If you’re a coffee enthusiast like me, you’ll agree with me that coffee is everything right with the world.
Most of us need that jolt of caffeine to kickstart our day.
While we enjoy our steaming-hot mug of coffee with milk, we can’t help but wonder if the same applies to our furry friends.
Well, let’s find out, shall we?
Can dogs drink coffee with milk?
No.
Dogs can’t drink coffee with milk as they’re highly sensitive to the effects of caffeine and may suffer severe issues such as seizures or even death.
Some dogs may also be lactose intolerant, and giving them coffee with milk can add another layer to the problem.
This article will discuss everything about coffee with milk and fidos.
It will also explain the potential health risks of giving your dog coffee with milk.
What to do if your dog accidentally drinks coffee with milk
While coffee with milk isn’t necessarily fatal, too much of it may cause severe health issues like tremors and seizures or even death.
However, you should:
- Prevent further access
The first step you should take is to keep away the remaining coffee with milk or any caffeinated products to prevent further contamination.
Clean up any spills and keep your pup out while cleaning.
- Keep watch
Look for any signs of illness, including vomiting, diarrhea, or unusual behavior.
If your dog shows severe symptoms such as seizures or tremors, rush him to the vet immediately for swift treatment.
- Find out the details
Try to gather as much information as possible, including how much coffee with milk he took or the exact time he ingested it.
Find out if it was a double or single shot, instant coffee, or freshly ground coffee beans.
All this information will be helpful for your vet when administering treatment as it will help take the guesswork out.
- Contact your vet
If your dog drinks coffee with milk, it’ll be worth calling your vet for advice.
Provide your vet with the necessary information you’ve gathered to help administer the correct treatment.
If your vet is concerned about potential health risks for your dog, they may advice you to take him in for close observation.
Depending on the extremity, your dog may require hospitalization for several days until he’s out of danger.
Your vet may require monitoring organ function, heart and blood pressure, and administering medication for tremors and seizures.
Is coffee with milk bad for dogs?
You should keep coffee beans, grounds, brewed coffee, and caffeinated products away from your dog as caffeine is a highly poisonous chemical.
If your dog drinks coffee with milk, the caffeine can raise his blood pressure causing cardiac arrhythmias, a potentially life-threatening condition.
Your dog may also lose muscle control and can experience tremors or seizures, gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, and diarrhea.
The high-fat levels in milk may also cause an upset stomach or pancreatitis.
Additionally, suppose you add sugar to the coffee with milk.
In that case, it can cause a surge of insulin to be released, leading to a dangerous drop in blood sugar levels, especially if your dog has diabetes.
What are the symptoms of caffeine toxicity?
The signs and symptoms of caffeine toxicity may show within an hour of consumption but may take up to 12 hours to several days.
This is precisely why you should monitor your dog for any changes.
Some of these symptoms include:
- Agitation
- Restlessness
- Vomiting
- Abnormal heart rhythms
- Panting
- Elevated heart rate
- High blood pressure
- Hyperthermia
In extreme cases, your dog may experience collapse, tremors, and seizures.
Worse still, depending on the size of your dog, caffeine overdose can cause death.
For some dogs, it might be hard to tell the difference between normal and severe side effects, as some dogs have a higher tolerance than others.
In that case, keep a close eye on any behavior change in your dog and consult your vet immediately to prevent poisoning.
What happens if my dog ingests coffee with milk?
Caffeine toxicity levels may vary depending on the size of your dog, the amount consumed, and your dog’s general health profile.
A smaller dog can become severely ill just from one or two licks of coffee with milk.
However, a large dog would need to consume much more to reach toxic levels.
That said, caffeine poisoning can be fatal and should be handled urgently.
Your dog may experience an increased heart rate and a blood pressure spike, causing him to get jittery and restless, pace, or vocalize excessively.
If your dog experiences any or all of these symptoms, rush him to the vet immediately, as early intervention is vital for successful treatment.
Potential health concerns of coffee with milk
Unlike humans, dogs are much more sensitive to the effects of caffeine, so coffee with milk can be highly toxic to them.
Caffeine acts as a stimulant affecting the nervous system and the heart.
Milk can also be problematic for your dog as their bodies are not designed to digest milk after being weaned as puppies. Your dog may suffer:
- Caffeine toxicity
Coffee with milk contains caffeine that raises blood pressure and causes cardiac arrhythmias, a potentially lethal condition.
Your dog may also lose muscle control and experience tremors or seizures.
Caffeine may also affect the gastrointestinal tract causing vomiting and diarrhea.
- Obesity
Allowing your pup to drink coffee with milk regularly can cause obesity as it is much higher in calories.
Your dog may become overweight, which puts him at risk for multiple health issues, including heart disease or intestinal blockage.
- Picky eating
You should be careful when allowing your dog to have a taste of coffee with milk regularly, as they might start wanting it instead of their regular diet.
Not only does coffee with milk increase the risk of obesity, but it can also encourage picky eating behavior.
- Lactose intolerance
If your dog drinks coffee with milk, he can suffer from lactose intolerance as he may experience an allergic reaction to the proteins found in milk products.
The inability to deal with dairy can cause bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, or itchy skin rashes.
- Pancreatitis
Allowing your dog to drink coffee with milk regularly can have severe effects as it’s high in fats and sugar.
Excessive consumption of coffee with milk can cause digestive upset and even pancreatitis.
In summary
It may be tempting to offer your pup a tiny sip of coffee with milk every once in a while, but feeding him the wrong treats could lead to severe, even deadly consequences.
Before adding anything new to your dog’s diet, consult your vet first to prevent poisoning.
Unfortunately, handicapped dogs are much more likely to be ignored when a family is picking out their new pet. Handicapped pets need more care than non-handicapped pets, so it is understandable why they are often harder to rehome.
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