It can be tempting to share some of your ice cream with your husky on a hot summer’s day, but can huskies eat ice cream, or does it upset their stomachs?
Ice cream shouldn’t be fed to huskies for several reasons. Not only is ice cream full of sugar, but it also contains lactose, which causes stomach problems for huskies.
In this guide, I’ll explain why it isn’t worth feeding your husky ice cream, the potential problems it can cause, and some much healthier alternatives.
Contents
- 4 Key Problems With Feeding Ice Cream To Your Husky
- Is It Okay To Feed Your Husky Ice Cream As A One-Off Treat?
- What Happens If You Feed Your Husky Too Much Ice Cream?
- Frozen Fruit & Yogurt Snack – An Easy Alternative To Ice Cream
- Dog Ice Cream Products
- Can Huskies Eat Ice Cream Cones Or Sandwiches?
- In Summary
4 Key Problems With Feeding Ice Cream To Your Husky
Here are 4 main problems associated with feeding your husky ice cream.
1. Lacks Nutritional Content
One of the significant problems with feeding huskies ice cream is how little nutrition it provides.
According to Healthline, a single serving (1/2 cup) of regular ice cream contains 140 calories, 14 grams of sugar, 7 grams of fat, and 30mg of cholesterol, with only 2 grams of protein.
To put it simply, ice cream is essentially sugar and fat. When you compare this to what huskies need for their nutrition – mainly protein and fatty acids – it’s clear to see how little value ice cream offers for them.
2. Lactose Content
Another major issue with ice cream is the lactose that it contains.
Huskies, like most other dogs, are lactose intolerant. This happens because they lose the ability to produce lactase – the enzyme responsible for breaking down lactose – after their puppy stage.
Since ice cream is made from milk or cream, it is naturally high in lactose, containing 2 to 6 grams per half-cup serving.
If huskies are fed foods high in lactose, like ice cream, it can lead to stomach problems such as diarrhea, bloating, and loose stools.
3. High In Sugar & Calories
The sugar in ice cream is not natural like those found in fruits and vegetables.
Feeing your husky sugar regularly can lead to weight change and impact various organs and metabolic processes.
Ice cream is also very calorie-dense, meaning you can’t feed your husky much of it while staying below the 10% rule, where treats make up 10% or less of their daily calories.
4. Flavorings
Most ice creams are flavored, and these additional flavorings can also cause issues for your husky’s stomach.
Chocolate, a popular flavor of ice cream, is toxic to dogs and causes chocolate poisoning.
Vanilla, another popular ice cream flavor, is also toxic to dogs if eaten in large amounts.
Is It Okay To Feed Your Husky Ice Cream As A One-Off Treat?
If you feed your husky ice cream once in a very small amount (a few teaspoons or less), it isn’t going to cause any significant issues, assuming it doesn’t contain any large chunks of added flavoring like chocolate.
In these cases, always monitor your husky to make sure they don’t show any symptoms of an allergic reaction or a reaction to any toxic substances.
If you have any concerns, always take them to the veterinarian.
What Happens If You Feed Your Husky Too Much Ice Cream?
If you feed your husky lots of ice cream without realizing the problems it can cause them, you need to be aware of the potential consequences.
Case 1 – Plain Ice Cream
If the ice cream is plain or vanilla flavored, there’s a very small chance that your husky will suffer a reaction to any of the flavorings that might be present.
In these cases, the result will be a very upset stomach due to the excess lactose they consumed.
Expect a lot of loose stool, diarrhea, and excessive flatulence.
Case 2 – Flavored Ice Cream
If your husky has consumed a lot of flavored ice cream, there’s a chance they will react the same way as plain ice cream if the flavoring is non-toxic.
If the ice cream contains chocolate or another flavoring that is toxic to huskies, even in small amounts, they must be taken to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Symptoms of a reaction include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, itchy skin, and more.
Long Term Problems
Even if you can find an ice cream that doesn’t upset your husky’s stomach, it can still cause long-term issues relating to weight gain due to how many calories it contains.
It’s much easier to give your husky alternative snacks to ice cream, but are there any options that are similar to ice cream?
Frozen Fruit & Yogurt Snack – An Easy Alternative To Ice Cream
Here’s a quick, easy snack you can make for your husky that is very similar to ice cream but healthier.
All you need to do is blend up equal parts fruit with natural yogurt and freeze it in the fridge. You can use molds to create small frozen treats or freeze the mixture in a container and scoop it out like ice cream.
In terms of fruit choices, watermelon and apple are my favorites. You can use any fruit that is suitable for huskies (avoid fruits like grapes) and freezes well.
You can see a complete list of non-toxic fruits here.
Dog Ice Cream Products
There are several ice cream products on the market that are designed to be safe for dogs to eat.
These are great options if you want an easier way to make dog-friendly ice cream that your husky will love, and they come in a variety of flavors like banana, watermelon, and many more.
Can Huskies Eat Ice Cream Cones Or Sandwiches?
Ice cream cones are not inherently toxic or dangerous to huskies, but they do have a very high sugar content and should be avoided.
Ice cream sandwiches should also be avoided because they contain both ice cream and wafers, so they are packed full of even more sugar.
In Summary
Huskies can eat a very small amount of plain ice cream without too many problems, but it shouldn’t become a regular treat as there are much better alternatives that contain less sugar and lactose.
Ice cream also commonly contains added ingredients, which can cause issues as well, so it’s better to avoid it where possible.
Check out some of our other recent articles on different foods huskies can and cannot eat below:
