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Nothing feels more like summer than enjoying an ice cream cone. Unfortunately, that means there is a good chance you could experience the dreaded brain freeze, a temporary headache caused by eating cold foods too quickly. The prevalence of the sensation begs the question, “can dogs get brain freeze, too?” Dogs getting brain freeze may not be scientifically proven (yet), but there are a few signs to look for that could signal that your dog is experiencing tingling of his nerves or sharp pains in the head area. Dont worry — there are ways to let your pup enjoy a nice, cold summer treat without worrying about the brain freeze!
What Causes Brain Freeze in Dogs?
Brain freeze in dogs is due to two primary causes: Eating cold treats too quickly or an underlying health issue. Read on to understand how they each contribute to this unpleasant sensation.
Because dogs are attracted to the foods and drinks around them, they will rarely refuse a snack —even if it is frozen cold. They always try to get a bite off whatever you’re eating, whether ice cubes or frozen yogurt.
Suppose they take a humongous bite or lap up the entire portion of the ice cream in quick licks; localized vasoconstriction occurs, affecting the nerves in the mouth and face. They may get the infamous ice cream headache.
Some health problems impact the nervous system of dogs. When a medical disease affects the trigeminal nerve mainly, a brain freeze may occur as an accompanying symptom. If you suspect your mutt is experiencing a brain freeze but haven’t fed on anything cold, they might have a medical condition.
It would be best to get to the veterinary as soon as possible. It is often difficult for the untrained eye to notice specific health issues, yet some are deadly to canines. Thus, the need to act as soon as abnormal behavior presents.
How To Help Your Dog Overcome Brain Freeze?
If you watched your dog gulp down something cold and act oddly immediately afterward, brain freeze might be the culprit. In that case, you can help them overcome it faster by encouraging them to drink lukewarm to warm water.
If that doesn’t work, you can try a more hands-on approach. But to be fair, these are strategies best suited for humans—by the time you get around to helping your dog, their brain freeze likely will already be over.
Nevertheless, two strategies that are effective for humans that you can try on your dog include:
The goal in both cases is to help your dog’s palate warm up so that the blood vessels widen.
Dogs get Brain Freeze Compilation
Brain freeze is a short-term headache typically linked to the rapid consumption of ice cream, ice pops, or icy drinks.Do dogs get brain freeze?
In the summer days, puppies enjoy cold, and dogs often eat very quickly, and it is likely they could get the brain freeze sensation.