You’ll find a lot of conflicting information about dogs and ice cubes on the internet, and it can be hard to tell what’s right from what’s not. While ice can be a useful tool to cool down hot doggos in hot temperatures, the answer to this question isn’t so simple. Can you give a bulldog ice cubes? It’s time for us to find out.
- Can you give a bulldog ice cubes?
- When SHOULDN’T you give a bulldog ice cubes?
- Heatstroke
- Unsupervised
- Puppies
- Vomiting
- Recent anesthesia
- Doggy dental issues
- Aggressive chompers
- Older doggos
- Medicated doggos
- Post-exercise
- Overexcitable doggos
- Megaoesophagus
- Bulldogs with coughs/kennel cough
- Choking history
- History of bloat
- Bulldogs and ice cubes: why size matters
- Ice cube alternatives for bulldogs
- Can I give my bulldog ice cubes? – final thoughts
Can you give a bulldog ice cubes?
Yes, you can give a bulldog ice cubes…
But, as with most things in life, there are a few things you should know before you reach into the freezer. Not all ice cubes are suitable for all dogs or dog breeds, and there are all sorts of caveats that you’ll need to bear in mind.
Let’s take a closer look at them, shall we?
When SHOULDN’T you give a bulldog ice cubes?
This list might surprise you, because it surprised us a little when we first started doing our deep dive research into the ice cube debate. There are several reason and times when bulldogs (or other breeds of dog) should never be given ice cubes – whether that’s as a form of play, hydration, cooling, or otherwise.
It’s probably best that we start with the most obvious, then go from there. What do you say?
Heatstroke
You should never give your bulldog (or any other breed of dog) ice cubes or ice-cold water if they have heatstroke, have overheated, or are in the process of overheating.
Why not?
Hot bulldogs can experience rapid cooling if they eat ice or drink ice cold water when they’re overheating. It can cause them to go into shock, and it can also create issues with blood vessels, specifically, causing them to restrict.
Restricted blood vessels reduce the flow of blood around the body. Over time, this can lead to cell and tissue damage or death, and even organ damage or failure.
Unsupervised
Anything your dog eats, drinks, or plays with is a hazard. Anything and everything. This includes ice. Regardless of how small you cut the chunks or how careful you and your pet are being, choking can still occur.
You should NEVER let your bulldog eat ice cubes (or anything else) unsupervised.
Why not?
What if they choke? What if it makes them gag, vomit, then choke on their own vomit? Have they had ice before? If they haven’t, the new sensation might make them feel weird or even panic. What’s going to happen if they don’t like it? What if they start choking? What if, what if, what if…
If you supervise your doggo, you can act fast if and when something goes wrong.
Puppies
It’s best to avoid ice cubes and opt for things like shaved ice (ice flakes) or slushy-style frozen mixes when dealing with puppies. Ice cubes are not well suited to pups or very small dogs.
Why not?
Choking hazards, suffocation, shock, cracked or damaged teeth, gum trauma, sharp ice causing tears to the mouth or oesophagus…
There are too many reasons to list without making this article far too long. To put it bluntly, bulldog puppies are too small and not-yet properly developed enough to deal with hard, frozen blocks of ice.
Vomiting
Giving your bulldog ice cubes isn’t a good idea if they’ve recently been through a patch of vomiting, nausea (not that they can communicate to you,) or an otherwise upset stomach.
Why not?
Believe it or not, ice can actually make your dog’s nausea a lot worse, leading to more vomiting. The chunks of ice themselves can also agitate the mouth and throat, again, leading to more vomiting.
Recent anesthesia
Has your bulldog recently had any kind of surgery? It can take a while for them to make a full recovery after the effects of anaesthesia, and you should not give your pet ice while they are in recovery.
Why not?
Anaesthesia takes time to wear off, and until it has completely worn off your dog’s reflexes won’t be quite as they should be or normally are. Chunks of ice might cause them to choke due to a loss of proper tongue or swallowing function.
Doggy dental issues
How are your bulldog’s teeth? If they’re not in tip-top condition, ice cubes probably aren’t the best summertime treat for them – and for many of the same reasons as would be the case for us humans!
Why not?
Ice cubes can cause pain for dogs with sensitive teeth. Loose teeth are likely to get knocked out by hard ice, or at the very least made a little (or a lot) looser. The ice could crack teeth that aren’t already cracked, cause already cracked teeth to break even further, and your poor pooch could end up in a serious amount of pain and discomfort.
Perhaps it’s time to visit the doggy dentist?
Aggressive chompers
If your dog eats like it’s still trying to take down prey, ice cubes might not be the best treat for them – and for many of the same reasons as dental issues (and older doggos, below.)
Why not?
Sharp ice cubes can break, crack, or fracture teeth. They can also rip, tear, or cause other types of damage to your bulldog’s gums. Not only will these things cost you (especially if you don’t have pet insurance or money set aside for pet emergencies,) but your bulldog is likely to be in a great deal of pain.
And you must always remember: just because your doggo doesn’t look in pain, doesn’t mean that they aren’t in pain!
Older doggos
Going back to my previous point of doggy dental issues, elderly dogs are more prone to dental damage from ice cubes simply because of their age. That’s not the only reason why ice cubes aren’t the best fit for older doggos.
Why not?
Alongside having weaker teeth than their younger counterparts, senior bulldogs might also experience changes to the swallowing reflex. This can make it difficult for them to suck/hold an ice cube in their mouths, and in turn could lead to choking, aspirating the ice/water, shock, heart attacks, and worse.
