Who doesn’t love vanilla ice cream? It’s delicious, it’s the perfect cold snack on a hot day, and the sensation of that creamy sweetness sliding down your throat creates feelings of comfort like few desserts can.
Long story short, eating vanilla ice cream is pure bliss. Surely our beloved fur babies deserve to experience that very same joy?
Unfortunately, it’s not a good idea to feed dogs vanilla ice cream. This dessert is chock full of ingredients that can make them ill.
Let’s find out what those ingredients are!
Is vanilla ice cream bad for dogs?
Yes, vanilla ice cream is bad for dogs.
True, a few licks of the stuff likely won’t cause any damage. Nevertheless, this dessert still makes for an unhealthy treat for canines. Some varieties contain substances that even in small quantities can put your canine friend’s health at great risk. As for the safer vanilla ice cream options, they can be harmful if your dog can’t tolerate its ingredients—and if eaten regularly, they can lead to bigger problems that, in the worst of cases, can cause a dog their life.
Here are the potential issues that can arise in a dog that eats vanilla ice cream:
Lactose intolerance
Ice cream contains milk or cream, and unfortunately, most dogs can’t handle dairy.
Puppies’ bodies produce an enzyme called lactase, which is responsible for breaking down their mother’s milk. As they grow older, however, lactase production plummets. This is why most adult dogs experience mild to severe gastrointestinal discomfort after eating dairy. In fact, dairy products are among the most common causes of food intolerance in domestic canines.
If your dog is lactose intolerant, eating vanilla ice cream can result in the following symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Gas
- Loose stools
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Excessive thirst
- Weakness
- Dehydration
The best way to treat and prevent these issues is to simply avoid feeding your dog vanilla ice cream or any other products containing dairy.
Dairy allergy
Dairy is the second most allergy-provoking ingredient for dogs. If your pooch is unfortunate enough to be allergic to dairy, consuming vanilla ice cream can cause the following problems:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Itchy, red, and/or dry skin
- Excessive licking and scratching due to itchiness
- Hair loss and bald patches
- Flatulence
- Constipation or frequent defecation
- Hot spots
- Ear infections
- Skin infections
If these food allergy symptoms grow severe, you should take your dog to the veterinarian, who will likely use antihistamines and other drugs to treat them. A special diet can also help.
Alcohol poisoning due to vanilla extract
The most flavorful vanilla ice cream is the type that’s created using a flavor additive known as vanilla extract.
Here’s the problem: vanilla extract is usually made by marinating vanilla beans or pods in ethanol, which, as you may already know, is a type of alcohol.
If your dog consumes significant quantities of ice cream containing vanilla extract, they may experience the following issues:
- Retching or vomiting
- Incoordination
- Drooling
- Lethargy or depression
- Decreased respiratory rate
- Weakness
- Collapse
- Hypothermia (low body temperature)
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
- Hypotension (low blood pressure)
Alcohol toxicity is rarely severe in dogs. However, it’s still a good idea to contact a vet if your pet displays any of the aforementioned symptoms after vanilla ice cream ingestion.
Xylitol poisoning
We all know ice cream is fattening due to its high sugar content.
The good news for us humans is that sugar-free varieties of vanilla ice cream exist for those of us watching our weight.
The bad news is? This type of ice cream often uses an artificial sweetener called xylitol, which is extremely toxic to canines—so much so that even a small amount can endanger a dog’s life.
When absorbed by a dog’s body, xylitol causes their blood sugar levels to plunge, which can result in liver damage, liver failure, and even death.
Xylitol poisoning symptoms include:
- Upset stomach
- Decreased activity
- Exhaustion
- Weakness
- Incoordination
- Staggering
- Shivering
- Seizures
- Collapse
- Unconsciousness
- Coma
Symptoms typically emerge within an hour of xylitol ingestion. However, a dog can go as long as 24 hours without experiencing problems. Therefore, fur parents shouldn’t assume a pet that’s ingested xylitol hasn’t been poisoned just because they haven’t gotten sick yet.
