Is tea bad for dogs? Yes! Find out why
If you own a dog, you're probably tempted to share various foods and drinks with him. However, some foods and drinks that are very popular with humans are dangerous or even toxic to our four-legged friends. Can you give tea to your dog? The answer is no, it is not advisable to give your dog tea, especially in large quantities.
Find out how dangerous tea is for your dog and what to do if he has ingested it.
What are the dangers of tea for my dog?
As with coffee or chocolate, tea contains caffeine, although at lower levels than coffee, but still dangerous for your dog.
Tea should therefore be banned and prohibited from his diet, especially if it is in large quantities. Indeed, depending on the dose taken, tea can cause death, especially with puppies.
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It is important to know that a dog's body is different from ours and is unable to absorb caffeine. Symptoms of caffeine poisoning can appear after a few hours and vary depending on the dose ingested.
Quantity not to be exceeded?
It is useful to know that the toxic effects of tea vary on the amount ingested, the size and the immune system of the dog.
Generally, the toxic dose, i.e. the dose that could cause symptoms, is 140 mg/kg of the dog's weight. Specifically, your dog is at risk when he drinks about 5 cups of tea, whether the tea is infused or tea bags.
It is therefore important to monitor and know the weight of your furry companion to detect the toxic and dangerous dose.
In addition, there are teas on the market specially designed for dogs. These are decaffeinated and flavoured teas. In this case, it is necessary to know their components, which is not always obvious. It is therefore advisable to avoid giving them to him.
Symptoms in dogs following tea poisoning
Symptoms of tea poisoning in dogs can appear after 2 hours and are:
- A strong caffeine-induced restlessness;
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea;
- Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat);
- Hypertension (high blood pressure);
- Tremors;
- Hyperthermia (increased body temperature).
If the ingested dose is significant, the dog may go into a coma. In most severe cases, excessive consumption of tea can lead to death.
What should I do if my dog drank tea?
If your dog has been drinking tea, it is important to react quickly. As with any toxic food, the goal is to eliminate it quickly from the body. The first thing to do is to contact a veterinarian or a poison control centre and never try anything yourself, as this could make the situation even worse.
Ideally, you should go directly to the vet, as your dog's vital prognosis can be seriously compromised, especially if he drank a lot of tea. The vet will prescribe a laxative or get your dog to vomit with the help of activated charcoal.
In short, tea is a dangerous drink for your dog, so it should be banned from his diet. If your dog drinks tea, contact your veterinarian immediately.
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