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Can Dogs Drink Coffee?

by Dr. Lauren Brickman

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Can dogs drink coffee? Read on for the answer!

Q: My Cocker Spaniel loves to drink my coffee. Can dogs drink coffee? If coffee can hurt dogs, are there any signs I should watch for?

A: Can dogs drink coffee? Safe answer--No.

Caffeine and theobromine (found in chocolate) are methylxanthines which are toxic to dogs. While a dog would need to drink a lot of coffee for it to be toxic it is probably best to say dogs should not drink coffee.

If high enough doses are ingested your dog may suffer from cardiac disturbances, gastrointestinal problems, and/or neuromuscular problems.

For more general information on your dog's health, check out our Health & Home section!

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Dr. Lauren Brickman Dr. Brickman started as a veterinary technician at Garden City Park in 1997 and went on to…

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Comments (13)

Wildermuth (Unverified)
Added 05-24-2013 10:31pm
My boxer weighs 80lbs got into 10 coffee filters some grounds in carpeting I am so worried
Anonymous (Unverified)
Added 04-30-2013 09:52am
my dog is a jack russel terrier and he LOVES drinking coffee... it hasn't seemed to affect him accept I have noticed he has become really lazy and tired a lot..
Dixie (Unverified)
Added 03-26-2013 12:35am
Our little Doxie loves coffee and crushed ice. I'm glad to read about the coffee. He watches for the cup in my hand. I hope crushed ice will not hurt him.
hoyhoy (Unverified)
Added 12-24-2012 09:20pm
my dog jumped on my table and started drinking my coffee. Will he be okay?
in need of help (Unverified)
Added 11-06-2012 08:44am
I spilled coffee on my carpet and it soaked it, but my dog is licking the carpet and getting it out, will he be okay?
Anonymous (Unverified)
Added 07-15-2012 03:45am
Coffee is VERY bad for dogs. It does matter how much and how big the dog is... but a little arsenic in YOUR food isn't going to kill you, but that doesn't mean you should put it in your food. I have a good friend who lost two Great Danes because they got into a sample packet of coffee that was in the mail. That's pretty concentrated, but they were each 250LB+ dogs, and they died on the table at the vets just hours after getting into the coffee. Don't let you dog near coffee.
mk (Unverified)
Added 08-22-2011 11:59am

Let's learn the difference in CAN and MAY

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