My dog ate caffeine – what should I do?

Updated 2026-09-30 · 4 sources

Based on: US FDA – Center for Veterinary Medicine, Pet Poison Helpline, Cortinovis & Caloni 2016, Household Food Items Toxic to Dogs and Cats, Front Vet Sci

Call a vet today

Call your vet today for advice – don't wait until signs appear. Doses of 7–10 mg/kg of methylxanthines can cause signs such as nausea in dogs.

What to do now

What to do right now

Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.
Note what was eaten, how much and when.
Bring the packaging.
Remove what is left and keep your dog calm.

Don't

Do not make your dog vomit unless a vet tells you to.
Do not give any human medicine.

Why it can be dangerous

Caffeine is found in drinks such as coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks.^[1] Mild clinical signs in dogs appear after ingesting 20 mg/kg of theobromine and caffeine, while severe signs are observed at 40–50 mg/kg and seizures occur at 60 mg/kg.^[3] The minimum lethal dose of methylxanthines in dogs is 140–150 mg/kg of body weight, although lower doses of 7–10 mg/kg can cause signs such as nausea.^[4]

Signs to watch for

tremors
seizures
hyperactivity
nausea

Where it is found

coffee
tea
soda
energy drinks
some supplements
energy pouches, shots and tablets

What the experts say

“Caffeine (found in a lot of drinks such as coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks)”
— US FDA – Center for Veterinary Medicine [1]

“According to the ASPCA APCC data, mild clinical signs appear in dogs after ingesting 20 mg/kg of theobromine and caffeine, while severe clinical signs are observed at 40–50 mg/kg and seizures occur at 60 mg/kg”
— Cortinovis & Caloni 2016, Household Food Items Toxic to Dogs and Cats, Front Vet Sci [3]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

How much caffeine is dangerous for a dog?

Mild signs have been reported at 20 mg/kg of theobromine and caffeine, severe signs at 40–50 mg/kg, and seizures at 60 mg/kg; 7–10 mg/kg of methylxanthines can cause signs such as nausea.^[3]^[4]

Which signs should I watch for?

Seizures are reported among severe signs, and nausea can occur at 7–10 mg/kg of methylxanthines.^[3]

What should I do now?

Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet, note what was eaten, how much and when, and bring the packaging.

Sources

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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