My dog licked red wine. Is it toxic? Do I need to call the vet?

Certain chemicals in hair dye is known to be toxic to dogs, but it usually takes more than a lick to cause serious complications. However, I would expect some vomiting and excessive drooling from this. If you are not seeing this within the first hour after she licked it, then it's a good sign that she will not have any toxic effects. However, you should monitor her for signs of excessive vomiting, difficulty breathing, and/or lethargy as a sign that she is having serious complications. If you notice this, then take her to the vet immediately for treatment. In-fact, if there is any concern about toxicity, then it's best to take her to the vet for treatment and monitoring. If you don't notice any signs of toxicity within the next 12 hours, then most likely she will be fine. For now, it's best to give a little milk (about 1cup) and plenty of water. This will help to dilute the toxins in the stomach. I hope that helps and all is well with Lola

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Your dog licking a very small amount of alcohol should not cause him any serious harm, although depending on the alcohol content it may cause him to become slightly drunk. This can cause wobbliness/ataxia, lethargy, vomiting. If you notice any of these signs, he should be seen by a veterinarian. Otherwise, he should be OK, and I recommend requesting that your mom not leave any alcohol within Chewy's reach! I hope this is helpful!

Hello. Even if Alex managed to drink a little wine in his water, it would have been so diluted that I would not be concerned at all. So since you cleaned things up so promptly, you & Alex are completely safe. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This may cause some GI upset which may result in vomiting and/or diarrhea. If it is limited to a couple of bouts and she's back to normal in 12 hours or so, you don't need to worry. Just keep an eye on her for the next 12-24 hours, and if she develops vomiting or diarrhea that is severe or continuous, or if she becomes increasingly lethargic, seek emergency care.

I've searched the literature, and I can't find much evidence to suggest that this is a serious exposure. The equivalent amount of a higher proof alcohol likely would be, but as most wine is only 7 - 9% alcohol, and Zeke is a medium-sized dog, I think you're likely to not see much if anything in the way of effects. With liquids, inducing vomiting is typically ineffective more than 15 minutes after ingestion, and giving activated charcoal also isn't indicated. I'd monitor for vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst and urination, and unsteadiness, and take him in on emergency if you see those signs.

Because Domino only licked it, he would not have consumed enough chocolate to cause any toxicity, so it's not a problem. I would caution about giving him milk, however, as this causes GI upset in dogs and can make him vomit and have diarrhea. It's not recommended to give milk when dogs consume chocolate, as it does nothing to help with the symptoms of chocolate toxicity.

The tiny bit will likely pose no serious risk of toxicity. Monitor for lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, a change in thirst or a change in urination. Unfortunately, an exact toxic dose for grapes has not yet been determined.