Alcohol has similar effects on dogs as it does on us humans. However, the effect is significantly stronger in comparison. In excess it can therefore be fatal.
To avoid this, here are the 6 most important things for dealing with alcohol in your dog.
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#1 Can dogs drink alcohol?
Alcohol is a neurotoxin and toxic to dogs. Even small amounts therefore have a negative impact on the dog's health.
Unlike humans, dogs have no tolerance limit for alcohol. A quick sip may seem fun, but it comes at the expense of your health.
In addition, dogs naturally have no desire for alcohol. They often drink it just out of curiosity or to show their master that they are obedient.
Fortunately, alcohol poisoning is very rare. However, it can become a problem if alcohol is mixed with something sweet.
Typical examples of this are:
- Liquor chocolates
- Alcoholic mixed drinks with sweet juices
- Disinfectant spray with a sweet smell
- Liqueurs
- Rotten fruit
Even small amounts of alcohol are toxic to dogs. Unlike humans, there is no “safe border” here. Fortunately, dogs don't crave alcohol either.
#2 What happens when dogs drink alcohol?
How alcohol affects dogs is not significantly different from how it affects people. However, the effect is much stronger.
The reasons for this are threefold:
- Dogs are not used to alcohol and have no tolerance threshold.
- Alcohol cannot be metabolized by dogs.
- On average, dogs weigh significantly less than people.
Depending on the drink and the amount, the symptoms usually become noticeable within 30-60 minutes. Typical signs of a drunk dog include:
- Loss of orientation
- Lethargy and tiredness
- High body temperature
- Loss of coordination
- Strong thirst
- restlessness
- Heavy panting [1]
Alcohol only sometimes has a calming effect on dogs. Giving your dog some alcohol to calm down on New Year's Eve can backfire.
In large quantities, alcohol can also be fatal. Typical symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:
- Gagging and vomiting
- Muscle spasms and seizures
- Profuse drooling
- Breathing problems
- Organ failure [2]
Alcohol has a significantly greater effect on dogs than on people. Small amounts lead to disorientation, intense thirst and lethargy. In larger quantities, it can also cause vomiting, breathing problems and death.
#3 Can dogs break down alcohol?
Unlike humans, dogs cannot break down alcohol. The reason for this is simply the fact that their liver does not contain the corresponding enzymes.
However, that doesn't mean that dogs stay drunk all the time. Over time, they excrete alcohol through saliva, urine, sweat or stool.
For comparison: the human liver can metabolize up to 98% of alcohol. Some of it is flushed out, some is absorbed and the majority is used as energy.
Because we humans have been consuming alcohol for over 9,000 years. Our organism has therefore been able to adapt accordingly over the years. [3]
Dogs, on the other hand, absorb pure alcohol – i.e. unmetabolized and highly toxic ethanol. This also explains why liver damage occurs quickly in dogs.
You can compare this to drinking gasoline. Yes, it'll be out of your body eventually, but until then it won't be much fun.
How quickly the alcohol is flushed out depends on the amount, breed, and how much you drink and eat. Unfortunately, there is no rule of thumb like ours (0.1-0.2 ‰ / h).
Dogs cannot metabolize alcohol. Instead, they flush alcohol out like a foreign body. How quickly the breakdown occurs varies greatly from person to person.
#4 How much alcohol can dogs tolerate?
How much alcohol a dog can tolerate depends primarily on body weight. Ultimately, the amount of ethanol in the blood is responsible for the effect.
According to the American Dog Association, the lethal amount of alcohol in dogs is between 5.5 and 7.9 g of pure ethanol per kilogram. [4]
However, at room temperature, ethanol only weighs 0.8 g per ml. Don't worry, I've done the math for you here
Lethal amount of alcohol for dogs
Type of alcoholSmall dog
2-10 kgMedium-sized dog
10-25 kg large dog
25-50 KgBeer (5%)0.3 – 1.7 l1.7 – 4.2 l4.2 – 8.4 lWine (12%)0.1 – 0.7 l0.7 – 1.7 l1, 7 – 3.5 lSpirits (40%)0.04 – 0.2 l0.2 – 0.5 l0.5 – 1 l
Alcohol has the greatest effect on small dogs and on an empty stomach. Just like with people, there are also large individual differences in dogs.
