Some of us are dependent on caffeine, more than we would care to admit.
Our day starts with freshly brewed coffee, and we drink energy drinks, soda, teas, throughout the day to keep our energy up.
In fact, this is how I feel if I don’t have my early morning caffeine fix
The reality is that caffeine is now a normal part of our daily lives.
But, can our furry friends have a taste?
The truth is that as we consume more caffeine, we make it more accessible to our dogs as we’ve got a lot of energy drinks, diet pills, coffee grounds, sodas, teas, etc. in our houses—some we even leave unattended.
So, our dogs can have a taste whenever they want.
In this article, I will answer the questions, “Can dogs have caffeine?” in as much detail as possible.
So, let’s begin, shall we?
Can Dogs Have Caffeine?: Yes or No
Never let your dog have caffeine as it is bad for him.
Caffeine intake causes your furry friend to have diarrhea and causes your furry friend to have difficulty in breathing.
Your dog may even have tremors, and your dog’s nervous system can be thrown out of whack.
Sometimes, it can even affect your dog’s heart.
What’s the Issue With Caffeine?
Caffeine is a strong stimulant and has effects similar to hard drugs like heroin, cocaine, and amphetamines.
So, it stimulates your brain just like these drugs do.
Excessive consumption of caffeine can cause caffeine poisoning in dogs.
Caffeine affects the dog’s heart and nervous system, and symptoms of caffeine poisoning can occur even if your dogs has only a little.
Following are the symptoms you should look out for:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Elevated Hear Rate
- Tremors
If your dog has caffeine in a high enough dose, it can even cause him to have difficulty in breathing and seizures.
Treating Dogs That Had Caffeine
Your dog will show signs of caffeine poisoning one to two hours after he’s had caffeine.
If your furry friend accidentally got into some caffeine, such as coffee grounds, tea bags, etc. you don’t need to panic right away.
Try to keep a close eye on your furry friend and look for the symptoms of caffeine poisoning.
If your dog only had a taste, the chances are that he won’t develop any of the serious symptoms and will be just fine.
If your dog develops any of the signs of serious caffeine poisoning, you may have to rush him to emergency veterinarian care.
There isn’t any direct antidote for caffeine poisoning available, so, your vet will do the following:
- Induce vomiting to try and to prevent more caffeine from entering your dog’s bloodstream
- Prescribe some anti-seizure pills to relieve symptoms
- Use medicine to reduce blood pressure
Your vet will keep your furry friend at his office for the next few hours to keep a close eye on him.
It is a good idea to store tea bags, coffee, sodas, etc. as far away from your dog as possible.
You should dispose of coffee grounds somewhere your dog can’t have access, and never leave a caffeinated beverage unattended.
Summing Up: Can Dogs Have Caffeine?
No, dogs cannot and should not have caffeine as it is harmful to your dog to consume and may even cause death.
Caffeine poisoning is serious and can even cause death.
Store caffeine as far away from your dog’s reach as possible.
You should also try and dispose of coffee grounds, tea bags, soda cans, etc. someplace where your dog can’t reach them.
Never leave a caffeinated beverage unattended if your dog is around.
Exercising just a little bit of caution will help keep your dog healthy and happy.
I hope this article has been helpful in answering the question of whether dogs can have caffeine or not.