Medicated doggos
Certain doggy medications (and human medications that have been prescribed by a vet for dogs) can affect the way dogs swallow or digest food. As a result, ice cubes are a risky treat – so you shouldn’t give your bulldog ice cubes without first consulting with your vet.
Why not?
PetMD states:
“One of the most common side effects of pet medications is mild stomach upset.”
This is more so the case for medications such as antibiotics, hypo/hyperthyroid medications, blood pressure meds, steroids and more. As previously mentioned, you shouldn’t give your bulldog an ice cube if they have suffered from nausea or vomiting.
Other medications can cause side effects such as:
- Stomach ulcers
- Increased saliva production
- Organ damage
- Lethargy
- Muscle fatigue
All of these side effects, when combined with ice cubes, could prove dangerous. If your dog is lethargic, for example, they may accidentally swallow a large ice cube before it has melted enough, resulting in choking, aspirating the frozen water, shock, or worse.
Post-exercise
I’m sure that you’ve heard at least once in your life that you shouldn’t eat or drink immediately before or after strenuous exercise, and if you haven’t, it might be time to look it up.
You shouldn’t give your boisterous bully ice cubes directly before or after exercise.
Why not?
Eating or drinking, especially very cold things, like ice cubes, can upset the stomach directly after exercise – when the body is probably very hot. Rapid cooling of the stomach can cause vomiting, nausea, and even diarrhoea. Shock is also a risk factor.
Overexcitable doggos
It probably makes a lot of sense that you would give a hot and overexcitable doggo some ice cubes to help them cool down – but the end result might be the opposite of what you’d hope for!
In short, ice cubes and overexcitable bulldogs are, once again, a combination that doesn’t mix well.
Why not?
Excitable dogs often gulp down their food, which means that they’ll probably wolf down ice cubes, too. You probably know the result of that by now… that’s right: choking, potential aspiration of the ice-cold chunks or water, vomiting, overheating, and more – all bad.
Megaoesophagus
Certain conditions, such as megaoesophagus, cause the pipeline between the mouth and the stomach to become inflamed, enlarged, and weakened. As a result, the oesophagus fails to function as it should, and often causes regurgitation.
Because of this, you shouldn’t give a bulldog with megaoesophagus ice cubes.
Why not?
Your bulldog is likely to choke, regurgitate or aspirate ice cubes if they have megaoesophagus. The condition, also known as achalasia or ME, causes congested items (food and water) to become stuck, fail to move along the digestive system, or get ejected from the body.
Bulldogs with coughs/kennel cough
If your bully has a bit of a cold, a cough, or kennel cough, you should avoid ice cubes, ice-cold water, and anything else cold. In short, do not give your English bulldog ice cubes if they’ve got a tickle goin’ on.
Why not?
Cold food and drinks can agitate a cough, making it come back when everyone thought it had gone, making it worse, and making it last longer… amongst a few things.
Excessive cough can cause internal damage and trauma to your dog, including bruising and rib pain.
Choking history
Does your English bulldog have a history of choking on food or water? If so, you might want to think about another way to cool them down, because ice cubes aren’t choking-history-compatible.
Why not?
Dogs with a habit of choking, will more than likely choke on an ice cube treat as it melts. They might swallow it whole, leading to choking and even suffocation if the cube doesn’t melt or a pet parent doesn’t help.
Even if your bully doesn’t swallow the ice cube whole, doggos with history of choking, often go on to choke some more. (Sorry!)
History of bloat
Has your bulldog ever suffered with bloat? If they have, once again, you’ll want to look towards something else to give your pupper the cooling boost they need. Ice cubes and bloat don’t always go together that well, and I’m sure that you’d rather not learn the hard way…
Why not?
So, scientists and experts aren’t yet agreed on whether or not ice-cold water or ice cubes cause bloat or exasperate previous bloat episodes. Some pet parents are adamant that ice helps; others will tell you quite the opposite.
When you’re making a decision that could put your pet’s life on the line, it’s best to err on the side of caution. If in doubt, look for something different – something that’s guaranteed to not cause problems, harm, or injury.
Bulldogs and ice cubes: why size matters
Small dogs will struggle with large ice cubes, and it could induce jaw pain and dental damage, and obstruction of their airways, potentially leading to suffocation.
Large dogs will more than likely wolf down an entire ice cube in one, so if it’s too big, it could pose a choking hazard and/or airway obstruction.
Sharp-edged pieces of ice have the ability to scratch, rip, tear, cut, and otherwise cause trauma to the inside of your dog’s mouth.
Ice cube alternatives for bulldogs
There are lots and lots of alternatives to ice cubes that you could give your bulldog, including the following:
- Shaved ice/ice shavings
- Ice slushy (dog-safe)
- Frozen berries, other fruits, vegetables, etc.
- Favourite toys in fridge/freezer
- Freezer-specific toys
- Dog-safe stock turned into a frozen lick mat
Can I give my bulldog ice cubes? – final thoughts
Some dogs don’t like ice cubes. The texture, temperature, and other things can cause a panicked or anxious reaction, so don’t force ice cubes on a dog that clearly doesn’t want them. (That should go without saying, but… you know.)
Never use ice cubes in place of water. Your bulldog still needs fresh, clean drinking water regardless of how much ice you give them.
If in doubt, avoid the ice cubes. There are plenty of alternatives you could offer your bully instead, all of which have a lesser risk of harm or injury.
