Ice Cubes and our Deaf Dogs

I was recently at a book signing for our international award-winning books, Hogan’s Hope. A visitor who stopped by saw us with ice cubes for our two pups and warned that this was “dangerous.” Hearing this made me dig in and do some research. All the articles and information pointed to the myth of this statement or belief.

This is the best of all the articles I read and now share it with you. Many thanks to Nicole Sipe

By: Nicole Sipe

As we’re about to enter the dog days of summer, you might have seen emails or Facebook posts warning dog owners that giving dogs ice and ice water can harm them or potentially kill them. It’s a downright terrifying rumor that has some dog owners scratching their heads and wondering whether to nix the ice or suffer the consequences. But is there any truth to this Internet urban legend? According to veterinary experts, the answer is absolutely not.

The cautionary tale (titled “NO ICE WATER FOR DOGS…PLEASE READ ASAP“) was written in 2010, but the rumor been circulating since 2007. It centers on a dog named Baran, and his owner who unthinkingly added ice cubes to one of Baran’s dog bowls to help him cool off on a hot day. Shortly after, Baran appears to be in distress and is rushed to the animal hospital. The veterinarian tells the owner that the ice water caused the dog to experience violent muscle spasms in his stomach, which led to bloating. Bloat—also known as gastric dilation-volvulus—is a life-threatening condition in dogs.

Experts believe that dogs can bloat after eating or drinking too fast in general, regardless of the temperature of the water or whether or not the water contains ice cubes. When a dog is hot and thirsty, he very likely might drink the water too fast—and swallow lots of air in the process—which can be a recipe for bloat. When a dog’s stomach bloats, it twists and traps air, gas and food, cutting off the blood supply to the stomach and nearby organs. The dog’s stomach then becomes distended, and without immediate help, the dog can suffer from shock or organ failure, or even die.

Large-breed dogs with deep chests are most at risk, because there is room for the stomach to twist, warns veterinarian John Geller. German Shepherd Dogs, Great Danes, Saint Bernards, Standard Poodles, Golden Retrievers, and Irish Setters are at high risk for bloat.

Don’t Cool a Dog Off Too Fast — Water or Otherwise

If your dog becomes overheated, it’s important to cool your dog off gradually, says Geller. Dog owners should initially use a wet towel to cool off any dog suspected of heat stroke or overheating, and then gently mist them off (do not spray them or submerse them in water).

“Do not soak the dog in ice water,” says Ruth E. Chodrow, V.M.D., of At-Home Pet Care, a pet house-call service. “Ice water will close the capillaries of the skin, preventing cooling of the internal organs.”

A fan can be used to help increase evaporative cooling, and the dog can lay on a cool floor surface. Once the body temperature is gradually reduced to 103 degree Fahrenheit, further cooling efforts are not necessary. If a dog is cooled off too quickly, they can go into shock and organ failure.

Bloat in Dogs

Now that we know ice cubes and ice water don’t cause bloat in dogs, go research the causes, prevention, and treatment for bloat.

The Teachings of our Animals

"A righteous man takes care of the needs of his animals." Proverbs 12:10

"Just ask the animals, and they will teach you." Job 12:7

This past week has been an astounding and remarkable journey through the pages of Hogan's Hope during which I was blessed to have had the amazing opportunities to talk with wonderful people who love their animals. We came together in different ways, as different individuals, but joined in our belief to accept any of these differences with love.

My first adventure was the beginning of a week-long book club discussion with the members of 2 Traveling Dogs Fans! Laurie Duperier, the author of The Endless Path, is the group's book club facilitator who approached me back in March. What a humbling honor to discuss my book, Hogan's Hope! Each day we focused on different topics that emanated from the pages of the book.

On the opening day of this very special time, for instance, I posted a video of Judea and me walking down our long, dirt driveway and thanking everyone for deciding to share in Hogan’s courageous journey and his message of hope. Fans were invited to share their thoughts on how their own dogs might be hoping for something or what their precious four-legged family members have taught them. Every day was filled with revealing feelings, ideas, and revelations. A couple of the members candidly admitted that they had never thought of their dogs hoping for anything. What a grand time of learning so much of what our non-verbal family members have and can actually teach us.

Hogan was an amazing gift, and as the years passed, it became clear that I was to write his book, Hogan's Hope, to share the story of a deaf, eighteen-month-old puppy who was rescued from severe neglect, adopted into a forever home, and went on to learn, grow, and demonstrate how extremely successful a "handicapped" dog can be in living a perfectly normal life.  Hogan learned over seventy words in American Sign Language, agility, flyball, tracking, lure coursing, and even became a certified therapy dog.  He appeared on television shows and showed the world how wonderful deaf dogs can be as family members. Over the course of his lifetime, Hogan taught me how to hope.  Many people doubt me. Many folks ask me, “How can a dog, and a deaf one at that, teach you to hope?”

Thought: Do you believe that a dog can teach us how to hope? What are your thoughts on that? Would you share with us some examples of what your dog has taught you?

Each day became better than the one before, and Coco, the parrot, even joined us for some input! Judea and I (with the help of Jim, our wonderful papa and husband) posted a video to open the day's topic and discussion.  I was extremely rewarded with great friendship, powerful feelings, and increased hope.

THEN.... off to do a radio interview at iCRV radio, (www.iCRVRadio.com), with Kate, Gwen, and LRB for The Library Chat. What a fantastic program with three dynamic and talented women who produce a show that is filled with great information, warm feelings, and thought-provoking ideas and comments. 

Kate Branstetter, Connie Bombaci, Judea, and Gwen Pond

We spent a half hour talking about Hogan's Hope, deaf dogs, animals in general, and how each non-human family member is so important to our lives.

But... our week had yet another outstanding opportunity to participate in our very first podcast with Sean Farjadi and his Stories that Empower. Sean's purpose, in his words, 

"First, each of us has a story to tell.  Throughout our lives, from childhood to adulthood, we are drawn to stories.  It’s what connects us... 'stories link lives'.

Second, we’ve all experienced setbacks and challenges.  Loss of a job, loss of identity, loss of a loved one, etc …  I want people to know they are not alone and that there is hope/light.  It brings me so much joy, if/when I’m able to ‘lift up’ someone or empower them.  My goal is to provide a service that brings inspiration, hope, and empowerment through the power of stories."

I was again able to share that Hogan taught me how to hope and why animals have touched my life in such powerful and positive ways.

Enjoy your week, dear followers. Our lives have great and wonderful stories to share. Share, share, and share some more. God bless!