There’s nothing better than a cup of Earl Grey tea with lemon right before bedtime. Many pet owners want to share their foods, drinks, and snacks with their four-legged friend. But “can Pugs drink tea” and is it actually beneficial for them to do so? Well, let’s take a look at the types of effect tea will have on your canine friend.
Can Pugs Drink Tea?
It depends, dogs can drink some sorts of black, green, and chamomille tea in small amounts. But you should avoid giving your pooch tea with milk or sugar as it is high in fat and sugar and can cause your dog to have allergic reactions. You should never give your Pug tea with caffeine.
There’s a lot you should know giving your Pug tea, so let’s get all your questions answered.
Note: This article is written by someone who owned a Pug for 16 years, not a veterinarian, and shouldn’t be a substitute for professional advice. If your Pug has eaten something potentially dangerous or is showing signs of illness, you should contact your vet immediately!
What Is Tea?
It is the second most consumed beverage consumed in the world, the first being water. A plant called Camellia sinensis is the plant responsible for producing the buds and leaves we know as tea.
Camellia sinesis is a sub-tropical plant evergreen plant that is native to Asia but grown around the world. At the time of this writing, there are over 20,000 different types of teas, with six main categories that consist of oolong, white, green, black, yellow, and fermented/pu’erh.
Are There Any Benefits To Giving Pugs Tea?
Tea offers humans many benefits due to the flavonoids (antioxidants) that it contains. There are some teas such as chamomile and catnip tea that can provide your four-legged friend with many benefits.
Teas can act as natural remedies to help with anxiety, indigestion (bloating) stress, inflammation, or nausea. Peppermint leaves and sage can are also known to help with bad doggie breath.
In fact, many herbal teas are safe for dogs, when given in moderation. I would recommend consulting your veterinarian before giving your pooch any type of tea.
Here’s a list of some herbal teas that do not contain caffeine, generally, herbal teas are safe for pets. As always consult with your veterinarian before giving your Pug any tea.
Dog’s don’t need a variety of beverages like we do, they only need access to fresh clean water to stay hydrated.
| Tea | Caffeine |
| Rooibos | No |
| Peppermint Tea | No |
| Sage Tea | No |
| Ginger Tea | No |
| Lemongrass Tea | No |
| Ginkgo Tea | No |
| Ashwagandha Tea | No |
| Chai Tea | No |
Is Tea Safe For Pugs?
As long as your Pug doesn’t have diabetes, it should be safe for them to drink a small amount of tea every once in a while. When sharing a cup of tea with your dog, make sure that it has 0 caffeine in it.
Never give your dog hot tea, that contains sugar, milk, honey, lemon, or any other sweeteners that can cause your pooch to have an upset tummy.
The Dangers Of Tea For Pugs
The biggest danger is accidentally giving your Pug too much caffeine. You might require that cup of caffeine in the early mornning to give you the extra boost you need to get through the day.
Unfortunately, dogs are more sensitive to caffeine and can even lead to caffeine poisoning in dogs. Caffeine contains a harmful chemical called Theobromine which is commonly found in chocolate, coffee grounds, and etc. (source)
If your dog licks your tea cup or laps up a quick sip, they’ll likely not experience any issues. However, if they ingest a moderate amount they can experience severe caffeine poisoning.
The signs and symptoms of it consist of:
- hypertension (elevated blood pressure)
- restlessness
- vomiting
- hyperactivity
- tremors
- seizures
- increased heart rate
- hyperthermia
- collapse
If you notice any of the signs above after your dog has come into contact with caffeine, you’ll want to get them to the vet or emergency clinic. The doctor will likely start an activated charcoal treatment with IV fluids to help with the excretion of the tea.
The sooner your dog gets treatment, the likely they will be able to survive the poisoning.
Can Pugs Drink Tea For Upset Stomach?
Chamomille acts as a mild sedative that can help aid the digestive system when your dog is suffering from vomiting, gas, or indigestion.
