Don't Give the Dog Beer

Seriously.

I know it sounds weird, but many people often ask if it's okay to give the dog a cold one. The answer is simply this; no. Some dogs might even like the taste of a Bud, but it's really not a good idea. The fact of the matter is, even though beer doesn't have a high alcoholic content, it can be poisonous to your dog. Alcohol poisoning can result in your dog slipping into a coma or even death.

So what's the problem then? Dogs don't have the body mass or weight of a human, therefore it can't absorb the same amount of alcohol as you or I can. So even a few sips may get your dog very drunk and depending upon how many sips the dog has, could lead to toxicity.

Look for specific signs in your dog's behavior to tell if it has alcohol poisoning. Vomiting, dizziness, collapsing, even hypothermia are all immediate signs that there is a problem and the dog has been poisoned. All of them obvious, of course.

If the dog has been poisoned, call for help immediately. Your vet will help the dog try to rid the toxins from its system by giving the dog activated charcoal. This will help absorb the poisonous components from the body. The vet may also induce vomiting in the dog or even have the stomach pumped clean. All of these are very unpleasant things to have to go through for anybody, much less your poor dog.

So as a rule of thumb, keep all open alcoholic beverages away from your dog. Better to be safe than sorry.