Why Does My Dog Throw Up After Eating Ice? 5 Vet Reviewed Reasons

Sometimes, you might think it’s a good idea to give your dog ice cubes to cool them down on a hot day. It seems like a quick way to keep them hydrated and prevent overheating. However, some dogs eating ice cubes or drinking ice-cold water can experience adverse reactions. You might notice in some instances that your dog has an upset stomach or starts vomiting after you’ve fed them ice cubes. Let’s review possible reasons for your dog throwing up after eating ice.

The 5 Why a Dog Dog Throws Up After Eating Ice

1. Stomach Issues

Dogs eating ice cubes can cause issues with their stomachs and digestion. Swallowing too much ice or cold water ends up being a lot of liquid inside your dog’s stomach, and the stomach tries to get rid of it by causing your dog to throw up.

In extreme cases, ingesting too many ice cubes can contribute to a dog’s stomach twisting. This life-threatening condition is known as bloat due to the gas accumulation suffered. It’s important to avoid ingesting too much liquid too quickly to keep dogs from vomiting.

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2. Choking

If dogs eat whole ice cubes, you should watch to make sure they don’t choke on them. Sometimes, dogs eat whole ice cubes by crushing them in their mouths. This can result in small pieces of ice sitting in their mouths or throats and getting stuck.

This can cause choking, and they will react by dry-heaving, drooling, or throwing up. Choking isn’t fun for anyone, so it might scare them and give them a negative experience.

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3. Too Much Ice

It’s okay to put ice cubes in your dog’s water bowl or break them up into smaller pieces into their water bowl. Most of the time, dogs won’t try to pick up the ice cubes in their mouths and eat them whole. However, you still want to avoid giving them too much.

To avoid this issue, try to put a smaller number of ice cubes in their water bowl. Too much ice can result in very cold water, which is also not good for your dog’s body. Excessive ice can hurt your dog’s stomach, and extreme water temperatures aren’t necessary.

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4. Drinking Too Quickly

Drinking water with ice in it at a fast rate can very quickly result in throwing up. It builds up a lot of liquid in your dog’s stomach to the point where their bodies need to get rid of it. This will make your dog feel nauseous, and it can be much worse if they eat before or after. You don’t want your dog to throw up their food and not get the proper nutrients for the day.

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5. Underlying Health Conditions

If your dog throws up large amounts of liquid after eating ice cubes, you might want to check in with your veterinarian to see if there are any underlying health conditions. Keep an eye on when and how often your dog throws up.

Sometimes, dogs might throw up after eating ice cubes due to pancreatitis. There might be other stomach conditions that are reasons for throwing up, so avoid feeding your dog ice-cold water and ice cubes if you notice consistent vomiting.

Final Thoughts

Before you feed your dog ice cubes, consider if they’ve ever thrown up afterward. It’s essential to keep track of what’s happening with your dog’s health on a regular basis. Keep an eye out for them if you notice they start drooling or turning away from eating food after eating ice cubes. Avoid giving it to them in the future to avoid situations where they throw up.

See also:

• 10 Best Outdoor Dog Water Bowls: Reviews & Top Picks
• 10 Best Dog Life Jackets & Vests – Reviews & Top Picks

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Featured Image Credit: Scot Col, Shutterstock