Nothing can compare to the joy of having cool strawberry ice cream during hot summer days. But, while you are savoring your dessert, your dog would likely be yearning for a taste. At some point, you must have given your dog a lick or two of your ice cream.  But have you ever wondered if strawberry ice cream is safe for dogs?

Can Dogs Eat Strawberry Ice Cream?

To simply answer, yes, dogs can eat strawberry ice cream but only in moderation. Although it may seem like an odd choice, experts say that there are few harmful effects if done infrequently and in small amounts. However, it is not a great idea to make strawberry ice cream a regular part of your dog’s diet. Ice cream, as well as most other sweets humans consume, does not provide any vital nutrients or other substances that can’t be obtained from a wholesome diet. This article will give you all the information related to this question.

Effects of Strawberry Ice Cream on Dog’s Health

One of the major ingredients in strawberry ice cream that you have to be mindful of is Sugar. Strawberry ice cream contains a large amount of sugar and a dog’s body isn’t equipped to handle too much of it. Excessive sugar intake can result in obesity and diabetes in dogs.

Not just that, you have to remember that most dogs are lactose intolerant. Let’s discuss it in more detail.

What Is Lactose Intolerance?

Lactose intolerance is a condition where a body isn’t able to digest the lactose content found in milk and milk products. The Lactase enzymes help in the digestion of lactose. Sometimes, there aren’t enough lactase enzymes in the body. As a result, a lactose intolerant person will likely have bloating, gas or diarrhea after consuming dairy products.

In the case of dogs, newborn puppies produce enough lactase enzymes in their body when they are feeding on their mother’s milk. After they grow up and are free of their mother’s milk, the enzyme count decreases rapidly which causes difficulty for their bodies to tolerate dairy products.

Lactose intolerance in dogs can cause digestive upset and your dog may show symptoms like:

• Diarrhea
• Bloating
• Vomiting
• Flatulence
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Cramps

To find out if your pooch is lactose intolerant, feed a very small amount of milk to them first. Observe their digestive health for the next 24 hours and if you see any of the above signs, eliminate dairy products from their diet completely. You can contact your veterinarian to evaluate your dog’s condition.

Lactose intolerance is common in most dogs. Therefore, before you feed strawberry ice cream or any other ice cream to your dog, make sure they are not lactose intolerant. Ingredients like milk and cream can be highly dangerous if your dog is lactose intolerant.

You might also be interested in “Can Dogs Eat Strawberry Cake?”

Can Dogs Eat Sugar-Free Strawberry Ice Cream?

No. Sugar-free ice cream may cause an even bigger problem as it contains Xylitol.

Xylitol is a chemical used as a substitute for sugar. Even a small amount of this chemical can cause poisoning in dogs.

Which Ice Cream Flavor Is The Safest?

Well, if you find that your dog is not lactose intolerant, a small amount of some ice cream may do no harm. Flavors such as vanilla and strawberry are safe but steer clear of chocolate ice cream. Chocolate is highly toxic to dogs.

Fortunately, there is a whole range of ice creams made especially for canines. So, you don’t have to leave out your furry friend from the fun. On hot summer days, you can both enjoy your individual ice creams.

Conclusion

Strawberry ice cream is not totally unsafe for dogs to eat. But, as most dogs are lactose intolerant, it is probably best to avoid feeding your dog this ice cream, or all ice creams in general. The best option is to give them special ice cream made especially for dogs.

Thank you for reading the article.

To explore more, here are some other strawberry-related articles that you might be interested in.

How often do you feed strawberry ice cream to your dog? Did you know about the harmful effects? Or is your dog lactose intolerant? We would love to hear from you. Please share with our community in the comment section below.