On a hot summer's day, there's nothing better than a deliciously refreshing ice cream. Often, our fur babies want to get in on the icy action, but have you ever wondered whether sharing your ice cream with your dog is a good idea? Well, it's not. Here's why.
XYLITOL
A common ingredient found in many products, including ice cream, is an artificial sweetener and commercially derived from corn fibre, birch wood or other vegetable material is extremely toxic to dogs. Even in small amounts. it can cause hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar), liver damage, seizures and even death.
Symptoms of xylitol poisoning develop rapidly, usually within 15-30 minutes of consumption. Signs of hypoglycaemia may include any or all of the following:
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Lack of coordination or difficulty walking or standing
- Depression or lethargy
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Coma
If you suspect xylitol ingestion, do not induce vomiting and call your vet as soon as possible.
We always advocate seeking methods to keep your dog cool, but possibly not in the form of an ice-cream, unless it is a dog-friendly version.
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING
The human palate demands different tastes and textures to a dog's. Ice cream manufacturers often include thickeners such as xanthan gum and loads of milk, cream and processed sugar to make their product creamy, tasty and, let's face it, almost irresistible to us humans. While we wouldn't choose it ourselves, savoury and sugar-free ice pops are a great choice for dogs, which is why FurFresh has a Beef Bone Broth + Barley Grass Pupsicle.
In dogs, processed sugars can also cause teeth decay.
Binding agent Xanthan gum, whilst not toxic in itself, can facilitate allergic reactions in dogs over a long period of time.
Milk & cream - inherently, dogs can't handle lots of lactose.
With it's long list of milk, milk solids and cream, human ice cream can upset a dog's stomach and lead to diarrhoea. Choose yoghurt as a dog-friendly, probiotic laden choice - like the FurFresh Peanut Butter + Banana Pupsicle!
PADDLEPOP STICKS
Ever left your dog with the remainder of your ice pop to lick off the paddle pop stick? Left to their own devices, dogs can break, splinter or fully ingest the stick. This can cause bowel obstructions, punctures and even choking. For this reason, FurFresh Pupsicles are made on an edible carrot stick, that is designed to soften as the dog eats through the Pupsicle.