You can give chamomile to your dog as a fresh ground herb, tea, or powder. If giving it as a tea, make sure that it is cool and go slowly on giving it to your pooch, to ensure they don’t have an allergic reaction. Start by giving your dog 1 ml per 20lbs of their weight and every two hours until their digestive issues subside.
If you opt to give them fresh ground herb, you can simply add it to their dog food.
Some pets may be allergic to chamomile, so make sure you monitor them for itching, hives, or rashes.
How to Serve Tea To Your Pug?
You could use a plate and saucer if you wanted to, and are feeling brave. Your dog will be fine drinking their tea out of a bowl, just like they drink their water.
The most important thing to remember is to let it cool down to room temperature before you serve it.
Always read the ingredient labels before giving your dog any type of human food, herbs, drinks or anything else. It’s important to know what you’re feeding your pup to ensure you’re not feeding them something harmful.
Can Pugs Drink Decaffeinated Tea?
No, even though the tea leaves have undergone a process to remove the caffeine, they still contain some caffeine. While “decaf” or caffeine free tea contains less caffeine, it still contains small amounts that can be harmful to canines.
Can Pugs Drink Green Tea?
Green tea has so many benefits for humans, it’s hard to think that it can’t be good for dogs. However, depending on the type of green tea you drink, it can contain between 24-45 milligrams of caffeine, whereas coffee contains 65-100 milligrams.
Many people love drinking green tea because of the energy boost they get from it.
Can Pugs Drink Peppermint Tea?
Peppermint tea has become extremely popular among pet owners because it is safe for dogs. This herbal tea is also packed with many health benefits such as:
- Relieves migraines and headaches
- Weight loss
- Better sleep
- Helps with allergies
- Fights against bacteria
While your dog may not get the same benefits as you do, peppermint tea has been known to help dogs with bad breath. For example, you could give your Pug a small serving of peppermint tea every once in a while.
Can Pugs Drink Black Tea?
No, black tea leaves are oxidized and can contain as much as 90mg of caffeine, which makes it bad for dogs.
What If My Pug Accidentally Drinks Tea?
Nothing is scarier when you turn around see your Pugs head in your tea cup lapping up as much tea as they can. Remember, a 1-2 laps won’t harm your dog.
The first thing you should do is look at the tea box or bag to see if it contains any caffeine or not. If it doesn’t have any caffeine, your pooch should be fine.
They may become a experience some diarrhea or vomiting depending on how much they managed to drink. Monitor your pooch to make sure they don’t show any severe signs or symptoms that may require medical attention.
However, if your dog managed to half of your black tea that contains a high amount of caffeine, then you’ll definitely want to rush your pooch to the vet. Don’t forget to take along the tea package so you can let your vet know what type of tea they drank.
Your veterinarian will be able to diagnose your pooch properly and start the proper treatment. Remember, the sooner your Pug gets treatment, the better chance they have for survival.
Caffeinated Drinks That Are Harmful to Pugs
Every household has several caffeinated products that can be harmful to their dogs. Here is a small list of caffeinated drinks that can pose a danger to your Pug if not stored properly.
- Soda
- Decaffeinated coffee and tea
- Energy drinks
- Diet Pills
- Soda
- Caffeine pills
Most people only think about coffee as the number one source of caffeine. However, there are several other caffeinated products that should be locked up properly and out of the reach from your dog.
Final Word On Giving Pugs Tea
There are many benefits for giving herbal teas to your pooch, especially, since they have high levels of antioxidants. Chamomile and Peppermint are safe for dogs and are full of digestive aids.
Ginger is another safe herb for dogs that contains many benefits. Many Rooibos blends are safe and caffeine free, just understand that they can contain other ingredients that dogs can’t have.
Make sure you’re aware of the many human foods you can’t feed your Pug. If you’re not sure if your dog can have it, then don’t give it to them before talking to your vet!
References And Further Reading
Tea How – What Is Tea? Everything You Need To Know
Whole Dog Journal – The Calming Herb Chamomile