn’t give it water right away, and if you happen to do so make sure it is only in small amounts. Also don’t feed them until they are cooled down. What happens is when they gulp down the water they are taking in air which will cause them to bloat. If the stomach wasn’t flipped in this case then it was not a true GDV, the stomach was just full of air.
Please think before you post things people, just because one person says something doesn’t mean it’s true. There is no medical fact that the ice caused this dog to bloat, most likely it was the intake of air while drinking too much water.
thank you! I saw so many people posting this link to this blog I had to do some research – amazing what you can find out after less than 5 minutes of research. Sometimes the share button does more harm than good.
my sister’s doctor told her that when she is hot, she shouldn’t drink ice water or it could make her stomach upset. she should drink more room temp water. this is for humans, so I could see where it could have an affect on dogs, too.
[…] about ice water Found this interesting. Any thoughts? NO ICE WATER FOR DOGS…PLEASE READ ASAP | Wendt Worth Corgi's Weblog Sent from Petguide.com Free […]
I have heard similar things about overheated horses and water that is too cold. I wonder if it’s similar?
I know pet owners just want to do whats best for there pets but dogs and cats are not humans they are animals they are not built the same as us they dont need ice water or people food or there own bedroom.
It seems to me that we also need to very much consider the size and breed of dog! As a physical therapist, I can very much appreciate what the previous vet’s reply regarding muscle contractions and ‘cramping’ are, as a result of extreme cold/ice, water. Corresponding vasoconstrictions are ,without a doubt, a fact. The proximity of the stomach, (and contents), as well as other organs, vary greatly between a Corgy or Pekineese, and an Irish setter, or,( like mine), a standard Poodle. I do very much appreciate the reminder that we should consider what we feed our best friends, when they appear to be in need—(WE, would LOVE a drink of ICE water after intense exercise or in 90 degree heat),but, as sited above, not for our 4-legged family member.Perhaps cool/ cold water is enough!!! As far as SURGERY for a BLOAT, or to check for possible organ damage AFTER a BLOAT…ABSOULUTELY NOT for MY best friend, without XRAYs/ pumping ,sedatives, and /or other LESS invasive measures are attempted. Science aside, remember… OBSERVATION and MODERATION!!!
Most people are missing the point….in Baran’s case his internal body temp was still very high, so given the ice water, the situation that occurred makes sense. Same holds true for overheated horses. When finished exercising, the horse is cooled out, water is given in SMALL amounts, and is never ice cold. Ask any educated human athlete about cooling down. This is good advice, appreciate the owner sharing the story, but people tend to take it out of context. Use common sense when you or your animal is over heated.
yes, Ice and ice water are bad for your HOT or OVER HEATED dog but it is the same with you a Dr will tell you to not drink ice cold drinks when you are over heated cold tap water is all you need until your internal temp comes down, dang thought everyone was smart enough to know that
Actually this article is incorrect, what happened to this dog is called gastric torsion of the stomach. My dad has been a vet for almost 30+ years, he’s always told us after/before (but mostly after) a dog has had a lot of exercise, running, playing etc. Do not let them drink water immediately or too much, or even feeding them etc. It has nothing to do with the temperature of the water or ice! You can google “Gastric torsion” and see specifically why the stomach basically becomes twisted! (Causing bloat) Just letting you guys know 🙂
Thanks for the comments at the end (about the “overheated condition AND ice water). We give our dogs ice in their water every day. Twice a day. Sometimes when we are inside and they are in with us, if an ice cube falls to the floor one of our dogs runs over to retrieve it. They love it.
And the comments is very true for people as well. After a long run or heated workout, drink water, not Ice Water. Your stomach may crap from the sudden temp change.
The title “NO ICE WATER FOR DOGS…PLEASE READ ASAP” sounds alarmist. Buried in the text is the connection to being overheated (or, simply heated after a run) and ice or iced water.
We have been giving ice and ice water to our doggies for many many years with no bad side effects. I WILL keep this in mind for “after long walks” water for them. (Note, the original posting of this is July 2010. It was recently re-posted to FaceBook)
In my opinion, it seems it is really not the ice that caused the problem in this story…it is the fact that this dog was suffering heat exhaustion or suffered heat related symptoms that were not recognized and the owner gave ice that caused the extreme problem. You can give your dog ice or ice cold water in any normal situation but NEVER give ice or ice water when they are in having a reaction to extreme heat. That is what I take away from this article.
like a human having a heat stroke cool them off slowly
Omg.. i am so nervous. Mardi. (My Dog) preferences is ice cubes in her water. She literally will wait til ice is in her bowl before coming forward to eat. But for the most part she is an inside dog. She is a Pitt and drinks a lot of water. When we are out and about she will take water anyway she can get. My question .. when in the house I am going to practice not giving her ice water.. but since she is in the house with AC blowing is that still bad? But am going to reduce the ice amount to try and wing her off.
Dri
I wouldn’t worry about it so much. The story about is a *possibility*, but really quite rare. It probably only happened because the dog was overheated and drank very quickly. If your dog is in the house with the a/c on at a comfortable temperature she shouldn’t be in any danger.
I’m a CVT and I asked one of my veterinarian friends about this story. She said she’d never heard of it happening before, so it’s not something that’s common enough for them to even mention it in vet school.
