There comes a time when the occasion calls for a celebratory drink. As humans, we often like to celebrate or relax by having a nice cold glass of cider, wine, or beer, especially in the summertime. If you are sitting in a sunny beer garden at the weekend with your pet dog, you may find yourself wondering – Can dogs drink beer?
In this article, we will approach the question – Can dogs drink beer? We will look in detail at the health concerns of pets consuming alcohol. We will also explore what alternative drinks we can offer our pet dogs other than water.
Should I Let My Dog Drink Beer?
Perhaps you have seen other people’s pet dogs lapping up beer from an owner can, and you would like to know whether this is safe for the dog’s health.
Many dog owners are unaware of human foods and drinks that are toxic to dogs. It can lead to devastating consequences and high vet bills that some people simply can’t afford.
It is much more sensible, and cheaper in the long-term, to know what foods and drink to avoid when considering your dog’s health, and your financial health.
Can Dogs Drink Beer: Will My Dog Be Okay If He has Drunk Beer?
If your dog or someone else’s dog has consumed an alcoholic beverage such as beer that is meant for humans, you may be concerned about the health implications. You may even be worried that the drink could kill your dog.
The fact is that your dog’s kidneys are not designed to filter or process the alcohol content of beer. So the first thing you should consider is whether the beer your dog has consumed contains alcohol or not. As you might know, there are some beers designed for human consumption that are alcohol-free.
A primary ingredient in the production of beer is hops. Like grapes in wine hops in beer is highly toxic to dogs, although it is not precisely known why.
The result of your dog consuming beer, therefore, can be risky and could lead to several detrimental effects to their health. We will take a closer look at these in the next section.
Will Drinking Beer Affect My Dog?
The effects of your dog drinking beer will depend on the following factors:
Your Individual Dog
Dogs come in different shapes and sizes. Ultimately, different breeds and different health levels can determine differences in the effects that consuming beer can have on your dog.
Hence, the effects are very unpredictable, which is why it is never a good idea to take the risk and offer your dog any amount of human beer.
The Amount Of Beer Consumed
The effects you may see in your dog after it has consumed beer can depend not only on the individual dog, but the type and amount of alcohol the dog has consumed and how quickly.
Long-Term Effects
It’s important to realise that some dogs may not have any immediate adverse effects after consuming beer. However, it does not mean that you should continue to allow your dog to drink beer. Apparently, the health effects of beer may be observed over time.
Signs That My Dog Has Consumed Beer
Occasionally, you might know or suspect that your dog or someone else’s dog has either intentionally been offered beer or accidentally consumed some.
In this case, you should look out for the following signs and body language that the dog is being affected:
- Staggering, stumbling or weakness
- Lack of focus, blinking and general confusion
- Slowed down reflexes or freezing
- Increased urination or incontinence
- Shaking, panting or drooling
- Low tail carriage
- Vomiting & Diarrhoea
- Body temperature drop
What Are The Long-Term Health Implications Of A Dog Consuming Beer?
Your dog can be affected by the toxicity of beer as soon as 15 minutes after consuming it.
If you are worried about your dog’s health or safety after the beer has been consumed, you should always take your dog to be checked over by a professional vet to eliminate or reduce any potential risks.
The potential immediate and long-term effects of your dog having consumed alcohol could be as severe as:
- Your dog having seizures
- Heart failure
- Respiratory difficulty
- Coma
- Death
Training Your Dog To Stay Away From Beer
It might happen that you live near, own or work in a pub or establishment that sells alcohol. Then, you may be especially concerned about your dog consuming beer when you are not around to supervise them.
Dogs are incredibly curious creatures and will get their noses into all sorts of trouble. They are also more than likely to take anything that is offered to them by people who don’t know any better.
If your dog spends time around alcohol or people who drink a lot of beer, here are some useful tips to help you keep your dog safe:
✓ Firstly, find someone responsible who can keep an eye on your dog when you are not there to supervise yourself. Make sure that this person is aware of the serious dangers of your dog consuming alcohol.
✓ Secondly, train your dog to keep away from areas that contain beer. It may include your fridge where you keep open cans. Or it may be a beer garden where half-empty pints of beer may be left hanging around until they are cleared up by bar staff.
✓ Keep your stash of beer out of your dog’s reach. Also, clean up any accidental spills immediately to prevent your dog or other people’s dogs from lapping up the excess off the floor.
✓ Finally, make sure that your dog has access to fresh water at all times.
Can Dogs Drink Beer: Alternative Safe Drinks For Dogs
It is never a good idea to offer a dog beer that is designed for human consumption. It also concerns a non-alcoholic beer.
However, there are non-toxic dog-safe drinks such as “Dog Beer” or “Pawsecco” or “Dog Wine”. They are perfectly safe to offer your pet dog. These are fun alternatives to water, and can also be used to pour over your dog’s food.
People enjoy offering these commercial drinks occasionally when there is a celebration such as a dog’s birthday party.
It may not come as a surprise that dog beer is not intended to get a dog drunk. To clarify, it doesn’t contain alcohol or gases. Quite the opposite,- the ingredients that dog beer contains are healthy for your dog. It often includes water, meat broth and malt barley.
Additionally, you can try to give your dog warm drinks like tea. Just make sure, it’s warm, not hot. To find out what kind of teas are safe for your dog to drink, read our article “Can Dogs Drink Tea?”.
Can Dogs Drink Beer: To Summarise
Your dog’s health and safety should always be a priority. For this reason, when offering anything designed for human consumption, it is always better to be safe than sorry and do your research.
Remember that just because we often see pet dogs posing on Instagram next to alcoholic beverages, and we may think it looks cute or funny, it doesn’t mean that it is ever safe for a dog to drink beer that wasn’t specifically designed for dogs.