If your pooch consumes vanilla ice cream that contains xylitol, rush them to the vet for emergency treatment.
If artificially sweetened vanilla ice cream can seriously harm dogs, why not just give them regular, sugary ice cream?
The sugar used in human food isn’t natural to dogs. When this sugar enters the canine gut, it may upset the gut microbiome balance, resulting in mild to severe gastrointestinal problems such as:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Flatulence
- Abdominal pain
The more intolerant your dog is of sugar, the greater the severity of these symptoms, which will require treatment by a vet.
But such digestive issues are the least of your dog’s concerns. Eating sugary foods can also cause tooth decay and sugar addiction. The latter is particularly troubling as it makes a dog lose interest in healthy foods, which can result in malnutrition.
Consuming sugar-rich vanilla ice cream regularly can lead to even bigger problems, including:
- Pancreatitis: this is a dangerous condition during which the pancreas becomes inflamed, possibly damaging the pancreas and even killing your dog.
- Obesity: this is linked to chronic conditions such as joint pain and osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, various cancers, and heatstroke. This condition also makes it harder for a dog to move around, discouraging the exercise they need to lose weight.
While these conditions can be treated or managed by a vet, they can reduce a dog’s quality of life and even shorten their life.
FAQs About Vanilla Ice Cream for Dogs
It’s time to answer more frequently asked questions about vanilla ice cream for dogs!
My dog ate vanilla ice cream. What should I do?
Stay calm. Find out how much vanilla ice cream your dog ate and what ingredients it contains.
Consuming a small amount (such as a spoonful) of regular, sugary vanilla ice cream shouldn’t be a problem for your dog. Still, you should keep an eye on them, and reach out to a vet the moment they exhibit symptoms of dairy allergy, lactose intolerance, or digestive concerns.
Does the ice cream contain vanilla extract? Watch your doggo for symptoms and call a vet for advice if they experience any issues. While your pet will likely be fine, veterinary treatment can help ease their suffering.
The greater the amount of either type of ice cream your dog ingests, the more likely they’ll experience severe problems. Take your dog’s size into consideration, as well; a small dog may not be able to tolerate a spoonful of ice cream like a large dog can.
If the ice cream contains xylitol, even a small amount can be dangerous. Your best option is therefore to bring your dog to the vet immediately. Xylitol poisoning usually requires emergency treatment, so hesitation could be fatal.
If you can’t reach a vet, those in North America can also call the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 or Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435.
Are there any health benefits to feeding a dog vanilla ice cream?
The benefits are negligible. While vanilla ice cream contains nutrients that dogs need (e.g. calcium), they’re only present in tiny, inadequate quantities. In other words, the little good this dessert can do for your dog can’t compensate for all the huge problems it can cause.
Can dogs eat dog-friendly vanilla ice cream?
If you want your pet to enjoy vanilla ice cream, feed them the type that’s made specifically for dogs.
Yes, there are commercial vanilla ice creams that are safe for canines. These don’t contain dairy, gluten, grain, xylitol, or any other ingredients that can make a dog sick. They contain enough sugar to achieve the mouthwatering sweetness your fur baby will love, but not enough to harm them.
It’s important to remember, however, that even this type of ice cream shouldn’t be fed to dogs regularly. It should only be used as an occasional treat, so once a week should do.
Are there healthy, dog-friendly alternatives to vanilla ice cream?
Yes. There are many dog-friendly desserts for dogs—you can even make some of them yourself at home.
For example, you can simply freeze yogurt. Just make sure that it’s plain, low in sugar, and xylitol-free.
You can also chuck some bananas into a blender, then place the resulting concoction in the freezer. Scoop a small portion out of your frozen creation for your pet to enjoy. You can even add yogurt or peanut butter (they shouldn’t have toxic ingredients such as xylitol) to the mix.
Conclusion
We don’t recommend feeding your dog vanilla ice cream. While they may appreciate the taste, there’s nothing fun about the potential consequences of eating this dessert.
If you want your pet to enjoy something sweet, consider giving them healthier alternatives, such as frozen plain yogurt, instead!