I am a pit bull owner (3 and counting) and also the daughter of a very knowledgeable and 30+ year vet. My father has always warned us to not give too much water (or food) before but particularly after increased activity! where a dog may be panting etc…. it causes “gastric torsion” ….this is what happened to the dog NOT THE ICE or TEMP OF WATER. Your pup will be fine, I have had 20+ pets…15 dogs since I was 2 (I am now 26) and my father actually recommends giving an ice cube instead of bowl of water to AVOID torsion (which leads to bloat)…your pup will be fine ! No worries! just take from this article what it seems to miss! P.S. fact that the vet had TO OPEN the dog to determine the issue should be a RED FLAG about their competency as a veterinarian! 🙂
BUT YOU AREN”T A VET!! So stop telling people it is ok just because your dad said AN ICECUBE is ok. ICE COLD WATER when they are possibly having a heatstoke will shock their system. That is a FACT and can and will lead to death. I have pit bulls too, not sure why you mentioned the breed, as if that makes a difference,.
Think you! I can’t believe some od the things people post it makes my profession look stupid!
Mike, so this article saying her vet said it was ice water is anymore convincing? Irrelevant. I’ve grown up by my fathers side since I was a toddler and he has WARNED me and his clients of GASTRIC TORSION. You sound incredibly ignorant. Do your own research WHICH I HAVE after being informed from my very experienced father (who might I add saves many ignorant owners dogs every day when specialists couldn’t do so, so I take his expertise before that of a vet that must perform SURGERY to discover an issue such as this, when the symptoms and fact pattern CLEARLY point to torsion, then tells a person it’s ice and ice water) PLENTY, professionals, experienced animal handlers, and educated pet owners have reiterated the CORRECT information in this thread. This is wrong. The REAL issue is put aside to false information. SO PLEASE, have a seat and educate yourself, I’m just fortunate enough to have my father in my corner to care for all my animals. And I mentioned being a pit owner bc the individual mentioned her dog was a pitbull. Have a nice night. Mike and lil friend 🙂
First of all…don’t let your dogs overheat or dehydrate. Second of all….they need water, period. Just because we enjoy ice and ice water when we are hot, doesn’t mean it cools us or animals off any faster. It just taste and feels better for some HUMANS! Some people don’t even like ice cold water. Everything that we enjoy is not always good for our ANIMALS. They have a different cooling system than we have. Dogs cool off by panting, not from ice in their stomachs.
This is an interesting thread. We’ve always given our standard poodle ice to chomp on in the car or when she’s just come in from exercise to keep her from gulping too much water too fast because we know her breed is prone to bloat. Her teeth are in good shape. She loves the ice and eats it slowly, one piece at a time.
Difference here is one piece at a time and not allowing big quantities at once. Gulping is the issue…not a cube at a time. Everyone is stuck on the cubes but read the post she had water that was almost gone when cubes given. This about too much water at once and of course the author doesn’t identify the breed to know if a high risk for bloat breed.
I like links from veterinarian medical journals to back these types of stories up.
I’ve ALWAYS fed my dogs a piece of ice in the summer whilst enjoying iced tea in the shade AND all creatures should be cooled down properly before drinking very cold beverages. I call foul on this story. Another side note, if it was hot, the crate shouldn’t have been in a vehicle as the author claimed.
Read above comments! The post isn’t about ice cubes but amounts of cold water in large amounts. If you recall the post claims water bowl drank down to almost empty and then filled with ice cubes! The post states cold water not ice cubes
The dog drinking too much water too quickly was the problem. Not the ice, and not the fact that the water was cold. If anything, the fact that the water was so cold might have caused the dog to drink more slowly and avoid the bloating in question.
This post does a huge disservice to dog owners everywhere and should be taken down.
I disagree with taking it down because it starts a discussion and informs more to be cautious than not. Part of this authors claims are being taken out of context….comprehension is huge but it also thru discussion that educates if only if one reads the comments or remembers the details of the post. The title doesn’t say no ice cubes but it does say no cold water.
As a veterinarian, I’d like to inform you that this is completely false. The ice ds not cause the bloat, likey how quickly he gulped the water did and could have happened with room temperature water… And often times happens with eating food too quickly.
Then its not completely false when indeed water bowl was almost dry when given more so how can that be false? As a vet you would know if a dog is overheating you want to cool down slowly. That’s been well documented. And whose to see how well this owner picked up on symptoms of her dog or even relayed the information her vet gave her. You as vet well know how information isnt always interpreted properly or relayed. It also just as easy for one to claim they are a vet as well without giving professional name or clinic!
Do you might possibly consider leaving your dog in the van for 30 minutes on a hot day as you described may be the bigger problem?
Not my dog or situation for one…who says the van wasn’t running with air on or generators with fans blowing. Many who go to shows have vans with generators running little air conditioning units or fans. My handler for one does this and I’ve been in that van when its smoldering out and it is so much cooler in there then us under trees or canopies.
why was your dog in a crate in a hot van to start with??? I can see the broken teeth thing but dont leave your dog in the heat till its bodily functions start to shut down…
As I responded to one already..please read other comment!!!
This is interesting, I am just curious to this…I have bird dogs, where I live it is often cold during that season, they work hard for several hours and the first creek they find they jump in and drink what is technically “ice water” because of temp and they are fine, and one is 12, I agree with some others, I don’t think this is the cause.
