Black tea
CautionBlack tea carries roughly twice the caffeine of green tea. One 12 oz cup already crosses the mild-signs threshold for a 7 lb dog. Chewed tea bags and swallowed boba pearls are the calls that cannot wait.
This food guide has not been reviewed by a veterinarian. It summarises general information from sources and should not be used to decide whether a food is suitable for an individual dog or to assess an emergency.
Check before feeding
Check the precautions before sharing
Risk depends on preparation, ingredients or amount. Read the precautions below; body weight alone cannot establish a safe portion.
Signs and health concerns
This list includes both observable signs and conditions identified through examination or testing. It cannot establish the cause or whether an exposure is safe.
- Restlessness
- Excessive activity
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Panting
- Fast heartbeat
- Increased urine volume
- Tremors
- Blocked oesophagus
- Intestinal blockage
More about this food
FDA puts a 12 fl oz serving of black tea at 71 mg of caffeine against 37 mg for green tea - about double.
Merck sets the threshold for mild GI signs in dogs at 20 mg/kg. For a 7 lb (3 kg) dog that is 60 mg, so a single 12 oz cup of black tea already clears it. An 11 lb (5 kg) dog needs 100 mg, about a cup and a half; a 22 lb dog needs 200 mg, close to three cups. Cardiotoxic levels (40-50 mg/kg) and the seizure range (60 mg/kg and up) are hard to reach on brewed tea alone, but a small dog that drains a mug left on the coffee table can absolutely end up restless with a racing heart. A few licks and a whole cup are different situations.
Tea bags and loose leaves have not been diluted, so they are much more concentrated - and they add a hazard that has nothing to do with caffeine. The bag, the string, the paper tag and in some brands a metal staple can lodge in the gut. Used bags smell strong and get pulled out of the trash, so bin them covered right after steeping.
Sweet tea, chai lattes and boba stack three problems: caffeine, sugar, and dairy that gives lactose-intolerant dogs diarrhea. Tapioca pearls add a fourth. They are dense and chewy, a dog swallows them whole, and they can lodge in the esophagus or intestine - a particular danger in small breeds. Bottled iced teas and powdered mixes are mostly a sugar problem, and oil-flavored teas such as Earl Grey with bergamot can irritate the stomach further.
Signs usually begin within one to two hours: restlessness, hyperactivity, panting, vomiting, diarrhea, increased urination, tachycardia. Note the volume and the time, and if your dog swallowed a tea bag or boba pearls call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 now. Do not induce vomiting, and never pull a string that is hanging from the mouth.
Frequently asked questions
- My small dog drank a whole cup of black tea.
- For a 7 lb dog, 12 oz of black tea is about 71 mg of caffeine, past the 20 mg/kg mild-signs threshold. Expect possible restlessness, fast heart rate and vomiting. Call your vet with your dog's weight and the volume. A few licks needs only water and a two-hour watch.
- He swallowed boba pearls from my bubble tea.
- Tapioca pearls are dense and chewy, and dogs swallow them whole, so they can lodge in the esophagus or intestine - especially in small breeds. Gagging, drooling, trouble swallowing or repeated vomiting means call now, not wait.
- Is sweet tea or chai any safer?
- No. The caffeine is unchanged and you have added sugar and milk. Lactose-intolerant dogs get diarrhea from the dairy, and the sugar upsets the stomach. Judge it by the same caffeine math as plain black tea.