Are you okay with giving your dog ice cubes to cool him down?

    Are you okay with giving your dog ice cubes to cool him down?

    The heat of these days is hard for our four-legged friends to face. Is it healthy to give them some ice cubes?

    The heat of these days is hard to face not only for us, but also for our four-legged friends. Is it healthy to put a few ice cubes in their bowl to allow them to find some relief in the heat?





    Animals are as sensitive as we are to changes in temperature, and the heat we have been experiencing in recent weeks is also putting a strain on their health. There are many things we can do to give our dogs some relief from the heat, such as a nice walk early in the morning or even late in the evening.

    Even a little bit of ice can help refresh our dogs: we can freeze his favorite chewable toys in the freezer, or even the bowl of water before use, or even add a few ice cubes to the water he drinks, without any particular contraindications for his health. The risks to dentition associated with chewing hard ice are very low.

    If the animal, however, exhibits the typical symptoms of the heat stroke (nausea, vomiting, labored breathing, slow and uncoordinated movements) ice must be avoided absolutely, and it is advisable to take the dog to a veterinary center for checks.

    (Read also: Summer heat: how to protect our cats?)

    The ice cubes, however, must be proportionate to the size of the dog: for example, a small dog should not receive cubes that are too large that can suffocate him, but you could opt for crushed cubes or even crushed ice, in order to minimize the risk of suffocation.

    As an alternative to ice, we can freeze slices of apple or carrot: they represent a fresh and healthy snack to refresh our dog. Or we can cover our furry friend (especially if a puppy) with a towel wet with cold water (but not too much) and 'free' him once the cloth has dried. Finally, we can try to spray our pet's fur with cold water using a vaporizer, but beware: not all dogs like this treatment (some are even scared of it!) - so better do a test on his paws first and observe them. the reaction before proceeding to vaporize the water on the rest of the body.



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    Fonti: Blue Cross for Pets / Human Society

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