Those cool temps keep their bodies cooler then if in hot temps where the ground they stand on is also hot compared to your cold ground and dogs paws and legs cool body temps down. So its easier for them to regulate then in hot, humid weather. And just because others dogs haven’t had an issue doesn’t mean one day it won’t or isn’t a breed at risk for it either. What one feels is working a dog to another its just a stroll. High warnings got out during months of heat and humid and dogs overheating just laying in the yard. Not everything is for every situation.
Why is it okay to give dogs ice cream treats, like Frosty Paws? Btw, my dogs love ice on a hot day. Interestgly enough, if it’s not hot, they won’t go for the ice at all. Food for thought.
Read other responses and answers are there
Actually my dog went into a vomit frenzy the only two times shes had ice cold water we didnt relate it the first time but definately the second
ICE WATER WILL NOT HURT YOUR DOG!
This is a come please BS. story, meant to get you on the website just to push and some from money!
Be wary of outlandish stories because that’s all they do is push ads for money that’s how they make their money!
BOL!! How am I making money by posting a story one wrote of her situation?? Pawleez!!!
The lesson I learned from this is not to show your dang dog! Then putting them in a kennel in the heat of out doors after running around a ring and being groomed with a blow dryer! Common sense is not all that common.
Obviously!!
It’s not the ice water!! Ice water is fine for dogs. I would be more concerned about the dog choking on a piece of ice which is slim to none. But no, they can’t get bloat from drinking ice water. What they can get bloat from is drinking and eating too much of any kind of food and water right before And after vigorous exercise. A few licks of water between exercising is needed, but not a whole bowl and certainly not food as this lady did. Also she had her dog “cooling” down in her van in a crate. Would’ve been better in a shaded area on cool grass close to the ground. When my dog plays fetch and gets hot i let him have a few laps of water when he is panting hard to help cool him and he lays in the shade when he feels the need. I let him cool down for ~20 mins before giving him free water and ~1 hour before food.
I am very curious about my own Yorkshire Terrier now. She is going on eleven years old and has always had ice water. Her water in the morning is always fresh with ice in it. She doesn’t always drink it with the ice, however, she scratches at our glasses of water with ice in them to have a drink of it especially if we are out of the house or vacationing. She has always preferred her food which is canned to come straight from the refrigerator. She loves to stand in the pool when it is so cold we would never think of swimming. She had multiple allergies from birth until we tested her it was a big hit or miss with her food. She typically turned her nose up to most food and we more or less force fed her by feeding her by hand and rewarding her with a treat when she would eat. Once we knew what to avoid things were much easier but we still hand fed her to get her to eat until my Grandson lived with us a month as a newborn. When he left you would have thought we took her baby away from her, she became miserable and pined horribly for him which led to her eating on her own and being very hungry. He returned for awhile and left again which she repeated her earlier performance. She has always eaten whatever we eat in small quantities as snacks as long as she is not allergic to it. Well, my little girl displayed similar symptoms as the Corgi but she has never been exercised by us she does, however, love to swim in the pool for hours where she laps the water almost the whole time and sometimes she swims for four hours at a time. She was always been underweight a little for her size when she would not eat but since eating she is now at about 10 pounds. Needless to say I could see that she was in horrific pain and she was bloated so I took her to her Vet that she has been seeing since she was a puppy and they thought she had gas very badly. For one week she took anti acids and gas relief medication. Nothing was working and diarrhea and vomitting would come and go. I kept in contact with her Vet the entire week. I returned her to the Vet because she became much worse and I might add that she too has a very large chest and she was rock hard bloated as well. This time the Vet felt a fairly large mass and x-rayed her but wasn’t sure about what it was before wanting to operate with the suspicion of cancer. An emergency sonogram was performed and it was decided by the sonograher that she had pancreatis. Hmmmmm! The sonograher is a Vet as well as having a degree of internal medicine. Her decision was what was decided what she had. I might tell you that she had the same symptoms as the dog with ice cube bloat. Ice cubes had nothing to do with my little girl’s problem. We had fed her far too many human food treats and her own treats were too high in fat. We almost lost her and we have to be extremely careful with her diet today. I learned something while she was being kept by her vet overnight though which I would like to share. I live in Orlando, FL and it is true of all the Vets here because I called to verify what I am about to tell you. She was kept in the Vet’s office all night with no one with her as well as no cameras on her if she went into distress! I was mortified about this as I am from Connecticut and our vet had pm attendants. I could not believe that if your furbaby needs to be observed overnight you must transport to the emergency Vet at closing of my Vet which is 6pm and then pick up before 7am at the emergency Vet to take back to my own Vet. Needless to say she was observed at my Vet during the day and I stayed awake with her all night every night until she was well. She is well now and all the swelling in her abdomen has gone down. She has never had a reaction to ice water, ice cream or cold food. I believe the ice water may play into bloat when dog is way overheated and it is practically all ice but as others have said about dogs in cold weather plus there are even frozen treats on the market for dogs. I personally think the ice water causing bloat was from an over exercised and overheated dog. I also do not believe any mammal should be chewing on ice as it is bad for the teeth.
There are certain breeds who are more likely to get “bloat” than others. Years ago, we had an Irish Setter develop bloat from drinking water ( No ICE!) I have given my dogs ice in their water for years, and have never had any problem.
I grew up in a very hot place, we never drink ice cold water EVER. We stick to water just cooler than ambient temperature.
Even human bodies don’t really like ice cold water.
