Your dog is a part of almost everything you do. Are you curious to know whether your pet can also be your drinking buddy?
Well, here is a quick read of why you should abstain from involving your dog with your alcohol.
Is Alcohol Safe for Dogs?
How Much Alcohol Can Be Toxic?
How is Alcohol Dangerous?
Symptoms Of Alcohol Toxification
What To Do If Your Dog Drinks Alcohol
How To Prevent Your Dog from Consuming Alcohol?
Should You Be Worried About Alcohol In Edible Items?
Frequently Asked Questions
> Can My Dog Drink Wine?
> Can My Dog Drink Beer?
> Can My Dog Drink Whiskey?
It’s a typical Friday night and your friends are over to celebrate with some drinks. Amidst the partying, you forget what your pet is up to, only to realize that it has licked some alcohol off the floor. Can dogs drink alcohol? This piece bottles up the answers to your questions.
Seriously? NO! Never attempt feeding your dog alcohol.
Your dog’s liver and kidneys are not equipped or meant to adapt and digest alcoholic drinks. Whether it’s beer, wine, or any other liquor, the ethanol content can harm your pet fatally.
You also have to be wary about fruit drinks or foods with minute alcohol content. These products are composed of Xylitol, which causes a high level of toxification. This could even kill your pet.
It is difficult to determine the danger levels based on the quantity consumed. So, when you say my dog licked alcohol or claim that it took a few sips, the bottom line is that every situation poses a threat to its health.
Its weight and overall health are also factors that determine the extent of poisoning. Medium and large-sized dogs are at a relatively lesser risk of ethanol toxification.
Experts state that “The published oral lethal dose in dogs is 5.5 to 7.9 g/kg of 100% ethanol. One milliliter of ethanol is equal to 0.789 g.“
What happens if dogs have alcohol? Any kind of alcoholic beverage poses a threat to your dog’s central nervous system.
It is inhuman to experiment with alcohol because even small amounts can lead to a condition called metabolic acidosis. When this happens your dog will experience an uncontrolled escalation of body acid levels.
Its normal metabolism will cease to function due to the infusion of ethanol into the bloodstream. Therefore, it can be fatal and life-threatening for your canine.
Also Read: Can My Dog Eat Watermelon
The symptoms of alcohol poisoning are often exhibited within 30 to 60 mins. The signs may appear late, but your dog’s system deteriorates internally at a fast rate and it starts to appear lost and confused.
Here is what you should also look for:
If these symptoms aggravate, it could lead to a coma and it can be fatal.
Highlighting the threats of alcohol poisoning, the ASPCA listing mentions, “Under no circumstances should your pet be given any alcohol.”
If your dog accidentally takes a sip of your drink, it can be dangerous and you need to look out for the symptoms. The size of your dog and alcohol content in the beverage it consumed also determines how badly it will cost its health.
While you have to keep an eye on your dog at all times, here is what you need to do if it ingests alcohol by any chance:
Your immediate action should be to inform your pet’s doctor. The vet may either ask you to rush to the clinic or wait till certain obvious symptoms appear.
The safest bet is to take your dog to the clinic immediately. This will ensure that your dog is in safe hands should there be a need for any kind of emergency operation. In most cases, your dog will be kept on an intravenous drip to aid hydration.
You can also consult the ASPCA’s emergency Animal Poison Control Center by calling 888-426-4435.
If your pet ingests alcohol, there is little chance that you can do something to reverse it. Although there are some ways you can prevent it. Here are some of them:
Alcohol in any form will adversely affect your dog’s health. This means that you need to keep all products and medication with alcohol content away from its sight.
Your perfumes, body washes, nail polish removers, detergents, wiper fluids, mouthwashes, bug sprays, sanitizers, etc, are all items that you should keep away from your pet’s reach.
When asked what alcohol is safe for dogs, the answer is none! Let’s understand in detail why each beverage is toxic for your canine friend.
No, your dog should not drink wine. Wine is made up of one or more grape extracts. Grape is another substance that is toxic for dogs. A standard 50z glass of wine holds around 20% ethanol, which is good enough to poison your dog.
Sipping beer with your pet sounds like a fun activity. However, it’s not safe for your dog at all. Dogs experience intoxication faster than any lightweight human. If you find your dog licking some beer off the pint, rush to the vet immediately for IV treatment or rehydration techniques
Hard liquors like whiskey, gin, or rum are the biggest threat to your pet. The alcohol content in them is alarmingly high for your dog’s body if consumed.
This article answers the question can dogs drink alcohol in great detail.
As a pet owner, you might be tempted to share a drink with your pet. However, although you may be excited to try out new things, alcohol is one thing that is off-limits for dogs. No matter how big or healthy your dog is, alcohol is a big no.
Not only is it dangerous to experiment with alcohol when it comes to your pet but it can also be fatal. So it’s advisable to ensure that your dog stays away from any kind of alcohol at all times.
A digital marketing expert by profession, Andrews is a gifted writer and animal lover at heart. A self-confessed "pawrent", Andrews is well-versed in all things dogs. He uses his years of experience of raising puppies into show-quality dogs to help guide first-time pet parents. He believes in spreading the joy that comes with being a dog dad and advocates more families to adopt pets.
