Why You Should Never Leave Coffee Grounds Out In Your House If You Have Dogs

Have you ever met a dog who didn't love going through the trash? The stinkier the better. One potential danger for your pup that may be lurking in your trash can right now is coffee grounds. While coffee can offer humans a much needed morning boost, caffeine — and by extension those wet, used grounds in your trash or the dry, fresh ones on your counter — is extremely dangerous to dogs.

Make sure to take trash containing coffee grounds outside promptly, and keep fresh grounds out of your pup's reach. Dogs are much more sensitive to caffeine than humans are. How your dog reacts to caffeine depends on their size and the amount they ingest. While they may not get sick if they lap up a spilled drop or two of coffee, if they eat even a handful of grounds, the effects could be serious.

Caffeine and a related ingredient called theobromine, which is present in chocolate, are drugs called methylxanthines. Basically, caffeine is a stimulant that can damage a dog's major organs, including the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, and central nervous system. And coffee isn't the only source of caffeine that your dog could possibly get into. Other common caffeinated products include soda, tea, energy drinks, and over-the-counter pain medications.

So, what exactly can happen if your pup gets into your coffee grounds or something else that contains caffeine? Symptoms of caffeine poisoning can appear in as little as 30 to 60 minutes after ingestion and last for 12 or more hours, up to several days. Signs include restlessness, anxiety, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, and a racing or abnormal heartbeat. Dogs may also experience an increased need to urinate.

Extremely serious cases can lead to tremors, seizures, collapse, and even death if not treated in a timely manner. The amount of coffee grounds that will cause caffeine toxicity in your dog varies depending on the caffeine content of the specific type of coffee and the size and health condition of your pup. A large, young, healthy dog will likely be able to tolerate more than a small, elderly dog with pre-existing heart problems, for example. It's a chance you don't want to take. But of course, accidents happen.

If your pup gets into coffee grounds, soda, tea bags, or something else with caffeine by mistake, stay calm and gather as much information about the incident as possible, including your dog's approximate weight, how much they ate or drank, and how long ago it happened. Once you have those details, call your vet immediately. Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 are also great options if your vet isn't available. There may be a fee for the phone consultation, but they will be able to tell you exactly how to proceed.

If you have caught your pup soon after ingestion, your vet may want to induce vomiting as a way to expel the toxin from their body and give several doses of activated charcoal to your dog to prevent more absorption of the caffeine, per the Pet Poison Helpline. More severe cases may require IV fluids, sedatives, or other medications to combat seizures, blood pressure spikes, and gastrointestinal distress.

The best thing you can do if your dog ingests coffee grounds is get professional advice as soon as possible; time is of the essence when it comes to caffeine poisoning. This is not something you want your pooch to experience. Lock away those coffee grounds where your dog can't reach them, and don't let them linger in the trash if you have a nosy pup.