Yes. I have a very small dog just 8 lbs. i’ve noticed this. Whenever I give my dog water from the refrigerator she makes a funny sound like a choking sound. I could tell that it seems to be too cold for her. So what I do is give her fresh filtered water from the sink not the refrigerator and it’s been so much better for her. Good that you posted this.
Common sense always prevails.if dog is hot take it down slowly. USe. wet towels
And no matter how much you cool your car. It can run out of gas or air could malfunction.
I used to give my dog ice water and he would always vomit. Now I give him cool fresh filtered tap water with no problems. Thanks for affirming that “ice water” is not healthy for a my dog or any other dog!!!
WHEN A DOG IS OVERHEATED, YOU GIVE THEM LITTLE SIPS OF COOL, NOT COLD WATER. (BASICALLY JUST ENOUGH TO WET THEIR TONGUE) THEY NEED TO COOL DOWN BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY ARE ALLOWED TO DRINK WATER LIKE USUAL. IT WILL CAUSE, AT THE LEAST NAUSEA. THE SAME IS TRUE WITH HORSES, ETC. BUT ALL OF MY LIFE, IF IT IS HOT WEATHER, I PUT ICE CUBES IN MY ANIMALS WATER CONTAINERS TO KEEP THE WATER COOL TO COLD. THAT IS NOT BAD FOR THEM. IT’S ONLY IF THEY ARE OVER HEATED FROM EXERCISE OR BEING OUT IN THE SUN WITH NO SHADE TO LIE IN. ……….. I HAVE DONE THIS FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS WITH MY ANIMALS WITH NO ILL EFFECTS.
I have been told IF the dog is OVERHEATED. take some water and put it on their chest wall and on the pads of their paws., that will cool them down
I had a dog to die after giving him ice water. It was a very hot summer day and I was leaving so I went out and the dogs came running across the yard. I noticed they were panting bad so I went back inside and got the dogs fresh water and I put ice in it. I left and went shopping and when I returned I found the boy dog dead under the porch but the female dog was fine. I didn’t know what had happened. I called my vet and he said that the ice shouldn’t have caused it. He said that he probably just had a heart attack. I never found out what had happened to him
He had what is called gastric torsion occur. You should never give dogs that have had increased activity water immediately, in large amounts, monitor the amount and don’t allow them to continue running around (ice and temp nothing to do with it)! There’s some helpful posts here that explain how torsion leads to bloat, which can lead to death. Especially in dogs with deep chest cavities, hope this helps give you an answer (surprised ur vet didn’t know that was the cause) !
Thank you so much. Oh and I don’t use that vet anymore.
Gastric torsion is completely different from the muscle cramping associated w cooling too fast. Torsion is a twisting of the stomach onto itself. When you give a dog ice water and they’re internal temp is above normal it cause muscles to cramp and can possibly send them into shock. Both can cause bloat but torsion is worse. Giving them ice water goes along w not hosing them down. You will hold heat in and cause heat stroke and/or shock. Room temp water to drink and if you wet the dog only wet the legs and belly. (I know wetting the dog wasn’t in the original passage but just FYI.)
Pretty sure it sounds like heat stroke not gastric torsion. A dog who was running around and only given water to cool down with that he would not want anyway because he was overheated can die of heat stroke so fast…EVEN if shade present.
Just bc a dog is panting heavily it does not equate to heat stroke. Based on this article and her concern about giving Ice/ice water as a cause of death. If she let the dog back in the backyard after drinking a large amount of water it is highly likely that he died of bloat. There’s no for sure way to know without the dog being observed. But as many have noted there’s no clear and convincing evidence nor widespread acceptance by the veterinary community that indicates Ice water or ice kills dogs. (Using this fact pattern)
Nor does panting make it a GDV. That’s why I gave a second differential so she doesn’t think you diagnosed her dog over the Internet. Clearly it could have been anything. You should still see the same vet….without a necropsy no way to know. And if bloat was bad enough they will feel bloated post- mortem….So again, your veterinarian probably wasn’t seeing signs of this and is why said heart attack. Could have been out of your control.
Lost our beloved dog to the same thing – didn’t know that was why until reading this – horribly hot and humid day – summer in Pittsburgh, cold water from the hose – he couldn’t handle it – died in my mother’s arms – she cradled him for hours – tragic
A collie I used to have loved to chew ice cubes. He prefered and ice cube over a dog treat. But, he was never overheated at the time.
It makes sense. Horses get colic when they have ice water. I always assumed my dog wouldn’t react to it well either so therefore have never given it to him.
I had a corgi who would stand in a dish of water (front feet) rather than drink it, to cool off after playing ball. SHE knew what to do. I followed her lead.
Thanks for this. Lots of interest around here lately in heat & water-related issues after another friend lost a dog to water toxicity. So all this related material is very helpful. And thanks again.
Checked with two different vets…….. THIS is NOT true. You can give a dog ice water and even ice chips but not in large amounts. Same goes for humans !!!
So how is this not true?!? In the article she states the bowl was nearly empty…so if ice or cold water even warm water is safe but dangerous in larger amounts makes this false?!?
Give up, wendtworth. It’s an urban legend. The story is made up! There is no validity to the claims that ice or ice water will kill a hot dog. By posting this crap and refusing to post a disclaimer, you are guilty of spreading stupidity far and wide.
Your wrong…ice or ice cold water given to a hot dog is dangerous…too much water is also dangerous…the snopes link states this letter is fake but the info of a dog drinking too much is not wrong and states that within the snopes link. It is also documented of too much water causing water intoxication and too cold of water on an overheated dog can cause more overheating.
