Can Dogs Drink Tea?

tea

Letting your dog drink a bit of tea every now and then won’t cause any long-term problems. However, there are some risks when it comes to dogs drinking tea that has caffeine in it; although a small dog would have to drink five cups a day to reach toxic levels. Regardless of this, caffeine is toxic to dogs so you should only let your dog have decaffeinated tea.

Green Tea

Green tea for dogs is the best one to give them, and a close second best is black tea. The ones that are readily available at supermarkets are great. These are safe for dogs because green tea is made from leaves that come from the camellia Sinensis plant and is far less processed than black tea, so it contains a much higher level of antioxidants. So sometimes I am asked is tea good for dogs, well green tea in particular can have a lot of health benefits yes.

Just make sure you choose a green tea that is of the decaffeinated type as already mentioned.

Apart from being rich in antioxidants, green tea may help reduce the risk of cancer cell formation, reduce inflammation of the liver and intestinal tract, making it an excellent supplement for dogs that are suffering from hepatitis, arthritis, or enteritis.

Chamomile Tea

High doses of chamomile can be toxic for dogs, just like regular tea. Although, you do have to be careful because chamomile tea for dogs is not good if your dog is allergic to any plants in the daisy family such as ragweed. It is not recommended for puppies.

When ingested in large amounts over a period of time, negative effects may occur such as gastrointestinal issues.

How Often?

Now that we have established which teas are good for dogs, we should discuss how often is safe for your dog to consume any.

There is no specific recommendation when it comes to how much and how often should you give your dog tea.

Whether you let your dog drink from a mug or mix a small teacup of it into your dog’s meal, it’s best to only do this once a week.

Can Puppies Drink Tea?

The same rules for adult dogs apply even more so for puppies; any tea with caffeine in it can cause problems and green tea is the best.

This should be done in moderation, so for instance a small amount on a weekly basis at most should be fine. I personally do not recommend giving puppies tea, as it is most likely best to wait until they are older. However, there isn’t really any scientific information about this so no one can say anything with certainty.

Can My Dog Drink Milk?

Most dogs are lactose intolerant, so they have difficulty digesting milk, but if you are just adding a small amount of it to the tea, which you’re giving your dog in moderation, then it should be fine for your dog to drink milk in this way.

Even if you know that your dog is not lactose intolerant, too much fat in a dog’s diet can lead to obesity and pancreatitis, so this is still a reason to limit your dog’s milk intake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe for dogs to drink tea?

In moderation, a bit of tea is fine for dogs as long as it is decaffeinated. The best type of tea for dogs is green tea.

What can dogs drink besides water?

The only other things dogs can drink besides water are health tonics and herbal teas, alcohol-free dog beer, and wine/prosecco. Whatever you give your dog, make sure it is especially for canines so that it doesn’t have any caffeine or sugar in it. What I have mentioned here should only be used as treats and not on a regular basis.

Why can’t dogs have tea?

Tea that has caffeine in it is toxic to dogs, and the smaller a dog the less they need to drink for it to harm them.

Can tea kill dogs?

Yes, tea can kill dogs if it has caffeine in it. The average cup of tea contains between 40-50 mg of caffeine, which can cause an abnormal heart rhythm and lung failure in dogs which can lead to death.

What kind of tea can dogs drink?

The best tea to give dogs is green tea, and the second best is black tea. In moderation, green tea can have the same benefits on dogs as it does for us humans.

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