Food · 🐶 Dogs
Can dogs eat coffee & caffeine?
✕Toxic for dogs
No. Caffeine overstimulates a dog’s heart and nervous system. Grounds, beans, pills and energy drinks are the most dangerous.
Why coffee & caffeine are dangerous
Dogs are more sensitive to caffeine than people. A few laps of coffee usually won’t cause harm, but coffee grounds, beans, tea bags, caffeine pills and energy drinks contain much larger doses.
Signs of poisoning
- Restlessness and hyperactivity
- Vomiting
- Racing heart
- High temperature
- Tremors or seizures
How much is dangerous?
A lick of coffee is unlikely to matter. Grounds, beans, pills or energy drinks can be dangerous, especially for small dogs.
What to do right now
Call your vet or a poison line with what was eaten and roughly how much.
Sources: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, Pet Poison Helpline, Merck Veterinary Manual. This is general information, not veterinary advice. If your pet ate something and you’re worried, call your vet or a poison line right away.