Coffee
ToxicMerck puts caffeine's GI threshold at 20 mg/kg, cardiotoxicity at 40-50 mg/kg and seizures at 60 mg/kg or more. For a 7 lb dog, one cup of coffee already lands in that range - and grounds and beans are far more concentrated.
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
Do not offer as a treat
There is no recommended treat portion for this hazardous item. If swallowed, contact a vet with the amount, time and product details. Do not induce vomiting yourself.
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.
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Excessive activity
- Restlessness
- Panting
- Fast heartbeat
- Irregular heartbeat
- High blood pressure
- Overheating
- Increased urine volume
- Tremors
- Poor coordination or balance
- Seizures
More about this food
Caffeine is a methylxanthine, the same family as chocolate's theobromine. The Merck Veterinary Manual describes these compounds as competitively inhibiting cellular adenosine receptors, producing CNS stimulation, diuresis and tachycardia, while also raising intracellular calcium and inhibiting phosphodiesterase. Heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature all climb together.
The numbers decide what you do. In dogs, mild signs such as vomiting and diarrhea begin around 20 mg/kg, cardiotoxic effects at 40-50 mg/kg, and seizures at 60 mg/kg or above. The oral LD50 is 100-200 mg/kg. Caffeine's half-life in dogs is 4.5 hours.
FDA puts a 12 fl oz brewed coffee at 113 to 247 mg of caffeine. Put the two together. For a 7 lb (3 kg) dog, 20 mg/kg is 60 mg - less than half a cup. Cardiotoxic territory (120 mg) is one cup. The seizure threshold of 180 mg is a single strong cup. An 11 lb (5 kg) dog reaches GI signs at 100 mg and cardiotoxicity at 200-250 mg. Even a 22 lb dog gets there on two strong cups.
What actually lands dogs in the ER is usually not the mug. It is the undiluted forms: whole beans, ground coffee, K-Cup pods (the plastic pod is a foreign body on top of the caffeine), instant granules, cold brew concentrate, and coffee grounds pulled out of the trash. Chocolate-covered espresso beans are the worst of both worlds, delivering caffeine and theobromine at once. Pet Poison Helpline notes that one or two licks of coffee are unlikely to poison a dog, but concentrated sources such as unused grounds or supplements can cause serious toxicity.
Signs usually start within one to two hours. Merck describes methylxanthine toxicosis appearing within 6 to 12 hours and lasting up to 72 hours in severe cases. Expect restlessness, hyperactivity, panting, vomiting, diarrhea, increased urination, tachycardia, arrhythmias, hypertension, hyperthermia, tremors, ataxia and seizures.
Write down the form, the amount and the time, bring the package with its caffeine content, and call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 now. Do not induce vomiting at home.
Frequently asked questions
- My dog licked spilled coffee off the floor.
- A couple of licks is usually not an emergency. Offer water and watch for two or three hours. If a dog under 10 lb drained a whole mug, estimate the volume and call your vet. Tremors or a racing heart mean go now.
- He got into the coffee grounds in the trash.
- That is one of the worst forms. Grounds have not been diluted with water, so the same volume carries far more caffeine, and it is hard to judge how much was eaten. Call your vet or the APCC at (888) 426-4435 now and do not induce vomiting.
- What about a K-Cup pod or decaf?
- A chewed pod adds a plastic foreign body to the caffeine, so call regardless. Decaf is reduced, not caffeine-free, and rarely reaches the seizure range per cup, but the sugar, milk and syrup in coffee drinks still upset a dog's stomach.