Meet Cactus, a dog who was rescued from the desert and now lives with his dad in Santa Monica, California. As a rescue, Cactus can be a bit timid and frightened by unfamiliar things. His dad recently took him to the vet where he had to get shots, so he’s had a fear of the car since then. So dad decided to try and make the car a good experience again by getting Cactus an ice cream from McDonald’s.
This was dad’s second attempt to give Cactus the sweet treat. The first time, Cactus wasn’t interested at all. Will this time be different?
@cactustherescue The first time I took Cactus for ice cream, he wasn’t really into it, maybe he wasn’t in the mood or the car just spooked him. I’ve been meaning to try again. After a recent vet visit and some shots, he’s been scared of the car. So I figured it’s time to make a new memory. Something fun. Something sweet. Ice cream felt like the right move.
Yep, Cactus is now a huge fan of Mickey Dee’s soft serve ice cream! We don’t blame him for loving it, it’s really good ice cream! Commenters also got a kick out of Cactus’ reaction to eating ice cream for the first time. @All Might pointed out, “He had to sneak a little bit more before you put the lid on.” @gary702 added, “Plotting on how to open lid LOL!”
Commenter @jmae recommended, “Get him a kid’s cone. It’s super tiny and he gets the best of the ice cream and the cone!” Another commenter added, “Hopefully you can take him once a week!” We agree!
Related: English Bulldog Shares Secret About McDonald’s Pup Cups and It’s a Game-Changer
Is It Okay for Dogs to Eat Ice Cream?
Like with any treat, dogs can get too much of a good thing. Ice cream might be a favorite dessert for us humans, but it’s not the best for dogs.
Dr. Jerry Klein, DVM, Chief Veterinarian for the American Kennel Club explains, “Many adult dogs are lactose intolerant to varying degrees, which prevents them from properly digesting milk products,” says Dr. Klein. “If you feed these dogs milk products, they can experience anything from severe to mild gastrointestinal discomfort—loose stools, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, or gas. Dairy products with high fat content can also cause pancreatitis in dogs.”
If you do serve your dog ice cream, make sure to make it a rare treat, and don’t give them too much of it to avoid an upset tummy and a mess for you to clean up. Read the ice cream label carefully to confirm that it doesn’t contain any xylitol, which is highly toxic to dogs. Or avoid all of that by making your own dog-friendly ice cream with this 3-ingredient recipe here!