But not when overheated. Didn’t you read the other posts? Are you missing the whole point?
No, you are missing the point, Doris. This post is an Internet hoax. That means it is not true. Ice or ice water does not kill a hot dog.
It’s not a hoax. It’s correct. Drastically moving a dog’s temp up or down causes shock. No ice water inside or outside the body, ever, but especially when they’ve been running around outside in the heat.
I wonder though if ice or ice water would effect an egotistical “doc” with a personality issue circling around the belief that he/she knows so much more than anybody (probably from some perceived inside information), and a repetitive outward expression of anger & annoyance that MUST be thrown on anybody who speaks?
I was just wondering.
Anyways, after reading everything written up to this point, it seems that this is actually a good common sense reminder or lesson; whichever it may be for each person. And by common sense I simply mean that it’s a topic we are all familiar with…HOW to treat dangerous heat exhaustion overall, and that it’s also an issue with dogs….and it always helps to be reminded of something many don’t always think about.
So the bottom line appears to be that overall ice and cold ice water itself in a calm and restful situation with a dog is most likely not going to kill them. However, if it’s a situation where the dogs are severely overheated and experiencing heat exhaustion with severe panting, etc…it’s dangerous to give them icy-cold water as well as large amounts of water overall; mainly because of how they can anatomically react.
Which really makes sense and validates the point when one considers how to treat a human with the same condition. Removing most clothing, placing them in a cooler area out of the sun with hopefully a slight breeze for now, place cool(NOT ICY) cloths on the back of the neck & on the arms & on the legs & allow them to wipe their face. While doing this, give them a mouthful of COOL (not icy) water for them to first spit out to rinse out that icky phlegm, then to slowly sip over time. In order to gradually reduce the body temperature. I think many of us have seen what happens with humans who don’t do this & chug the water and even possibly lay down; after a few minutes they end up vomiting all the water back up. And after playing at so many soccer tournaments in the summer, I can say I’ve even seen people faint after the vomiting. Humans may not develop Bloat, but it seems that treating symptoms of heat exhaustion with icy cold water, and too much of it, will cause dangerous issues for both human and canine.
I just took my 125 lb French Mastiff, w a deep chest, in on Mon w bloat. No idea how he got it. But from reading this I see I’ve made some if the mistakes. He had been running the fence w our neighbors dog in about 95 degree weather. He normally does this for about 15 min. When he comes in he inhales a good size bowl of room temp water. Then ate about 3 cups of dry food, just changed him to Pedigree.
He never stopped panting. Had a fever. Couldn’t get comfortable and started pacing w his head down and his tail between his legs.
I thought it was the new food. I read elsewhere that that brand wasn’t a good one. Now I’m thinking it’s the amount of water he drank so quickly, along w the food.
He’s home and was prescribed a couple of med and told to feed him boiled chicken and rice for 6-7 days.
He’s no longer panting excessively and has resumed “running the fence” w his girl.
Wow! Never been on this Site! Opinions are Like Assholes! Everyone’s GOT One!!! Yes, COMMON Sense, If anything is TOO Overheated/0r COLD! You Do Not SHock the System!, & PEDIGREE Sucks! You Have the $ To Own A Mastiff! Come ON FEED BETTER!- Go to Dog food Analysis.com!
This is concerning… our local Animal Welfare League held appeals for ice during the last heat wave, people donated bags and bags of ice. They showed TV footage of the dogs playing in clam shells filled with ice cubes, and dogs consuming frozen iced treats. Given the publicity, and fact the information had come from an Animal Care Organisation the I started giving my beloved Golden Retriever iced treats too. She always has plenty of clean drinking water… several bowls of it inside and a couple of buckets in the yard plus over summer, a baby bath filled with water to paddle in. (If she knocks one over she still has others)
Most of the rugs are lifted over the heat of summer to allow her to cool herself on the tiled floors and we go to the park in the cooler times of the day, so she can exercise on grass rather than pavers. If we need to go into the car, the car is cooled with he air conditioner before the dog is put into the car…. as you can see – I go to great lengths to care for my dog – she is a very precious member of my family. To think that advice provided by an animal care organisation could harm her is highly distressing. I for one will be working with my vet and reviewing my care plan for my dog during the heat – THANKYOU for raising this issue for discussion.
I have always given ice water to my dog….she will not drink her water unless it’s iced. Now, she is an indoor dog, never out unless to potty, then right back in the house. She is nearly 18 yrs. old and I’ve never had a problem. Could it be because she is an indoor dog ?
Common Sense…….doesn’t make it alright all the time. Thank You! I’m so grateful for your sharing.
Exactly!!
Ice water doesn’t actually harm your dog. iOffering your dog water (regardless of it being cold or cool) after excessive activity on the other hand may cause him to bloat if he drinks the water too fast and in excess. This can lead to gas and liquids mixing in his stomach called acute gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV).
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/icewater.asp
I always give my dog Ice when we’re traveling, water would just spill out of her bowl and into her crate during lift-off otherwise, and she’d be stuck thirsty for the duration of the flight. Because she’s in her crate and not exercising, this is completely safe.
Just thought I’d share.
Based on how many comments this has gotten and the decreasing likelihood that new readers will see that this is actually not a big danger… I would also recommend removing the post. If you don’t want to take it down, at *least* add a disclaimer at the top. I see a lot of confused and worried people in the comments, and a disclaimer would at least help avoid adding more.
