Do cats and dogs get ice cream headaches?

Q: I was having ice cream and gave some to my dog. It made me wonder: Do dogs and cats get brain freeze?

A: Ice cream, popsicles and other frozen goodies are perfect for this time of year, but you probably know from experience that biting down on them can sometimes cause brief but intense pain that's usually called brain freeze or ice cream headache.

The fancy scientific name for this experience is sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia.

One theory is that it's nerve pain caused by the constriction of tiny blood vessels in the palate. Nearby pain receptors in the face transmit the pain, which may be felt in the mouth or sinuses. Sometimes it feels as if it's occurring in the brain, even though it's not. This phenomenon is called referred pain.

Another theory is that brain freeze results when the cold deliciousness causes rapid cooling of the blood in the pharynx, leading to a drop in temperature of the internal carotid artery. The resulting chill causes pain in the meninges at the base of the cranium.

It's possible that dogs and cats could get ice cream headaches, depending on their facial anatomy. They have the potential for it since they share the same or similar nerve pathways related to the uncomfortable sensation in humans.

If your pet is eating a frosty treat and squinches its face, brain freeze might be the reason why.

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.