Yes or No: Can Your Dog Have Caffeine?

Having a cup of coffee instantly wakes one up in the morning.

Only a true coffee lover knows how important that first cup of coffee in the morning is! Some people also have similar feelings about tea and energy drinks---they are simply a normal part of our lives and household.

But, can your furry friend share a beverage with you?

We have a lot of products in our homes which contain caffeine---teas, coffee, diet pills, energy drinks---you name it! So, our Golden retrievers do have a lot of access to this stuff.

However, is it safe for your furry friend to consume?

In this blog post, we will answer the question, “Can Golden Retrievers have caffeine?” in as much detail as we can.

Let’s get started!

Safe or Unsafe: Can Goldies Have Caffeine?

No, caffeine is not at all safe for your Golden Retriever.

In fact, you should keep your furry friend as far away from it as possible to avoid ven accidental ingestion!

The thing is that having caffeine can cause your doggy to get diarrhea which, then, can cause a difficulty in breathing. In fact, your doggy friend may even have tremors because his nervous system has been simply thrown out of whack.

In the worst cases, caffeine can even have an effect on your Goldy’s heart!

Why Caffeine Is Harmful to Golden Retrievers

Caffeine is unsafe to consume for all dog breeds.

This is because it has a strong stimulant and has effects which are similar to those of hard drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin---that can’t be good, right? So, caffeine stimulates the brain just like these drugs do.

Did you know that excessively consuming caffeine can even cause caffeine poisoning in dogs?

Caffeine affects your dog’s heart and nervous system. In fact, symptoms of caffeine poisoning can occur even if your dogs has only a little!

Following are the symptoms you should look out for if your dog has consumed caffeine:

• Diarrhea
• Increased heart rate
• Vomiting
• Tremors

If your Goldy ingests caffeine in a high enough dose, it can even cause your furry companion to have difficulty in breathing and may even lead to seizures.

What Should I Do If My Golden Retriever Had Caffeine?

If your Goldy has ingested some caffeine, he will show signs of caffeine poisoning after one to two hour.

In case your Golden Retriever accidentally got into some caffeine, such as coffee grounds, tea bags, etc. you don’t need to panic right away and try to keep a close eye on your dog and look for the symptoms of caffeine poisoning that we’ve mentioned earlier.

In case your dog has only had a taste, chances are that he won’t have any of the more serious symptoms of caffeine poisoning and will just be okay.

However, if your dog does develop signs of serious caffeine poisoning, you should rush him to emergency veterinarian care.

Since there is nothing like an antidote for caffeine poisoning available, your vet will do certain things to ensure that your dog remains safe. These include:

• Induce vomiting to try and to prevent more caffeine from entering your dog’s bloodstream
• Prescribe some anti-seizure pills to relieve symptoms
• Use medicine to reduce blood pressure

After your vet has done the above, he may keep your dog at his office for the next few hours to keep a close eye on him and ensure that everything’s a-okay.

Preventing Caffeine Poisoning in Dogs

As you may already know, prevention is better than cure.

In ingested at a high enough quantity, caffeine can prove to be fatal for your Golden Retriever so, you should take every precaution to ensure that your dog doesn’t accidentally consume caffeine.

It is a good idea to store tea bags, coffee, sodas, etc. as far away from your dog as possible.

Make a point to dispose the coffee grounds and tea bags in a place where your dog can’t have access to them. Not just that, you should always make sure that you don’t leave a caffeinated beverage unattended.

Your doggy friend’s curiosity can cost you a lot.

Summing Up: Can My Golden Retriever Have Caffeine?

No, Golden Retriever---as well as all dogs---can’t and shouldn’t have caffeine as it is harmful for them consume and may even cause death!

Caffeine poisoning is serious business.

Make it a point to store caffeine as far away from your dog’s reach as possible.

You should also try and dispose of coffee grounds, tea bags, soda cans, etc. someplace where your dog can’t reach them. Never leave a caffeinated beverage unattended if your dog is around to ensure his safety.

Being just a little cautious will help keep your Goldy healthy and happy.

Do you have questions? If so, leave them in the comments, and we’ll get back to you right away.