Every summer the stories circulate- a doting human has put ice in pooch’s water, to disastrous effect, reporting on blogs everywhere everything from bloating to dry-heaves. The harm, it is said, comes from shocking the system, the ice cooling too quickly overheated stomach muscles and causing cramp.   The take-away:  allowing your dog to become overheated is where the real danger lies.  Keep your dog indoors during the hottest (mid-day) hours.

Bloating can occur from overheating, it’s true–dogs pant to cool and may swallow too much air. And ice cubes are bad for dog’s teeth. But it has not been proven, or is even speculated, by veterinarians that ice water will harm your companion.

You should, of course, always be vigilant that your friend is not suffering any real distress from the heat in the dog days of summer.

(And remember- chocolate ice cream is a definite no-no! Chocolate is toxic to dogs, and cats.)