Are coffee grounds toxic to dogs? well, coffee grounds { grinds } often end up in the trash and they are a potential risk to dogs. The toxic factor is the caffeine content in the coffee, but thankfully used coffee grinds are much less toxic than fresh ones, but I have sometimes known discarded grounds to cause significant problems to dogs. So in the event that your dog swallowed some, what would the expected symptoms be? How much coffee grounds are is going to cause your dog a significant problem? And if symptoms should appear how is this treated? 

What symptoms would you expect if your dog swallows coffee grounds { grinds }?

As I said above coffee can be grounds toxic to dogs. But where a dog swallows a significant amount what symptoms might you expect to see? Well, initially you might expect to see such symptoms as vomiting, diarrhoea. These can then progress to an increased heart rate, an irregular heart rate, excitability and tremors. In severe cases, seizures, and deaths are possible where very large amounts had been swallowed, but thankfully this is rare. You might expect to see symptoms start sometime within the first two hours after ingestion.

How much coffee grounds { grinds } does it take to be toxic to dogs?

But the question is how much coffee grounds would be toxic to a dog? Well, the toxic dose for caffeine in dogs is around 150mg of caffeine per Kg of your dog’s body weight. You could read the ingredients on the pack and then make a rough estimation of the possible risk. But in most cases, you will be assessing any symptoms which occur and noting if they are getting worse as time goes by.

How should coffee ground toxicity in the dog be treated?

3. How should coffee toxicity be treated? As with a great many toxins the best thing you can do is to induce vomiting within the first hour. This is the single most effective thing you can do.

Please follow this link for an accurate article on how best to induce vomiting in the dog: LINK

If an hour has passed then giving your dog activated charcoal orally may be of benefit. This can help mop up any toxins still present in the stomach and intestinal tract.

There is, unfortunately, no specific antidote and where larger amounts of coffee grounds have been swallowed treatment can only consist of symptomatic measures. This will mean a high level of support while the coffee toxins slowly naturally drain out of the dog’s system. This could typically take between 24 to 48 hours to start to happen.

Under these circumstances, symptomatic measures would be best delivered by your vet at his clinic. These could include drugs to stabilise the heart rate, drugs to control tremors, anti-sickness meds, and sometimes IV fluids.

It’s true that you may be able to handle a minor case of coffee toxicity on a home care basis. However, if more severe symptoms set in then you should have your dog checked by a vet without delay. Better safe than sorry …