(https://www.facebook.com/tuftsvet/posts/10152495937470930?fref=nf)
never ever gove the dogs large amounts of water(iced or cooled) before or after extreme heat exposure .and definally no food ,this can cause bloat .
I Lost a beloved family dog this way. we were living in Nevada at the time and it was summer it was about 107 that day and my friend helping me out went and gave the dogs ice cold water to help cool them off and the my dog ate . bI wasnt aware he had done this until she started acting odd. Within 45min my dog was gone. I had lost her and had no idea why. When I called the vet they said it was bloat (thier intestines flip from the cramping) and this was the worst thing I could have done too cool her off and I more than likely would have not been able to reverse the damage. It happened so quickly and I never knew. But living in an area with extreme temperatures my friend thought they were helpng me and cooling them down. i miss my Roxy everyday, and warn people all the time of the dangers.
I don’t believe the Ice is the issue! I think its heat exposure and then drinking while over heated. U all realize holds true for eatign as well. U r not supposed to let your dog run after he eats. He is supposed to wait a period.. cant recall how long. If they run after eating their stomach can flip and lock the food and kill them! So I say use what works best for u. The dog could have just choked on the Ice cube got / it lodged, and made the rest of the reactions to occur. Very glad her dog was ok no matter the differences of opinions here. I too have given Ice to my dogs. In fact they just demolished my cooler of ice I dropped on the ground yesterday. Smallest dog is about 30 lbs up to my 7 mo Annatolian who is already nearly 60 lbs so diff in sizes they all run all over outside and its hot as heck here in MO. JS…
I for one will be erring on the side of maybe it could happen. I have a baby pool for my dog when she is outside, which isn’t often so she can jump in when she wants to. I fill it in the morning when she is out for her morning business and then by noon when she is going out again it is sun warmed 🙂 I only have this when it is extremely hot because she likes to play around during dry time and it can become a huge chore. LOL
This is good advice, yrs ago heard not to give cold food jst out fridge to ure dogs as it’s upsets their stomach but few weeks ago I heard on TV that on hot humid days freeze ure dogs food and give it to them to help cool them off but after reading this I wouldn’t try it
By Dr. Becker
Responsible dog owners understand the importance of making sure their canine companion always has fresh, clean water to drink. But what a surprising number of pet owners don’t realize is that it’s actually possible for a dog to ingest too much water.
Water intoxication, which results in life threatening hyponatremia (excessively low sodium levels), is a relatively rare but frequently fatal condition in dogs. At highest risk are dogs that enjoying playing in the water for long stretches. But believe it or not, even a lawn sprinkler or hose can pose a hazard for pets that love to snap at or “catch” spraying water.
What Happens When a Dog Ingests Too Much Water
Hyponatremia occurs when more water enters the body than it can process. The presence of so much water dilutes bodily fluids, creating a potentially dangerous shift in electrolyte balance. The excess water depletes sodium levels in extracellular fluid (fluid outside of cells). Sodium maintains blood pressure and nerve and muscle function.
When the sodium concentration in extracellular fluid drops, the cells start filling with water as the body attempts to balance the sodium levels inside the cells with falling levels outside the cells. This inflow of water causes the cells – including those in the brain – to swell. The central nervous system can also be affected.
Symptoms of water intoxication include staggering/loss of coordination, lethargy, nausea, bloating, vomiting, dilated pupils, glazed eyes, light gum color, and excessive salivation. In severe cases, there can also be difficulty breathing, collapse, loss of consciousness, seizures, coma, and death.
Dogs Most at Risk for Water Intoxication
Any dog can develop hyponatremia, however, the condition is most commonly seen in dogs who will stay in the lake, pond or pool all day if you let them; pets that lap or bite at the water continuously while playing in it; and dogs that swallow water unintentionally as they dive for a ball or other toy.
The condition has also been reported in dogs that over-hydrate during or after exercise, as well as those that enjoy playing with water from a garden hose or sprinklers.
Water intoxication can affect any size or breed of dog, but smaller dogs probably show symptoms more quickly because it takes less time for an excessive amount of water to build up in their bodies.
Water intoxication progresses quickly and can be life threatening, so if your pet has been playing in water and begins to exhibit any of the symptoms listed above, it’s crucial that you seek immediate veterinary care to save your dog’s life.
Treatment of hyponatremia in dogs typically includes IV delivery of electrolytes, diuretics, and drugs to reduce brain swelling. With aggressive veterinary care, some dogs are able to recover from water intoxication, but sadly, many are not.
Preventing Water Intoxication in Your Dog
If your dog loves the water, make sure you’re there to supervise his activity. If your pet is repetitively retrieving a ball or other toy from the water, insist on frequent rest breaks. Be especially vigilant on days when the water is rough.
Observe how your dog interacts with the water. If her mouth is open a lot – even if she’s holding a ball or stick in it — understand that she’s likely ingesting a fair amount of water. The same can be true of dogs that dive to the bottom of a pool to retrieve items.
Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of water intoxication and monitor your dog’s appearance and behavior when she’s playing in water.
After a period of hard play or exercise, use caution when your dog rehydrates. If he immediately laps up the contents of his water bowl, rest him for a bit before you refill his bowl. If your dog is very active, it’s a good idea to have water with you when he exercises so that you can give him frequent short water breaks to keep him hydrated.
