How to make homemade ice pack for your pet to ease pain & discomfort

April 12, 2018
by DR Roxanne Jones

Like humans, pets inevitably experience pain from time to time. An effective way to help ease your furbaby’s discomfort is by making ice packs at home. The cooling effects from the ice pack are great for reducing pain and inflammation, and increasing the speed of healing.

When to use ice packs on your pet

Ice packs are ideal for:

Bumps and bruises
Post-surgical pain.
Muscle pain, sprains and strains
Joint pain, especially arthritis

and other common causes of pain in pets. Making them is incredibly easy and will provide superb pain relief in a jiffy. Make sure you always have some on hand.

Pet ice packs: ingredients

One part rubbing alcohol (find this at your pharmacy)
Three parts water
Two resealable plastic bags (like Ziploc bags)

Method

Mix the rubbing alcohol and water and pour into the plastic bag. Seal completely, then put inside the second bag and freeze flat. The mixture will get extremely cold but will not freeze solid. Keep these packs in the freezer so you have them on hand when needed. It’s best to double-bag to prevent leaks.

How to use the ice pack

Wrap the ice pack in a T-shirt or other piece of material, and place it on the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes. Animals with a very thick coat may need longer. The skin must become cold, but keep checking the skin under the ice pack to make sure it doesn’t get too cold and burn.

It’s best not to place the ice pack directly on the skin without any fabric covering, especially if your pet’s coat is sparse.

Tips for making pet ice packs

Make your ice packs large enough to cover the entire affected area – the bigger your pet, the bigger your ice pack may need to be. For small animals, only small packs are needed.
If a joint is affected, use a large pack or two packs to cover the entire joint. For a knee or elbow, you can use two packs to surround the entire joint.
Apply the ice packs up to three to four times per day as necessary.
Chat to your vet about whether cold therapy could be beneficial for your pet.
Always supervise your pet when using ice packs, as they mustn’t chew on or eat the pack.

We hope this helps you to bring your furbaby comfort and pain relief, and that your pet heals quickly. Read more of our articles on cat and dog health and wellness, and as always, here’s to happy, healthy, pain-free pets.

Disclaimer: Always consult your vet for professional advice. The Zuki.co.za blog is provided as an educational tool and should not be used to diagnose illness or treat an animal.

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