My dog ate an ice pack, I’m not sure how much gel he consumed I looked up the brand I bought and it says it’s non toxic not sure if that apples to dogs to
If he has eaten an object(not food), you need to head to the ER or make an appointment with a veterinarian immediately. Depending on the size of the object, objects do sometimes come out with feces in 10~24 hours. 4 people found this helpful
A Note on Discontinued Ice Packs
Today’s ice packs rarely contain highly toxic ingredients. Ammonium nitrate is the most dangerous chemical found in ice packs today. However, ice packs that have been discontinued may contain diethylene glycol or ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is the ingredient in antifreeze, so you may have an idea how toxic it is.
If your dog ate an ice pack you bought years ago and forgot about it, you have a reason to be very concerned.
Initial signs of poisoning from these substances include lethargy, vomiting, low body temperature, seizures, and coma. Eventually, the dog will seem better, but they will be dehydrated. Their breathing and heart rate become elevated. The last stage is kidney dysfunction. The kidneys will cause a lot of pain, and they will not be able to urinate properly. This can lead to vomiting, seizures, coma, and death.
What happens if my dog ate an ice pack?
What happens if your dog ate an ice pack depends on what type of ice pack they ate. There are two basic types, reusable ice packs and disposable. Let’s take a look at what happens if your dog eats a disposable ice pack.
Disposable ice packs are certainly convenient, but they can be dangerous for your pooch. These ice packs contain water, and a chemical that creates a chemical reaction. This chemical reaction is what makes the ice pack cold.
The chemical in these ice packs can be either ammonium nitrate, calcium ammonium nitrate, or urea.
Ammonium nitrate is the most dangerous ingredient found in ice packs. If your dog ingests it, it causes the blood vessels to dialate. When this occurs, blood pressure is lowered. If blood pressure drops too low, there’s not enough blood flow to your dog’s organs.
It can also affect the red blood cells. This causes shortness of breath, dizziness, and fatigue. Your dog’s gums may turn blue due to the lack of oxygen. Severe cases can cause loss of consciousness or death.
ammonium nitrate, calcium ammonium nitrate, or urea. Of these, the most
Calcium ammonium nitrate is a mix of calcium carbonate and ammonium nitrate. Calcium carbonate is nontoxic. In fact, it’s commonly used in antacids.
This combination is less dangerous than pure ammonium nitrate. It can still cause the same symptoms of toxicity as ammonium nitrate, but a larger amount is needed to cause illness.
Urea is safe for dogs. In fact, it was once used in pet safe ice melting products. This was discontinued because it’s ineffective for melting ice, but it is effective for cold packs. How’s that for irony.
Urea can cause stomach upset in larger amounts, due to stomach irritation. However, there’s no real risk of toxicity.
What is non-toxic gel in ice packs?
Reusable ice packs typically contain water, something to lower the freezing temperature, a thickening agent, silica gel, and non-toxic blue coloring. The concerning component in reusable ice packs is the ingredient used to lower the temperature, which is usually propylene glycol.
FAQ
Is ice pack gel toxic to dogs?
What happens when a dog eats a ice pack?
Is the inside of an ice pack toxic?