Is your pup staring at her water dish and then looking up at you as if they want something other than water to drink?
Prior to trying to find your pup something other than water to drink, take a look at these 8 beverages the dog experts recommend staying away from:
8. Alcohol
A few folks think it’s humorous to let their pup drink out of their beer or to feed them some other kind of alcohol. However, it’s not funny at all! In fact, it could you’re your pup. At the very least, according to the Animal Poison Control Center for the ASPCA, it can make them throw up, get diarrhea, have bad coordination, cause their blood acids to be abnormal, or they could even fall into a coma and die! So keep alcohol away from your pup at all times.
7. Milk
You constantly see pictures of cute kittens drinking milk, so can your puppy? According to the American Kennel Club dogs (as well as some cats) can suffer from being lactose intolerant. That means they have a hard time digesting the lactose (sugar) contained in milk. If can cause a nasty outcome like throwing up, diarrhea, vomiting, or gas. If you give them a tiny amount and they don’t seem to suffer any bad outcome, it is likely okay to feed them a tablespoon or two every once in a while, however, be sure you watch how they react and don’t do it all the time. Plus, there’s a lot of fat as well as sugar in milk, and you don’t want your pup to develop pancreatitis or become obese.
6. Coffee
Your morning cup of coffee may be something you can’t do without, however, it’s not good for your pup! Your dog is more vulnerable to caffeine than you, so says the Pet Poison Helpline. If he manages to drink a couple of sips it probably won’t hurt him, however, if he eats any coffee grounds or drinks a full cup, it could be threatening to his life! The ASPCA explains that the harmful ingredient in question is something called methylxanthines. These are present in things like tea, chocolate, and coffee. It’s good for people but bad for your dog! If they have too much caffeine they could throw up, get diarrhea, start panting and be excessively thirsty, or pee too much, get tremors or seizures, become hyperactive, or even die!
5. Tea
As stated in the above info, just the same as coffee, tea might have harmful caffeine in it. So don’t give your pup any tea!
4. Soda
Soda is another beverage that can contain caffeine, which is dangerous for your dog. If your pup manages to lick up a little soda you spilled on the floor, they will probably be fine. However, don’t pour that can of cola into her water dish and think you are giving her a treat!
3. Fruit and vegetable juices
There’s a lot of veggies and fruits which are actually good for your pup. But many aren’t! For instance, don’t feed your dog any grapes, avocadoes, or raisins! And a lot of juice is full of sugar, therefore, if you’d like to feed your pup some fruit, give her a few strawberries or some slices of carrots or apples.
2. Sports drinks
If you go on a hard run with your pup, don’t pour some of your sports drink into his water dish or offer him some Gatorade. Your pup requires a lot of water to drink, particularly after they’ve had some kind of exertion. However, they do not need all that additional sodium, vitamins, or electrolytes in your sports drink. According to Applied Veterinary Clinical Nutrition, they are bad for dogs. Occasionally your vet may recommend giving your dog a little Gatorade if they are dehydrated or have had diarrhea or were throwing up. But prior to doing so, make sure you understood your vet’s directions and know precisely how much you should give your pup. And when she feels better, only provide nice, clean, and freshwater.
1. Coconut water or coconut milk
A few folks swear that putting coconut oil on your skin can help cure hot spots or itching. However, if we are talking about coconut milk or coconut water to drink, the experts differ in their recommendations. While the AKC says these are okay for your pup except to not let them consume any of the shell (as it’s hard and they could get it stuck in their throat), but the ASPCA tells us to only give these two beverages in tiny amounts. Plus if they eat a lot of the flesh of the coconut or drink too much of the milk, they might get diarrhea or a tummy ache. Plus coconut water has a lot of potassium and this too can cause problems for their health. So prior to giving either to your pup, talk to your vet.
