Is Coffee Bad for Dogs? Dogs and Coffee

Ever find yourself in line for coffee and wonder if your dog can enjoy more than a whipped cream pup cup? You’re not alone. It can be tempting to share your favorite morning beverage with your pup, but unfortunately this is not such a good idea. Coffee contains a considerable amount of caffeine which can pose risks to our pups. 

Coffee is bad for dogs because it contains caffeine. Caffeine affects dogs similarly to humans, just more intensely and therefore undesirably as they are more sensitive to it. Symptoms of caffeine overdose usually occur within 1-2 hours of ingestion.  Caffeine mostly affects the cardiovascular and nervous system, so when a dog gets too much caffeine, they experience symptoms like elevated heart rate and blood pressure, restlessness, tremors and panting. In severe cases, they can even have seizures or trouble breathing. Coffee can upset our pup’s stomach too, leading to vomiting and diarrhea.  

In addition to caffeine, some coffees can contain additional additives like chocolate, nutmeg, or artificial sweeteners that use xylitol which carry their own harmful effects. 

What Happens If a Dog Drinks Coffee? 

While a couple accidental laps of spilled coffee may cause no harm, precautions should be taken to prevent ingestion of coffee where possible. Be sure to supervise your mug when you set it down and to educate others about the dangers of coffee for dogs so that they don’t inadvertently expose your pet. 

Coffee grounds and beans are more concentrated with caffeine making them even more dangerous for your fur baby. Care should be taken to keep coffee grounds and beans well out of reach. If you have a pup who likes to get into the trash occasionally, you may consider disposing of used grounds in a lockable trashcan or directly into the outdoor trash bin. The trash can is a dangerous place as they can get into other things they shouldn’t as well. Things potentially even more toxic than coffee, like grapes or chocolate, or nonfood items that can lead to an obstruction if swallowed. The best practice is to train your pet to stay out of the trash. 

My Dog Drank Coffee. What Do I Do? 

In the event that your pup gets into coffee, the amount of coffee your dog ingests is the main factor in determining how serious the situation is. Smaller dogs may exhibit symptoms of coffee poisoning more quickly and with less exposure than larger dogs. If your dog got a couple laps from your coffee mug or licked up a small splat that spilt from your cup, there is little reason to worry, but if your pup got into the trash and ate the used grounds or got into the cabinet and chewed up the bag of coffee beans, that’s another story. In the latter case, you should contact your veterinarian immediately. If it is after hours, the Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) can be a great source of advice as well.  

Be prepared to provide information such as exactly what was ingested (grounds, beans, brewed coffee), how much and when, as this will determine the recommended course of action. In some cases, your veterinarian may advise that vomit induction is necessary to remove as much from the stomach as possible prior to absorption. If just a small amount was ingested or the coffee was ingested over 4 hours ago, they may advise you to just monitor, but they can offer supportive care in the event that your pet develops certain symptoms.  

Knowing What Dogs Can and Cannot Have 

Dogs can be unpredictable and even the most responsible pet owners can find themselves in a predicament where their dog gets into something they shouldn’t. Besides taking precautions like securing foods toxic to dogs and picking up after yourself (including socks and underwear!), pet insurance for dogs is a great way to ensure financial safety in the event your pup chooses a not-so-healthy snack. Vet visits for these situations can be really expensive due to necessary treatments, hospitalizations and even surgeries. Set you and your pup up for success and promote their health and well-being by being prepared with pet insurance. 

Besides providing insurance for your pet, Embrace is here to help educate owners to help them avoid the avoidable, prevent the preventable and protect their pet. Can dogs drink coffee? Why is chocolate bad for dogs? Are cashews bad for dogs? Knowing what to (and not to!) share with your pet and how to handle pet situations is essential as a pet owner.  

Is Coffee Bad for Dogs? 

There are a lot of common items out there that are toxic to dogs, so educating yourself and being vigilant about monitoring your dog is essential. Coffee is toxic to dogs due to its high caffeine content, leading to elevated heart rate and blood pressure, restlessness, tremors and panting. Caffeine is more concentrated in grounds and beans, therefore ingesting just a small amount of these can lead to toxicity. The best practice is to keep all coffee products out of reach of your pup. Next time you find yourself at the coffee shop, stick to getting your fur baby a pup cup.