Or in plain language: A small beer (330 ml) or a double shot (4 cl) can be fatal in small dogs.
The smaller a dog is, the greater the effect of alcohol. With small lap dogs, even a small beer or a double shot of schnapps can be fatal.
#5 Dog drank alcohol – what to do?
If your dog accidentally drank alcohol, you should first estimate the approximate amount.
If your dog has only drunk a little alcohol, you should keep a close eye on him and provide him with plenty of water.
To encourage peeing, you can mix a can of tuna into the water instead of pure water. The alcohol should then be washed out over time.
If there are larger quantities, I recommend consulting the vet as a precaution. These can give the dog appropriate medication, which waters down the amount of alcohol.
The following table can help you as a rough guide.
Alcohol-
quantityLittle dog
Medium sized dog
10 – 25 kg large dog
> 25 kgWait and go to the vet if necessary.Wait and let the alcohol sleep off.Wait and let the alcohol sleep off.> 100 ml of beerGo to the vet immediately.Wait and go to the vet if necessary.Wait and go to the vet if necessary.Wait and go to the vet if necessary Visit the vet.Wait and sleep off the alcohol.Wait and sleep off the alcohol.> 50 ml of wineImmediately go to the vet Visit.Wait and go to the vet if necessary.Wait and go to the vet if necessary.Wait and go to the vet if necessary.Wait and sleep off the alcohol.Wait and sleep off the alcohol.> 10 ml of spiritsImmediately go to the vet.Wait and sleep off the alcohol.> 10 ml of spiritsImmediately go to the vet.Wait and if necessary Visit the vet.Wait and, if necessary, go to the vet.UnknownWait and prepare yourself for the visit to the vet.Wait and prepare yourself for the visit Prepare for the vet. Wait and prepare for your visit to the vet. This table is not a substitute for professional advice.
Grapes are toxic to dogs and can cause acute kidney damage and death. [5]
Although wine is made from grapes, there is currently no evidence that wine is any more harmful to dogs than other types of alcohol. [6]
However, you should be particularly careful with beer and drinks sweetened with xylitol.
Xylitol is a sugar substitute that is more commonly found in chocolate, desserts, baked goods and diet dishes.
In some cases it is also used for alcoholic drinks for figure-conscious people. You should be careful here. Because even the smallest amounts of it are toxic to dogs.
Beer, on the other hand, is made only from hops, malt, yeast and water in accordance with the German Purity Law. [7] The problem? The hops.
For reasons that are still unclear, hops are toxic to dogs and can lead to fatal hop poisoning.
However, sensitivity to hops varies depending on the breed. Here is a list of the dogs that are most sensitive to hops:
AkitasGerman Shorthaired GreyhoundsAlaskan MalamutesDobermansLabrador RetrieversBerhardinesEnglish PointersPudelpointersBorder ColliesEnglish Springer SpanielsSamoyedsChow ChowsGolden RetrieversSiberian Husky[Quelle]
The solution? Dog beer from Amazon.
This beer is brewed specifically for dogs and consists of beef, chicken, malt extract and other minerals – completely free of toxic hops.
By the way, non-alcoholic beer and malt beer are unsuitable for dogs. Because they are also brewed with hops.
If the dog has only drunk very small amounts of alcohol, then waiting and encouraging the amount of alcohol is usually sufficient. However, if you consume larger quantities or consume beer or xylitol, you should consult a veterinarian immediately.
#6 Prevention measures
To prevent incidents involving alcohol, the following measures can help:
- Store alcoholic beverages out of the dog's reach.
- Clean up spilled alcohol immediately.
- Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended.
- Make guests aware that alcohol is toxic to dogs.
- Always store alcohol-rich foods in the refrigerator.
Or even better? Don't even have any alcohol at home. 😉
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