Can Dogs Drink Tea
We Brits swear by our love for tea but have you ever wondered whether you dog can drink tea? Rangersdog got in touch with a few vets and animal nutritionist and asked them whether its okay for dog parents to share a cuppa with their canines after a cold winters walk and generally can dogs drink tea?
Is It Safe for Dogs to Drink Tea?
For animals, the safest drink to give is water, mostly when dehydrated or during summer. Have good water bowls or a dispenser to ensure they get enough water when thirst or during feeding.
Is it Safe for a Dog to Drink Tea?
During winter we all want to keep warm and a cup of tea or coffee is always nearby. Some people may say giving black or green tea to dogs is safe especially after taking them for a walk during winter. These types of tea can have herbs that elevate the heart rate of the dog if ingested in big doses.
It is not advisable to give human products to dogs, as some can lead to poisoning them. Do research and first know what is contained in your tea before giving your furry friend a sip. Tea is among the most popular drink in our home and may want to have a cup for each family member including our dogs.
Tea is a stimulant and has more caffeine than coffee. Besides, it can cause cardiac arrest if taken in excess. Considering dogs do not take tea, only a small portion can lead to negative impacts due to sensitivity. Dogs cannot tolerate caffeine hence it is recommended if you give any green tea let it be the decaffeinated type.
Dog Formulated Tea
One may be tempted to give small portions of tea, milk, or alcohol to your four-legged friend but don’t. Caffeinated tea especially black or green can be harmful to your dog. Regardless that, green tea is made from plants and has fewer antioxidants than black tea it is good to just give doggy drinks only.
Before including any tea or changing your dog diet consult with the vet as much as herbal tea is said to be safe.
We have special drinks in the market just for them if you want to give alongside the water. For instance, peppermint and flavoured chamomile tea are good for your dog, serve it cold to avoid burning him.
These teas can be beneficial to your dog as they have plenty of soothing and relaxation properties as well as antioxidants. Besides the dog teas can be used to assist with sleeping disorders and anxiety in dogs.
Caffeinated Tea is Harmful to your Dog
We are used to the morning cup of tea or in the afternoon and when left unattended in the kitchen counter our dog can lick some or eat the tea bags. Without a doubt, this can be toxic, ensure to dispose of the teabags in the trash where your dog cannot eat, small dogs can choke when eating them, or get poisoned.
Caffeinated tea has a lot of benefits like keeping one alert, focused, and reduce fatigue in Human beings. Despite this, it might not be so for our dogs and can be detrimental to her health.
Tea can be a harmful product and drug for the dog. Particularly, because tea contains caffeine which is a stimulant and when the dog takes a lot it can lead to a fatal overdose.
Unquestionably, the tea is an energy drink that can improve your dog alertness as well as make it hyperactive. In this state your dog can have destructive behavior like running all over, chewing and tearing things, and pacing a lot.
Irrespective of all the obedience training your dog has undergone the caffeine may overwhelm him leading to destructive behavior.
Signs of Caffeine Poisoning on Dogs
Dogs can consume a toxic amounts of tea and start showing the effect of poisoning in a few minutes. If you suspect that your dog could have ingested any toxic liquid at the home of a lot of caffeine try to administer first aid before rushing to the hospital.
If severe call and ask for advice from the vet before arriving at the hospital. The initial first aid can mean life or death of your dog hence have the relevant skills in case of accidents and poisoning at home.
Your dog can show signs like intoxication among others ranging from:
- High temperature.
- Increased heart rate.
- Hyperactivity.
- Vomiting.
- Seizures.
- Collapsing.
- Death.
Type of Tea Your Dog can Drink
Tea that is caffeine-free is good for your dog. Most are natural and come from plants. The most common are peppermint tea and chamomile tea.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint is used largely to flavour food, oral breath mints to keep the mouth fresh. It is made from peppermint leaves which contain several essential oils including menthol, menthone, and limonene.
Alongside this, the methanol in the peppermint is the one that gives the cooling effect when you drink the tea.
The peppermint tea helps in digestion and reduces gas, constipation, and bloating in the dog’s stomach.
Not only, is Peppermint tea a herbal tea which is caffeine-free and safe but also has natural calories good for your dog.
Benefits of Peppermint Tea
We have numerous benefits that come with taking peppermint tea ranging from
- Fresh breath good for oral hygiene for your dog.
- Help in digestion issues and constipation.
- Improve dog energy and relax him reducing fatigue.
- Comes with antibacterial properties giving your dog a smooth and glowing coat.
- Ease pain in case your dog is experiencing it due to the cooling effect.
Chamomile Tea
Made from the daisy plant, the flowers are dried to make the chamomile tea which helps in the treatment of ailments. It is used as a herbal pet remedy, especially for stomach upsets.
We cannot say that this herbal tea is completely safe hence need to consult with your vet to know what portions are healthy to your dog.
When introducing the chamomile tea to your dog start with a small dosage just like any new diet and check on any reactions.
Benefits of Chamoline Tea
The chamomile tea has numerous benefits from:
- Improving your dog’s bone density.
- Reduce inflammation.
- Help in eliminating worms (a natural dewormer treatment).
- Reduces anxiety and insomnia.
- This herbal tea is great for preventing and expelling round- and whipworms.
- Accelerate healing of a wound on your dog coat.
- Improve skin condition.
Drinks Your Dog Should Avoid and Why?
We have different types of foods and drinks that are dangerous to our dog which can be beneficial to us. Our pets are curious in nature and will lick or drink anything left unattended in the kitchen counter. It can be alcohol, tea, or milk.
Alcohol
When hosting a party keep on checking on your dog as it can accidental stray and drink alcohol left unattended. Accidents can occur to remember alcohol can be bad when taken in large quantities. Different alcoholic drinks have different percentages so depending on the drink ingested your dog can be seriously poisoned.
Milk
As much as milk is nutritious your dog can be intolerant to milk or dairy products when given in large quantities.
Milk contains a lot of fat which can have a dire effect on your dog’s health. A lot of fat can lead to obesity and an overweight dog.
Even so, milk is nutritious it can lead to diarrheas or vomiting if your dog is intolerant to it due to difficulty in digesting it. Subsequently one can mix dog dry food with milk to make it moist but to be safe better use water.
Final Thoughts
Dogs can be picky when eating or drinking liquids. Ensure to have enough and fresh water for your four-legged friend in a bowl. Change it constantly and put it in an accessible area. A healthy dog knows how to control its water intake.
Chamomile Tea is a Good Natural Herbal Tea for Dogs
Ensure all spilled tea is wiped, avoid leaving alcohol unattended to when having a party to prevent your dog from drinking some and getting intoxicated.
Do not let your dog drink your tea, get her the specially formulated dog tea that helps in digestive issues, breathe freshness, and relieving pain like peppermint or chamomile tea.
Dogs tend to experience problems with lactose intolerance hence would advise against giving milk.
Lastly, dogs should not drink tea due to the presence of caffeine which can be harmful to them. Give them a lot of clean water or the caffeine-free teas made for them.
