Is a strong cup of latte what keeps you going through the day? As a coffee-lover, you may feel like there’s no harm in letting your dog have a sip or two. So, you'd often ask, can dogs drink coffee.
Unfortunately, coffee is one of those foods that you absolutely must keep away from your dog. Let’s understand why.
There are certain foods that are known to pose a severe risk to your dog’s health. Coffee, unfortunately, is one of them. Can dogs drink coffee? Here’s some information to help you understand how caffeine can affect your pet.
No. Your dog cannot drink coffee.
Caffeine offers zero benefits to your dog and will only result in a possibly life-threatening situation. The presence of caffeine is also the reason why dogs can drink tea only in small amounts.
Why? Simply because your pet’s stomach cannot tolerate caffeine. For humans, caffeine can escalate heart rate or increase brain function. On the other hand, for dogs are just not built to sustain the level of stimulation that is caused by caffeine.
The size of your pet and the amount of caffeine consumed will determine how gravely caffeine has affected it. Even if your dog licks some coffee off the ground or eats some coffee beans or any product with coffee in it, it can suffer from caffeine toxicity.
If you spot your pet sniffing coffee beans or looking like he might just lunge at your coffee, intervene right away. Here are some ways to prevent your pet from consuming coffee:
Dogs have an extremely low tolerance for caffeine. So if your dog has consumed coffee, the symptoms of caffeine poisoning will often start to appear within 30 minutes.
Here are the signs to look for:
So your dog cannot drink coffee. What can your dog drink? Ideally, the only drink your dog should be having is water.
However, if you want to add variety to your dog’s diet, there are some safer options. But before you try these drinks out, we recommend you have a word with your veterinarian.
Small amounts of herbal tea, caffeine-free of course, can be a relaxing alternative to your pet. Herbal tea comes with high antioxidant properties and can be soothing and help improve its immune system.
An absolute wonder of a drink, carrot juice offers many health benefits. It is rich in vitamins, fibers, and potassium. Even though it is recommended that you feed your dog small pieces of carrot, the juice also is a wonderful alternative.
What better drink to have in the summer than a refreshing glass of coconut water? Coconut water is very nourishing and provides various vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes. Plus, coconut water is known to improve skin and fur, sweeten your pet’s breath, and even help with arthritis.
With dogs having high caffeine sensitivity, a few drops of the brew is good enough to disrupt its system. If you believe your dog has ingested caffeine, rush to the vet immediately.
If your vet is unavailable, seek assistance from the Pet Poison Helpline (855-213-6680).
The vet may use the following procedures to address caffeine ingestion.
The possible sources of caffeine are coffee, chocolate, soda, tea, coffee beans, espresso beans, coffee grounds, and dietary pills. Just keep any item that may pose a threat to your pet away from its inquisitive nose.
No.
Although decaf coffee is safer than regular coffee, it still poses a threat. You have to understand that decaf coffee still contains 3% caffeine, an amount good enough to be lethal for your dog.
Can dogs drink coffee? No. Coffee may give you a kick, but it can be dangerous for your pet.
Tempted as you might be to share your drink, you have to draw the line here to ensure your dog’s safety.
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.