If your dog enjoys interacting with water from the hose or sprinkler, you should monitor that activity as well. Water from a hose or sprinkler is under pressure, and you’d be surprised how much a dog can ingest in a short amount of time.
A Word About Salt Water Toxicity
Excessive intake of salt water can result in hypernatremia, or salt poisoning, which is the opposite of hyponatremia. Initial signs of hypernatremia include vomiting and diarrhea, but the condition can quickly progress to neurologic symptoms like loss of coordination, seizures, progressive depression, and severe brain swelling.
Hypernatremia, like hyponatremia, is potentially life threatening, and immediate veterinary care is needed.
If you take your dog to the beach, bring along fresh drinking water and offer it to him at frequent intervals so he won’t be tempted to drink ocean water.
My lab puppy was running up and down the fence with our neighbors dog in the summertime when all of a sudden she started staggering and went on our porch and fell against the door listless. My daughter yelled for me to hand her some wet towels which she put on my dogs nose and paws. After a few minutes she was fine. We kept a baby swimming pool for her and she immediately went to it, got in and completely submerged her nose in rhe water and walked around the entire pool like that.. I am delighted to say she lived to be 14 but that incident scared me to death.
Having Dogs & Animals all My life the proper way to allow any animal the Right Tempeture is Normal Room tempeture Water…. The reason that a Person should never give Ice Cubes or Icey Water is because it SHOCKS the Body Tempeture…. Just think of it this way,,, Can You Drink A Real Ice Cold BIG Glass Of Really,, Really Super COLD Water???? Answer::::: NO
How many times have WE heard of a PERSON Droping Dead When Drinking a real Cold Bottle O Beer when just swimming,,running or doing any kind of active Exercise …. If You have never heard of anything like this you are very lucky people…. Being involved in very heard going Sports We have been taught to never Give anyone after doing Any Mass Of Sports a COLD DRINK for reasons of just what Were talking about… Cool the Animal Down by Putting A Cool Wet Cloth on any part of the Body where You could or can feel a very Strong Pulse…… My Name Is ::::::: NOBLE JOSEPH WHALEN ,,,, OTTAWA,, CANADA
I have thought of giving my dogs ice water, but never did, thank god. I keep the house almost to the point of being uncomfortably cold for myself, I figure they have long fur. They have a kiddie pool outside and I only keep them outside on hot days until they indicate they want in. If the chubbier one pants more than I like, I will cool him down with cool water until he stops panting. Then he sleeps like a baby.
By Jenna Stregowski, RVT
Hyperthermia is a term describing an elevation in body temperature. This increase typically occurs as a response to a trigger, such as inflammation in the body or a hot environment. When a dog is exposed to high temperatures, heat stroke or heat exhaustion can result. Heat stroke is a very serious condition that requiresimmediate medical attention. Once the signs of heat stroke are detected, there is precious little time before serious damage – or even death – can occur.
Dogs do not sweat through their skin like humans – they release heat primarily by panting and they sweat through the foot pads and nose. If a dog cannot effectively expel heat, the internal body temperature begins to rise. Once the dog’s
temperature reaches 106°, damage to the body’s cellular system and organs may become irreversible. Unfortunately, too many dogs succumb to heat stroke when it could have been avoided. Learn how to recognize the signs of heat stroke and prevent it from happening to your dog.
Signs of Heat Stroke
The following signs may indicate heat stroke in a dog:Increased rectal temperature (over 104° requires action, over 106° is a dire emergency)Vigorous pantingDark red gumsTacky or dry mucus membranes (specifically the gums)Lying down and unwilling (or unable) to get upCollapse and/or loss of consciousnessThick salivaDizziness or disorientation
What to do if You Suspect Heat Stroke
If you have even the slightest suspicion that your dog is suffering from heat stoke, you must take immediate action.First, move your dog out of the heat and away from the sun right away.Begin cooling your dog with cool water. You may place wet rags or washcloths on the foot pads and around the head, but replace them frequently as they warm up. Avoid covering the body with wet towels, as it may trap in heat.DO NOT use ice or ice water! Extreme cold can cause the blood vessels to constrict, preventing the body’s core from cooling and actually causing the internal temperature to further rise. In addition, over-cooling can cause hypothermia, introducing a host of new problems. When the body temperature reaches 103.9°F, stop cooling. At this point, your dog’s body should continue cooling on its own.Offer your dog cool water, but do not force water into your dog’s mouth. Try not to let your dog drink excessive amounts at a time.Call or visit your vet right away – even if your dog seems better. Internal damage might not be obvious to the naked eye, so an exam is necessary (and further testing may be recommended).Tip: recruit others to help you – ask someone to call the vet while others help you cool your dog.
Preventing Heat Stroke
There are ways you can prevent heat stroke from happening in the first place.NEVER leave your dog alone in the car on a warm day, regardless of whether the windows are open. Even if the weather outside is not extremely hot, the inside of the car acts like an oven – temperatures can rise to dangerously high levels in a matter of minutes.Avoid vigorous exercise on warm days. When outside, opt for shady areas.Keep fresh cool water available at all times.Certain types of dogs are more sensitive to heat – especially obese dogs and brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds, like Pugs and Bulldogs. Use extreme caution when these dogs are exposed to heat.Some dogs can recover fully from heat stroke if it is caught early enough. Others suffer permanent organ damage and require lifelong treatment. Sadly, many dogs do not survive heat stroke. Prevention is the key to keeping your dog safe
Omgoodness, my little 5 lb yorkie loves the ice you get at Sonic. I hand feed her a cube at a time. One night I gave her several cubes, and a little later she seemed to be choking and then she threw up. Never thought it could be the ice. Maybe it was, I’ll never give her cold waster or ice again. Anything happened to her, you’d have to bury me !!! Thank you for posting this.
