Green tea
CautionA few licks of brewed green tea is rarely an emergency. The real hazards are dry leaves, tea bags and matcha powder - undiluted, they carry far more caffeine, and the bag itself can obstruct the gut.
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
- Intestinal blockage
More about this food
Green tea is a caffeinated drink. FDA puts a 12 fl oz serving at about 37 mg of caffeine. Merck sets the threshold for mild GI signs in dogs at 20 mg/kg, so a 7 lb (3 kg) dog needs 60 mg - more than a cup and a half. A few licks from a mug left on the coffee table does not get there.
That math only applies to brewed tea. Dry leaves and tea bags have not been diluted with water, so the same weight holds far more caffeine. Matcha is ground whole leaf that you drink in its entirety, which makes it considerably stronger than a steeped cup. A small dog that chews through two or three tea bags is in a different calculation altogether.
Tea bags carry a second 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 dogs pull them out of the trash and the sink strainer, so bin them in a covered container as soon as you are done steeping.
Green tea extract weight-loss supplements are a separate emergency. They concentrate caffeine and catechins, so a few capsules represent many cups. Never give a dog a human supplement.
Matcha lattes and bottled sweetened green teas add sugar and dairy on top, which brings loose stool in lactose-intolerant dogs.
Signs generally start within one to two hours: restlessness, hyperactivity, panting, vomiting, diarrhea, increased urination and a fast heart rate, progressing to tremors and seizures only at much higher doses. If your dog ate leaves, bags or matcha powder, note the amount and time and call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. For a few licks of brewed tea, offer water and watch for two or three hours, and call if you see trembling or a racing heart. Do not induce vomiting at home.
Frequently asked questions
- My dog ate a used tea bag out of the trash.
- The leaves are undiluted caffeine and the bag, string and staple can lodge in the intestine. Note how many and when, then call your vet or the APCC at (888) 426-4435. Do not induce vomiting, and never pull on a string hanging from the mouth.
- She drank some cold green tea from a mug.
- A 12 oz serving is about 37 mg of caffeine, so a 7 lb dog would need more than a cup and a half to reach the mild-signs threshold. A few swallows is usually fine. Offer water, watch two or three hours, and call if she trembles or races.
- Is matcha worse than brewed green tea?
- Yes. Matcha is powdered whole leaf, so you consume everything rather than an infusion, and the caffeine per gram is much higher. Loose matcha powder eaten off a counter warrants a call to your veterinarian.