Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

My dog ate coffee grounds hours ago. Should I worry if he's fine?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Australian Shepherd | Male | neutered | 40 lbs

My dog ripped into the garbage about 6-7 hours ago and ate coffee grounds, I didn't think anything of it until I searched it online and found out it could be poisonous he weighs 40lbs and ate approx 2-4 tablespoons I'm guessing, he hasn't acted unsusual or out of the norm should I be worried?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on May 7th, 2017

That was naughty of Zeus to get into the trash, but good on you for reaching out for help! Yes, you are correct that coffee grounds are poisonous, and if they eat a moderate amount of them, it will cause toxic symptoms. The good news is that these symptoms start appearing within the first one to two hours of ingestion, so if he ate them six to seven hours ago and is acting normally, then he likely did not ingest enough to cause a problem. I will give you the symptoms of toxicity just in case you see some worrying symptoms, but he should be ok :-)

Symptoms:
Diarrhea, vomiting, an increased heart rate, an irregular heart rate, excitability, and tremors.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on March 17th, 2021
Hello. I am so sorry that no one has taken your question up to now. If these were used grounds, then there should be absolutely no problems. If the grounds were fresh, such as she got into a K cup or something similar, there could be enough caffeine to cause stimulatory activity, including agitation, restlessness, vomiting, incoordination. If after an hour, Snowflake seems relatively calm & comfortable, then she is fine to watch at home. But if she is becoming increasingly agitated, restless, heavy panting, vomiting or gagging, you should take her into an emergency clinic for decontamination & observation. I do hope all is well & again my apologies for your delayed response. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on September 22nd, 2016
If Bella ate the coffee grounds within the past 2 hours, you can take her into your vet now to get her to vomit them up. If it has been longer than 2 hours, I would monitor her for signs of caffeine toxicity. Signs should develop within 1-2 hours after ingestion. If you see any of those signs, take her into your vet immediately.
7Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on August 27th, 2020
Hello. I would not worry. This was just a small amount of caffeine for a dog this large. Sunny might be a little "sunnier" for the next few hours, but no need to worry. Some gastrointestinal signs, including vomiting & diarrhea would be very possible once the amounts approached 7 ounces of coffee grounds, but if the amount in 1-2 tongue-fulls was much less than this, then you have nothing to worry about. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My dog drank iced coffee. Should I worry? What should I do now?

I am sorry to hear about your concern for Sophie. I would recommend watching her closely tonight for signs of toxicity from the coffee. Hopefully she just ingested a small amount and will have no ill effects, but you want to watch for vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity/excitability, racing heart, tremors/muscle twitching, and seizures. If any of these occur, then take Sophie in to the vet (vomiting and diarrhea if just occurring a few times may not require emergency care, but repeated vomiting or the other symptoms listed would warrant an emergency trip visit).

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog drank a mocha coffee. Is the caffeine or cocoa toxic?

Oh dear! You're right that cocoa powder can certainly be toxic to dogs; coffee can as well, since they don't tolerate caffeine very well. But the good news is, I would not expect a single prepackaged coffee drink like this to contain enough of either one to cause any serious toxicity issues in a large-breed dog. It's possible that he may have some mild stomach upset if he isn't used to eating things like this, but otherwise I would not expect to see any serious problems. To be safe, it would be best to monitor him for the next 12 hours for any signs of toxicity - which would include repeated episodes of vomiting or diarrhea, restlessness or hyperactivity, muscle tremors, or even seizures. If you see anything that concerns you, you can always take him to the vet to be checked.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog licked a tiny bit of coffee from my hand. Will she be okay?

There is no such thing as a stupid question! You are correct - coffee is toxic to dogs due to the caffeine present and potential for heart side effects. However, the minimal amount of dry coffee that Nova may have licked from your hands is negligible and will not cause any side effects. She should be perfectly fine! :-)

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My dog drank coffee. Is it toxic? Should I take him to the vet?

Oh no, that's not good! Symptoms can occur with the consumption of 9 mg/pound of caffeine. I don't know how much Cassidy ingested, but you may see signs. I'd take him into the emergency vet now to be safe. Best of luck.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My dog ate chocolate covered coffee beans. What should I do?

In order to tell you whether your dog is in serious danger, we would need your dog's weight and the amount of beans eaten. Coffee beans contain 600mg of caffeine per oz, which is toxic. add theobromine from the chocolate (varies). If a 10lbs dog ate 1/2 oz of coffee beans he would have ingested a toxic amount. Please take your dog to a pet ER now, where they can make Rufio regurgitate the coffee beans, or call the following number: 24/7 Animal Poison Control Center 855-764-7661 $49 USD per incident fee applies

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My Pomeranian drank half decaf coffee. What signs should I watch for?

That wasn't good that Angel Puff drank coffee! While it's good that it was half decaf, there is concern because of the caffeine in the regular coffee and the fat that she is a small dog. Signs of caffeine toxicity typically appear one to two hours after ingestion, and include vomiting, mild to severe hyperactivity, restlessness, increased heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures, and collapse. I would monitor her for those signs, and if you see any of them, take her into a vet immediately for treatment. It could be that she did not ingest enough caffeine to cause toxic symptoms, but it's best to know the signs just in case. Hopefully, she will be ok!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My 7-month-old puppy drank 6 oz of coffee latte. Will he be okay?

Rowan will probably be just fine. The worst thing that may happen is some vomiting and/or diarrhea (like an upset stomach). If he does have these signs they are usually self-limiting meaning they will go away within 24 hours without treatment. If the signs last longer than that then you should take him to the vet for some additional treatment. I hope this helps! Best wishes!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share