No wendtworth, you still don’t get it. The article you quote is stating that one should not use ice or ice water EXTERNALLY to try to cool a dog having a HEAT STROKE. That can cause vasoconstriction and shivering and actually raise the body temperature. Drinking ice water lowers the core temperature. And sure, drinking too much water of any temperature can have very bad consequences, but that is not what the urban legend you posted is all about, is it? It was about ice consumption killing a hot dog, not excessive water consumption.
Exactly, by the way. ALL of these apply to humans as well. If a human is having a heat stroke you should not use ice water or ice to cool them off. Cool rags to prevent the constriction of blood vessels is recommended.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/11/17/2417694.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19653575
while the first site IS not the best reference they do reference back to the journal of medicine. Research is not that hard and as a blogger it is your responsibility to do it accurately.
Wrong on more than one account ..article quoting on heat strokes stated covering with towels can raise temps to not cover completely so not hold in heat. Do not give ice or ice water since that can cause vasoconstriction causing temps to rise. The paragraph of the letter does not state anything about Baran eating ice cubes but more the dog was crated for 30 mins and water bowl empty so refilled with some cubes and water and then went to feed him. Symptoms were noticed at that point. No mention of cubes given prior to initial emptying the bowl!
“As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.” Proverbs 26:1
OMGOSH! I can’t thank you enough for your post on “NO ICE OR ICE WATER FOR DOGS”! I always thought I was doing them a great deed and therefore would give them an ice Cube. Funny thing is, when we think they should drink water from some recent activity that made them hot, they will not drink the water! We wondered why…..I think they must have known! Thank you so much!!! I don’t know what I’d do if I felt I were the cause of something that hurt or killed them! So again TY! TY! TY! ……………Diane, NH
I have also given my dogs ice in their water. They love to chew ice. I had to take one to the vet on Sunday. Extreme loose bowels. The vet said she was also very bloated. I probably had given them ice on that day. I truly believe this was the problem. I know one thing for sure. Truth or fiction I am not willing to take that chance of loosing one of my babies. Our Lab loves going in the river which is salt water and swim. He has had spells lately of feeling really sick and loose bowels. That practice is going to be less often and not diving for toys .I would never take a chance with our babies knowingly and appreciate the notification of possible problems and losing one of our babies. I will stop the practice of putting ice in their water and of. allowing our Lab in the salt water. Nobody should be put down for wanting to protect their pets.
We at the Canine Health Foundation have noticed a lot of internet activity involving this article alerting dog owners to the alleged dangers of giving ice or ice water to dogs. The exact cause of bloat is not understood and to date only risk factors have been identified. It is clear that large-breed and/or deep chested dogs are at higher risk, and it is consensus opinion that these anatomical features may predispose certain breeds to disease. Beyond anatomical features, genetics, feeding practices, exercise, gut motility and stress have been proposed to be associated with development of bloat, but definitive studies are lacking. There have been no studies involving ice or ice water. To better understand bloat, CHF launched a major initiative funding two research teams that aim to identify the underlying mechanisms of the disease.
What Every Dog Owner Needs to Know About Bloat, a free webinar: http://www.akcchf.org/news-events/multimedia/video/bloat.html
WOW I just read all these comments and all I can say is be careful if your dog is very hot not to give then to much or to cold of water plain and simple. We as pet owners are responsible for montering what they have for there own good just like children.
Its BS about the ice. Any dog can bloat. Do not feed within 2 hours of exercise (before or after) and don’t let your dog gulp lots of water like the lady letting hers drink the full bowl, after exercise. Small amounts of water is fine. There is not a defined cause of bloat but that lady broke 2 of the rules.
How about writing about people walking their precious dogs on the boiling hot blacktop and sidewalks or roads!!!!!!!!!! Put your damn hand down, hold it on the cement for 10 seconds or maybe 20 and see if that burns!!!!!!!! Imagine the dogs feet on that for there 3/4 walks a day??????? Nice right????? Where did common sense go?????????
I agree!!!
Just a thought, about bringing internal temp down, I used to work for vets and often we would spray alcohol on the pads of their feet, it seemed to bring temp down at a good rate. I was raised with horses and we often hosed the legs down after a strong work out. and slowly walk till cooled down with no more then five – to ten sips of water at a time. I do agree with cool water rather then iced, and small amounts. Just a good practice with dogs and horses. the practice results in almost no bouts of bloat or colic. Just like when traveling small sips of water and no food till we arrive, then if you have a gobbler, ration the food over an hours time. Common sense and smart dog sense who seem to do it naturally.
Its funny how the media goes one sided and incompletely does a story. The limited information and flat out ice won’t hurt your dog is not the title of the article nor what was only given to the dog…NO ICE WATER…ice cubes put in bucket with water…HELLLOOOOOO Well here is one like myself that per claims the story is false but there are dangers and information that needs to be relayed out with a complete description like I’ve done at http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-health/are-ice-cubes-and-ice-water-dangerous-to-dogs.aspx?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2014-6-23%20(1)&