Ice cream is one of those delicious sweets that can improve any mood and make you feel a little better even when something is wrong. And since, of course, you like to share good times with your favorite furry animals, it’s natural for many people to wonder if dogs can eat ice cream.
However, this irresistible dessert can hide some health risks from your best friends and it’s critical to be very careful before giving your dog ice cream. In this Animal Expert article, we’ll explain why dogs can’t eat ice cream, especially industrialized products, and teach you how to make homemade and healthy dog ice cream. Don’t miss anything!
- If you’re wondering if you can ice cream your dog.
- The answer is: it depends! Industrialized ice cream is not recommended for dogs for several reasons.
- But mainly because it contains a high content of refined fats and sugars.
- Although the dog’s diet should be rich in fatty acids (better known as good or healthy fats).
- Industrialized ice cream contains so-called saturated fats.
- Which promote rapid weight gain and an increase in LDL cholesterol (also called? Bad cholesterol?) In the bloodstream.
In this sense, elevated LDL cholesterol levels should be considered to promote the accumulation of insoluble lipid plaques in vessels and arteries, increasing the risk of developing cardiovascular problems. Excessive sugar consumption can cause hyperglycemia and increase the risk of developing canine diabetes.
In addition, many ice creams are made with milk, i.e. containing milk or dairy products. As we have already explained here in Animal Expert, most adult dogs are lactose intolerant because the body stops producing or drastically reduces the production, after weasel, of the enzyme lactase, fundamental to properly digest the molecules present in milk and its derivatives. For this reason, dairy-based foods and prescriptions can cause serious digestive problems for dogs.
At last? but not least to understand if a dog can eat ice cream. Some ice cream flavors can greatly damage your fur. The most classic and dangerous example is chocolate ice cream, which, while one of many people’s favorite sweets, is one of the forbidden foods for dogs, as they can cause digestive disorders, such as diarrhea and vomiting, tachycardia and behavioral changes, such as hyperactivity and nervousness.
As we have seen, industrialized ice creams contain preservatives, ingredients not suitable for canine nutrition, such as saturated fats, dairy and sugars, and can also contain foods potentially toxic to dogs, such as chocolate, coffee, lemon, grapes, etc.
However, if you want to offer dog ice cream, you can do so using ingredients beneficial to your best friend’s health, then the answer is yes, your dog can bring a homemade ice cream tailored to their nutritional needs.
Still, you’ll need to take certain precautions before offering your puppy a homemade ice cream. For example, it is good practice to consult your trusted veterinarian before offering your puppy a new food. In addition to making sure your dog can actually eat ice cream, the pro will also help you choose the most nutritious ingredients to prepare delicious recipes for your best friend.
It is also important to note that homemade ice cream should be offered in moderation to dogs, and can be used as a reward or as a positive reinforcement in the education of your fur. Nutrient ice cream can also be a good natural dietary supplement, especially during the summer to help them stay well hydrated.
To make a homemade dog ice cream, you’ll need to replace the milk with another basic liquid. Depending on the flavor of the ice cream and the texture you want to get, you can choose between water, vegetable milk (rice, oats or coconut) and sugar-free yogurt (or reduced in lactose). Your dog’s ice cream will look much creamier and tastier with vegetable milk or yogurt. However, to prepare a light ice cream for obese or overweight dogs, we recommend making dog ice cream with water.
When choosing the flavor of homemade ice creams, we recommend using fruits and vegetables that are beneficial for dogs, such as apples, strawberries, melons, carrots, cucumbers, spinach, bananas, peaches, etc. But it’s also possible to make more sophisticated recipes, such as a nutritious salty chicken, carrot and saffron ice cream made with rice milk. In the kitchen, creativity is always welcome, especially to please your best friends.
The process of making dog ice cream is super simple. Simply blend the liquid base and solid ingredients that will flavor the recipe in the blender until you have a homogeneous mixture. After that, simply pour the contents into the pan or container of your choice and freeze the ice cream for about 4 hours, or until it has the proper consistency.
Learn step by step how to make homemade dog ice cream in our YouTube video:
If you want to read similar articles about Can a dog eat ice cream ?, we recommend that you visit our Balanced Diets section.