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

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Dr. Paola Cuevas Photo

Reviewed & fact-checked by

Dr. Paola Cuevas

MVZ (Veterinarian)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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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, eating ice cubes or drinking ice-cold water can cause 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. In this article, we’ll discuss the possible reasons for your dog throwing up after eating ice.

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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 leaves 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 cause a dog’s stomach to twist. This life-threatening condition is known as bloat due to the gas accumulation. It’s crucial to prevent your dog from ingesting too much liquid quickly.

dalmatian dog looking sick
Image Credit: Alexander Hagseth, Shutterstock

2. Choking

If your dog eats whole ice cubes, you should watch them to ensure 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.

It can cause choking, and they will react by dry-heaving, drooling, or throwing up.


3. Too Much Ice

It’s okay to put ice cubes in your dog’s water bowl or break them up into smaller pieces. 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 smaller 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.

Golden retriever and a bowl of ice
Image Credit: APIWICH PUDSUMRAN, Shutterstock

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 throw up after eating ice cubes due to pancreatitis. Other stomach conditions might also cause vomiting, so if you notice consistent vomiting, avoid feeding your dog ice-cold water and ice cubes.

Vet specialist examination sick dog
Image Credit: didesign021, Shutterstock

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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. 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:


Featured Image By: Scot Col, Shutterstock

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