Can I give my dog beer?

Lots of folks enjoy a cold beer after a hard day’s work. Maybe you’d also like to share with man’s best friend, but is it really okay to give a dog alcoholic beer?

Canine consumption of beer can cause symptoms ranging from vomiting to brain damage and even death. No matter how much they beg, alcoholic beverages should be off limits for dogs.

Longer term, and just like in humans, too much beer can bring upon serious damage to your dog’s internal organs including their kidneys and liver. Don’t risk it!

Can I Give My Dog Beer? Answer: No

Especially to the point of intoxication. Alcohol really shouldn’t be given to pets in any amount.

Video: I GAVE MY DOGS BEER!

If you see your dog acting drunk, you’ve already gone too far. Some people can safely give their dogs a very moderate amount of beer, and it may be harmless, but it’s just too risky to recommend for a precious pet.

However, a toy squeaker bottle of Grrrona beer is safe for Fido!

Liver Damage & Hydration

Your dog’s liver is small and they’ll have a hard time processing the alcohol in beer. Liver damage is irreparable and can be fatal. Unless you want to put Fido on dialysis, keep them away from beer.

Drinking beer won’t hydrate your pet. Dogs need plenty of water to stay healthy. Beer depletes them of water and essential electrolytes. Minerals like sodium, chloride and potassium are lost during dehydration.

Beer is a diuretic!

More Reasons to Avoid

If your dog drinks too much beer their central nervous system will slow down. Your little guy can easily lose coordination, their heart rate and breathing may slow and slipping into a coma is possible.

Video: My Dog on Drugs

High levels of alcohol can also make your dog’s blood too acidic inducing cardiac arrest. Beer, or any other alcohol, can cause blood sugar to drop which may bring upon seizures and/or brain damage.

The kidneys filter blood, balance water and electrolytes in the blood stream. Alcoholic beer can disrupt or damage canine kidneys. Without proper kidney function, your dog will get very sick or could even die.

Dogs with Alcohol Symptoms

If a dog drinks beer, or wine or any alcoholic beverage, ethanol is absorbed. Their metabolism can’t process ethanol as well as you. Size matters when consuming alcohol. Dogs can get poisoned more quickly and more seriously.

Any dog drinking too much beer, either on purpose or by accident, will likely get alcohol poisoning. Symptoms to look out for, before it’s too late, in such a situation are changes include the following:

Changes in mood, confusion, hyperactivity, loss of coordination, increased urination, difficulty breathing, decreased temperature and even seizures.

Beer is Serious Business

If your dog consumes even a small amount of alcohol, on an empty stomach, you may see symptoms in as little as thirty minutes. You may not notice any signs for one or two hours.

Observable drunkenness is much more serious than when you see a drunk person because dogs can’t handle the effects.

Alcohol Poisoning Treatment

If you think your dog is sick from drinking beer, get them to a vet. Most dogs can be treated for alcohol poisoning. Blood may be drawn to measure blood alcohol content and to check for damage to internal organs.

Activated charcoal can help to remove alcohol from your dog’s blood stream. IV fluids may also be needed to stabilize blood sugar levels.

With good treatment, they should start recovering from alcohol poisoning within 8 to 12 hours. This assumes you don’t have a really drunk dog!

Conclusion on Beer

Giving alcohol, including beer, to a pet dog is a bad idea. The risks that you’d put them through, by giving them beer, just aren’t worth it. Enjoy time with your dog in other ways. Save the beer drinking for when you’re with your human pals.

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